Leadership and Community Engagement

Running with Ralphie

Tyler Caldwell — Wed, 14 Jan 2026 21:57:16 +0000

Running with Ralphie Tyler Caldwell Wed, 01/14/2026 - 14:57

Left: Claire Applegate (Edu’25), Right: Ben Eggen

When one Ralphie gate closes, another one opens. Just ask two School of Education undergraduate students who have been lucky enough to join the coveted team of Ralphie Handlers— one of CU’s most cherished, recognizable traditions.

Ralphie Handler Claire Applegate (Edu’25) graduated last spring with her degree in Leadership and Community Engagement. She passed the torch to Ben Eggen, a Middle and High School Teaching major who’s just starting out with the team. Both students grew up in Colorado watching Ralphie run.

Applegate, from Centennial, attended �鶹��Ѱ��Buffs games with her family. She assumed everyone in the crowd was, like her, there to watch Ralphie. As she got older, she realized some attendees were there to watch the football game, which she loves now too, of course. Eggen, who grew up in Longmont and also watched the Buffs play, likewise admired Ralphie and dreamed of trying out for the team one day.

That day is here, and Applegate and Eggen know firsthand about the intense training protocol for Ralphie Handlers. During football season, these varsity student-athletes dedicate 20-30 hours per week to not only training and practicing but also caring for the beloved mascot and escorting her to public appearances.

Here, our local Ralphie Handlers run us through what it’s like to have their childhood dreams of running with Ralphie come true.

Q. What's the best part of being a Ralphie Handler?

Eggen: Getting to be a part of the best team in the world. The community that the team has built is one of inclusion and respect. During my time on the team, I have made lifelong memories and friends.

Q. What's one thing about Ralphie that surprised you after becoming a Ralphie Handler?

Applegate: How much personality she has. She has a unique relationship with everyone on the team and can be quite playful once she gains confidence in you joining her herd.

Q. What does Ralphie mean to you both?

Applegate: Ralphie represents �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder as a whole to me. She has been part of our school's history for over 50 years, and images of her can be found all over the campus. To attend �鶹��Ѱ��is to know and love Ralphie, which creates connection between students and alumni.

Eggen: Ralphie represents the spirit and tradition of CU. She brings the �鶹��Ѱ��community together and embodies the pride of students, faculty and alumni. She is the beating heart and soul of the University of Colorado. Ralphie is the greatest tradition in college football history.

Discover more from Voices, vol. 8:

Supporting Rural Teachers & Leaders

The Bob and Judy Charles Endowed Chair of Education is deepening work in rural Colorado

The Transformative Power of Community

Meet several College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) & Patitos alumni whose important careers were first cultivated in CAMP, and are now utilized to support their community

Get to know Dean Amanda Haertling Thein and her full-circle journey to becoming dean of the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder School of Education

As the new Dean of the School of Education, Amanda Haertling Thein recently returned to the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder campus — a homecoming for the alumna

Return to Voices Volume 8

Two School of Education students reflect on their dreams come true.

Off

Traditional

White

Get to know our newest faculty members

Hannah Fletcher — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 01:33:57 +0000

Get to know our newest faculty members Hannah Fletcher Sun, 12/28/2025 - 18:33

This year, the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder School of Education welcomed our newest faculty members, who bring a variety of experiences and enhance our community of educators and learners. Learn more about them below, and please join us in continuing to welcome them to our school and community.

Adria Padilla-Chávez is an assistant teaching professor in equity, bilingualism and biliteracy and elementary education.

She grew up in various neighborhoods throughout and around Denver, eventually graduating from Denver Public Schools. She received her BS in bilingual elementary education from the University of New Mexico in 2002, and an MA in culturally and linguistically diverse education from the BUENO Center in 2005. Padilla-Chávez has taught in public schools situated in immigrant, Latinx and Chicanx communities for more than 20 years, from Pre-K to 12th grade. She has dedicated her career to advocating for the cultural, linguistic and educational rights of her students. This advocacy led her to the PhD program at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder in learning sciences and human development. Her dissertation, “Buscando la Luz: Children’s Expressions of Dignity in a Co-designed Workshop,” explored a social design-based experiment co-designed with child-partners, her former kindergarten students. Through ethnographic observation and micro-interactional analysis, her study revealed the children’s collaborations, brilliance and critiques of schooling. Addressing the intentionally blurred line between researcher and participant, she reflected on her role as designer and teacher, navigating her own learning and unlearning in the workshop. Padilla-Chávez’s work emphasizes how affirming dignity in learning environments fosters new forms of worldmaking, highlighting children's capacities for coordination and care.

What are you excited about this upcoming year?

“I chose �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and the School of Education because I have worked 30 years for this opportunity. When graduating from high school from Denver Public Schools, I did not have the merit to apply to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder for my undergraduate degree. Feelings of intellectual incapability engulfed me throughout my childhood and teens. Consequently, my merit reflected those feelings. Fortunately, in my undergraduate studies, I had professors that guided me in finding the light—feelings of intellectual capability. Since then, it has been my life’s work to provide the same for my students.

Along the way, I met (�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder professor emerita) Kathy Escamilla at La Cosecha, a bilingual education conference in New Mexico. When I heard her speak, I knew I wanted to study with her. The experience in the master's program through the BUENO Center with Dr. Escamilla as my advisor was one of the most transformational experiences of my life, so much so that I wanted to continue with my doctorate. Fifteen years later, I returned to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder in the School of Education to pursue a PhD in Learning Science and Human Development, yet another transformational experience where I grew in ways I did not know was possible. You see, choosing �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder has always been my choice. I am grateful to all my professors, mentors and advisors who believed in me, and I am grateful to myself for never giving up on me. It is where I belong, and now I can remind that 18-year-old girl back in 1997 that she does, too.”

What are you excited about this upcoming year?

“I am excited to live my dream as a college professor. I am excited to connect with those who have had a similar journey as me and who come from similar backgrounds and remind them that they too belong here. I am excited to help prepare future teachers to see and recognize the brilliance of their students, affirm their dignity and provide opportunities for the actualization of their potential in trusted communities of love and care.”

What’s a fun fact about you?

“I have been a dancer since the movie Breakin' came out in 1984. I was poppin' and lockin' with my older brother, Jojo, before I could tie my shoes. I danced Mexican Folklórico and flamenco as a teen and young adult. Now I dance anything Latin (Zumba, salsa, bachata, etc.) and hip-hop. Dancing is when I feel most free. It is important to find those things in life that enable you to feel free.”

What do you like to do on a day off?

“I cannot think of a better day than spending it with my family—my husband, Joe, and our two sons, José and Vicente, who are usually schooling us on life as they are both so wise, so insightful and so smart. They have been my greatest teachers.”

Lindsay Romano is an assistant professor in equity, bilingualism and biliteracy.

Her research examines how systemic oppressions, such as racism, ableism and linguicism, impact the educational trajectories and outcomes of secondary students experiencing multiple marginalizations. She is particularly interested in how teachers play a role in perpetuating and disrupting inequities in their instruction and how critical and contemplative pedagogies may be used as tools for social justice in the classroom.

Why did you choose �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and the School of Education?

“I love the interdisciplinary nature of the school and its commitment to social justice and equity. In my own program, equity, bilingualism and biliteracy, I was particularly excited to work alongside colleagues who are not only researching issues of inequities for multilingual learners and learners with disabilities but also engaging in activism to enact change in partnership with local school communities.”

What are you excited about this upcoming year?

I am excited to embark on a new research project here in Colorado as well as to get to know students and faculty in the School of Education. I am excited to begin collaborating within and across programs in the school and to deepen my knowledge of the Colorado education context.

What do you like to do on a day off?

On my days off, you can find me with my family spending time outdoors, whether it be going to a park, exploring a new neighborhood, or going on a hike. I also love meditating, painting and writing!

Anything else you’d like to add?

I am really excited to be here and excited to meet students and faculty in the School of Education this year.

Blanca Trejo is an assistant teaching professor for the Leadership and Community Engagement major and the Multicultural Leadership Scholars program.

She was born and raised on the traditional homelands of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, hinono’eino’ biito’owu’, Tséstho’e and Núu-agha-tʉvʉ-pʉ̱ Nations, aka Denver, Colorado. Her ancestral lineage is Mexica, Totonaca and Spaniard, and she identifies as Mexican American, Latina and Xicana. She is among the first generation of her family to hold U.S. birthright citizenship and to earn a BA, an MA and a PhD. Trejo is intimately aware of societal systems that marginalize and oppress BIPOC communities in the U.S. At age 15, she became involved in youth organizing, working on issues of educational justice and immigrant rights. She has been a community organizer, nonprofit leader and a state employee charged with implementing state law won by grassroots campaigns. As an academic and organizer, her research centers on a reconnection to Indigenous knowledge and medicines that helps all people heal from the generational traumas inflicted by white supremacy. She seeks to decolonize and re-indigenize the field of youth organizing and engage BIPOC youth in healing, power building and collective action. She believes in the power of intergenerational imagination to usher us toward a future of abundance, liberation and relationships of balance with human and more-than-human relations.

Why did you choose �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder and the School of Education?

My U.S. passport has stamps from over 24 different countries from five continents (I have yet to visit Australia or New Zealand, and I do not plan to visit Antarctica for environmental justice reasons). I have had the honor and the privilege to visit numerous towns and cities across the U.S. and the world. Ultimately, I have made choices to stay in Colorado because this is my home. I have lived, attended public schools and college and worked my whole life in Colorado. Like the yucca (indigenous to Colorado and the U.S. Southwest), I have a taproot that goes deep into these rocky, sandy soils. Attending graduate school and now working at the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder School of Education has allowed me the space and time to deepen my community relationships and extend my reach to the wonderful undergraduates who have enrolled in my courses over the past five years. I chose �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder because of the relationships and community that exist on and off campus.

What are you excited about this upcoming year?

So many elements of my life are shifting and changing at this time. My “doctora” title is still fresh, and I am still assessing what this PhD means for me, my family and my community. While I am unsure how long I will hold the title of “Assistant Teaching Professor” with the School of Education, one thing is certain: I am not going to work very far from home. I’ll be in Denver, in the historic Baker neighborhood, with my kids (human and furry) and my partner (Anthony) and our garden. Whatever the winds of change bring this coming year, I feel rooted, centered and confident that we (a collective WE) will weather these social, political and economic storms together and come out the other side ready to rebuild a world of abundance and balance for generations to come.

What do you like to do on a day off?

On my days of rest, you will find me getting my hands full of soil and leaves and worms. Fall is my favorite season. I adore the changes that arrive with the fall winds: leaves changing color, flower petals changing to seeds, and temperature changing from sunny mid-day to brisk in the evening. I tend to carry small paper envelopes during this time of year to collect seeds from the generous plants that grow all around me: on the side of a building; through the cracks in the concrete sidewalks; tucked clandestinely in an alley way. I love how the plants around us are a constant reminder of the beauty and abundance that exist in our world.

Anything else you’d like to add?

I am not an ardent social media savant. However, should anyone wish to stay in touch, please feel free to find me at LinkedIn: Dr. Blanca E. Trejo Aguilera; Instagram and Threads @dr_blancaelena; Blue Sky @DrBlancaElena.bsky.social; and my website BlancaElena.PhD.

This year, the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder School of Education welcomed our newest faculty members, who bring a variety of experiences and enhance our community of educators and learners. Learn more about them and what they are looking forward to most as we continue to welcome them to our school and community.

Off

Traditional

White

Diving into new opportunities | Samantha Lane, Outstanding Leadership and Community Engagement Graduate

Anonymous — Wed, 01 May 2024 19:19:31 +0000

Diving into new opportunities | Samantha Lane, Outstanding Leadership and Community Engagement Graduate Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 05/01/2024 - 13:19

Always with an open mind, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder graduate Samantha Lane dives into new opportunities and challenges in her life however unexpected they may be.

Lane decided to major in Leadership and Community Engagement as she was interested in the community-based, hands-on experiences that the major offered, as well as making a difference in educational spaces.

Her time at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, however, started unexpectedly and with challenges during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Yearning to make connections, she found and joined numerous new programs: as a coach for K-12 students in Public Achievement–a youth led civic engagement that promotes student voice and transformative change–, as a member of the Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity, as a Learning Assistant for a class she surprisingly loved–Weather and the Atmosphere–, and much more.

“When I started �鶹��Ѱ��during the pandemic, my experience was anything but what I had expected it to be,” said Lane. “As I begin the next chapter of my life, I will do my best to remember that it's OK if not everything turns out perfectly or how I would expect it to, as there is a lot of beauty among the imperfect and unexpected if you look for it.”

Lane is a 2024 Outstanding Graduate, and her peers in her major describe her as “always the first to volunteer at any leadership opportunity within her group.”

“She doesn’t leave anyone behind and is always so thoughtful about the impact she has on others,” they said.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I am a Boulder native and have lived in Boulder my entire life (I graduated from Fairview High School). I love Boulder as I love doing outdoor activities such as hiking, biking and skiing, and Boulder is a great place for that! I decided to major in Leadership and Community Engagement because I was interested in making a difference in our education system without going into teaching, and I felt that the Leadership major would be a great way for me to learn more about the education system. I was also really drawn to the major due to the community-based, hands-on experiences that it offers. For example, through the major I have gotten to work with youth outside of traditional classroom settings in many ways, such as through afterschool programs, alternative classes and community organizations. It is through these experiences that I have been able to figure out that I want to have a career working with youth in alternative settings to school.”

What is one of the most significant lessons from your time at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

One of the most significant lessons I have learned from �鶹��Ѱ��is that the most wonderful experiences and opportunities often arise in the least expected ways, so it is important to have an open mind, as you never know what amazing opportunities you'll find when you do. Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to go to college, and I always loved to picture what my college life would look like. In fact, in high school, I even picked out many of the student organizations and programs I hoped to join when I got here. However, when I started �鶹��Ѱ��during the pandemic (Fall 2020), my experience was anything but what I had expected it to be. However, I persevered, and in an attempt to meet new people during a year that seemed determined to keep me isolated from others so I wouldn't get sick, I decided to join some organizations I hadn't heard of before college, such as Public Achievement and Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity. In both of these organizations, I tried my best to be open minded and friendly, which helped these to become two of my favorite communities at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, and I made some of my closest friends through these. Another example is my first year I randomly decided to take ATOC 1050 Weather and the Atmosphere to get a natural science credit out of the way, and I ended up loving the class so much I became a Learning Assistant for it for two semesters. Even though it was a very different subject than what I was majoring in, I ended up having a lot of fun and learning a lot of new facts and skills I wasn't even expecting to learn when I first started college! As I begin the next chapter of my life, I will do my best to remember that it's ok if not everything turns out perfectly or how I would expect it to, as there is a lot of beauty among the imperfect and unexpected if you look for it.”

What does graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder represent for you and/or your community?

For me, graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder represents strength and resilience. Especially due to starting college during a pandemic, like for everyone in my year.There were a lot of challenges thrown my way. Graduating represents that I, along with my entire graduating class, overcame these challenges, and as such, I give huge kudos to the strength and resilience that everyone in my graduating class has been able to show to get to this point!”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

My best piece of advice for incoming students is that it's OK if not everything turns out perfectly and if college feels really hard at times. Going into college, I always heard about the fun times that various adults around me had had in college and had heard from others that "college was the best time of their life." When I got to college though, I learned that while there are so many fun parts to college, there are also a lot of parts that are really hard, and sometimes people don't tell you about these parts before you begin your journey. People will talk about the lifelong friends that they made in college (which I did make several lifelong friends through college), but people don't always tell you how stressful it is to manage your classes and a job and your social life all at the same time. So I want to be the one to tell you, your experience is not going to be perfect. It's going to have a lot of ups and downs and sometimes you're going to experience a rollercoaster of emotions. There will be moments where you're going to feel lost and confused. And that's OK! That's normal! Everyone else around you has or will also experience challenges in college too! When you feel overwhelmed or stressed or any other emotion, feel it fully, as these emotions are valid and part of the college experience. It is through these experiences and emotions where you will grow the most. There is so much beauty in the imperfect and unexpected, so you have to have imperfect moments to find this beauty! It is in the moments where life is really hard where you will learn you have a strength that you didn't know you had! It is when you make it through the hardest times when you will feel the most accomplished! So embrace the chaos that is college, and know that every experience and every emotion, whether good or bad, is valid and brings beauty and strength.”

What are your next steps after graduation?

After graduation, I am moving to San Diego. I will be spending the summer working as a unit leader at the Jewish Community Center summer camp, and I hope to find a career doing program management for either camp or afterschool programs (or for another program focusing on youth learning in alternative spaces).”

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Cora Emslie, an outstanding graduate who says creating community is key

Anonymous — Tue, 25 Apr 2023 21:28:15 +0000

Meet Cora Emslie, an outstanding graduate who says creating community is key Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 04/25/2023 - 15:28

Community is everything to Cora Emslie, the School of Education’s outstanding undergraduate student. Emslie grew up in Fort Collins, and she enrolled in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder specifically for the School of Education’s unique Leadership and Community Engagement major, one of the only degree programs of its kind nationwide that prepares ethical and culturally aware leaders who collaborate with community partners to tackle society’s big challenges.

Emslie’s peers and instructors in the program selected her for the outstanding graduate honors because of her passion for justice, empathy, reliability and enthusiasm. She has been an outstanding leader through her participation in the programs and the Public Achievement program, a civic engagement program that promotes student voice and transformative change through youth-led community activism projects.

Her youth partners in Public Achievement have taught Emslie so much about leadership and activism. She worked with a team of eighth graders who chose to focus on domestic violence this year—a project that has never been of focus in the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Public Achievement (PA) program. Students wanted to bring awareness to domestic violence, and they also found it important to openly discussed the topic at any age so people don't feel alone if they or people that they love experience it. Additionally, Emslie worked with high schoolers, who chose to focus on immigrant rights and voting rights for undocumented immigrants in Lafayette, another novel topic for the PA program. Emslie found the students deeply care about expanding voting rights as they see the power that comes from being able to vote and voice their opinion in the local and the federal government.

"Working with the students in PA has taught me so much about radical and revolutionary love," she said. "Each week my students teach me how important community is and how much of an impact we can truly make in our communities. If it wasn’t for PA and all the lovely people that I have met through it, I would not be who I am today."

Emslie’s dedication and commitment to social justice is exemplified by her exceptional record of impact. Her peers and faculty noted that she is one of the most hardworking people in the major. Her contributions embody the ethos and values of the major to “nourish and honor the leadership and dignity of those around her such as her peers and the young people she works with.” This work is often behind the scenes: to listen, ask critical questions, connect with others, ensure all voices are heard, and take on often unglamorous tasks.

One student stated, “Cora embodies patience and wisdom. She has helped me expand my thinking and understanding of the world. Being a witness to her leadership has taught me the value in showing up authentically. I wouldn't be who I am without our friendship because she radiates love, passion, and integrity.”

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I grew up in Fort Collins, CO and learned about the leadership program at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder on my tour of the campus. I immediately was interested after hearing about it and applied to be part of the program at CU. I chose �鶹��Ѱ��for the leadership program and because it was still in state so I would still be close to my family. "

What is one of the lessons from your time at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

The greatest lesson that I’ve learned while here is how valuable and impactful a strong community can be. Throughout my time in college I have been a part of many communities through classes, friend groups and programs that i have worked with. The community that I have found through these programs and the relationships I have fostered because of them have shown me how important finding your own community in college is.”

What does graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder represent for you and/or your community?

Graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder represents coming to the next phase in my life. While I don’t know exactly what’s in store, I’m excited to see what comes next!”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

My best piece of advice is to try a lot of new and different things! Being adventurous and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone in many different ways is what college is all about and how you’ll find out what your passions and interests are.”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

What drives me is community. I have found that the relationships in the communities that I am a part of drive me to show up and do the work that I am passionate about.”

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Cynthia Corral Robles, a leader in empathy, reliability, and enthusiasm and a passion for justice

Anonymous — Tue, 03 May 2022 05:16:29 +0000

Meet Cynthia Corral Robles, a leader in empathy, reliability, and enthusiasm and a passion for justice Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 05/02/2022 - 23:16

Cynthia Corral Robles considers herself “lucky enough” to have stumbled across the Leadership and Community Engagement major in the School of Education.

She first discovered the INVST Community Studies program and its summer justice tour of Colorado, which unleashed her passion for community leadership. She traveled the state of Colorado and listened to community stakeholders’ various perspectives with an open mind and with a group of other empassioned students who became her close friends.

In addition to her work with INVST Community Studies, Corral Robles has participated in the leadership and community engagement major, Public Achievement, and a two year-long research project with Aquetza — all programs based the in the School of Education’s �鶹��Ѱ��Engage: the Center for Community-based Learning and Research — plus her leadership connected with her ethnic studies major, education minor, and sorority.

My passions for working with youth stem from my own schooling experience and the desire to make it better for others...Witnessing how some people have to fight for the right to be heard and experiencing it firsthand is what drives my passion to become a teacher. Whatever happens after teaching, I will continue to advocate for youth as I know that everyone needs the space to begin to create a world they are proud to be a part of."

Her dedication and commitment to social justice is exemplified by her exceptional record of impact. Corral Robles was chosen by her Leadership and Community Engagement peers and instructors as the 2022 Outstanding Graduate in Leadership and Community Engagement. Her nominators noted that she is one of the most hardworking people in the major, and they praised her passion for justice, empathy, reliability, and enthusiasm.

Corral Robles’ contributions embody the ethos and values of the major, to “nourish and honor the leadership and dignity of those around her such as her peers and the young people she works with.” This work is often behind the scenes: to listen, ask critical questions, connect with others, ensure all voices are heard, and take on sometimes unglamorous tasks. One student stated, “Cynthia shows the true definition of what a leader looks like.”

This academic year, Leadership and Community Engagement Capstone Seniors co-created a community-based research project with Young Aspiring Americans for Social and Political Activism. This project focused on student voice and school board decision-making within the Denver Metro Area. Corral Robles’ peers note her leadership on the project team and her passion for centering relationships and social justice.

Her many �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder leadership experiences coupled with the capstone project have inspired Corral Robles to continue working with youth and become a teacher after graduation. She has been accepted into Teach for America and will continue her equity and social justice work as a classroom teacher.

“My passions for working with youth stem from my own schooling experience and the desire to make it better for others,” she said. “I want to create a world in which people of all identities are seen, accepted, and supported especially within the education system. Witnessing how some people have to fight for the right to be heard and experiencing it firsthand is what drives my passion to become a teacher. Whatever happens after teaching, I will continue to advocate for youth as I know that everyone needs the space to begin to create a world they are proud to be a part of.

In her own words

Please tell us a bit about yourself

I have grown up in Colorado. My hometown is Aurora, CO where I first became inspired to work with the community and help others. I decided to attend �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder because I did not want to be that far away from my family. Once here, I was lucky enough to stumble across the Leadership and Community Engagement major. I decided to add it as my second major because I knew that I wanted to continue working with youth post graduation and that this major would continue to give me the tools to do so.”

What is one of the lessons from your time at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder that you’ll carry with you into the next chapter?

One of the greatest experiences I will carry into my next chapter of life is the INVST community studies summer program that I was able to participate in. I was able to travel around states with an incredible group of people. I was learning about how to engage with various community members while actually going into different communities. My happiest memories come from this trip as I was able to rekindle my passion for fighting to create a better world and to top it off I was able to meet my best friends. I will take with me the importance of going into something new with an open mind and how valuable it is to get out of your comfort zone.”

What does graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder represent for you and/or your community?

Graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder to me represents an opportunity to give back. It is the ability to take what I have learned and pour it back into the communities which helped me achieve this success. Overall I think it represents a lot of hard work and uncertainties, but overall the idea that everything works out exactly how it is suppose to.”

What is your best piece of advice for incoming students?

Do your best to find a community in which you can be yourself. It may be a campus club/organization, a sorority, or simply a really good group of friends. Whatever it is, I urge you to find like minded people which can help you grow and make your college experience very fulfilling.”

What continues to drive your passion for your work after graduation?

After graduation I will become a teacher in Denver. My passions for working with youth stemmed from my own schooling experience and the desire to make it better for others. I want to create a world in which people of all identities are seen, accepted, and supported especially within the education system. Witnessing how some people have to fight for the right to be heard and experiencing it first hand is what drives my passion to become a teacher. Whatever happens after teaching, I will continue to advocate for youth as I know that everyone needs the space to begin to create a world they are proud to be a part of.”

Off

Traditional

White

Meet Sara Swain, leading, moving and grooving for justice

Anonymous — Thu, 29 Apr 2021 17:46:25 +0000

Meet Sara Swain, leading, moving and grooving for justice Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 04/29/2021 - 11:46

For Sara Swain, the old adage is true: mom knows best.

Swain came to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder originally majoring elementary education after working with the kindergarteners in her mother’s classroom at her childhood elementary school in Evergreen, Colorado, but she soon questioned if teaching was in her heart. Swain switched her major to Leadership and Community Engagement, because she never doubted her passion for social change, a thread connecting the two degree programs offered through the School of Education. It took a couple of years, but she was finally following the original advice of her mother.

“I should have listened to my mom since the beginning,” she said.

“Now into my senior year, I have absolutely fallen in love with my leadership major because of my incredible group of friends who were also my capstone team, the outstanding professors (Roudy, Ben, Sabrina), the work we got to do with the Righteous Rage Institute, and especially the space to tackle Whiteness and racism on a personal level rather than a theoretical level.”

Swain is part of an inaugural cohort of graduates of the Leadership and Community Engagement bachelor’s degree program, one of only 10 cutting-edge degree offerings nationwide. Designed to be paired with an additional major and attracting students on the forefront of social change, Swain’s leadership major is paired with a degree in Ethnic Studies and a minor in dance and Hip-hop certificate.

Now into my senior year, I have absolutely fallen in love with my leadership major because of my incredible group of friends who were also my capstone team, the outstanding professors (Roudy, Ben, Sabrina), the work we got to do with the Righteous Rage Institute, and especially the space to tackle Whiteness and racism on a personal level rather than a theoretical level."

Together with her cohort, the team tackled a capstone project working with the Righteous Rage Institute to interrogate systemic racism and work for racial justice locally. Swain’s peers nominated her for their program’s Outstanding Graduate Award, and professors note Swain is a team player and her respectful leadership style makes her an atypical activist.

“Sara is a different kind of activist,” said Roudy Hildreth, faculty director for the Leadership and Community Engagement (LDCE) degree program. “You will not see her on the stage making fiery speeches, rather she works in the background, following the lead of and supporting the vision of BIPOC activists and regular community members.

“Sara best exemplifies the values and commitments of the LDCE major. It advances a vision of leadership that focuses on working with others to build capacity and bring about social change.”

Her leadership and community engagement studies combined with coursework in ethnic studies have colored her relationship with and her passion for dance. Swain’s activism in Hip-hop aims to disrupt the pattern of majority white dancers profiting from black culture and to elevate the ways in which Hip-hop is a tool for racial healing. She has worked to transform her dance team, the Verve Collisionz Street Dance Team, from a group that formerly concentrated on performance to a group that pursues dance and critical race theory.

Swain’s mentors taught her that in Hip-hop, “‘hip’ is the way you think, and ‘hop’ is the way you move.” As Swain moves into her future, she said her many professors’ teachings are forever etched in her heart and mind as she continues to pursue work dedicated to social justice. She has even considered getting a tattoo commemorating her teachers as those who have come before and opened doors for her, she said.

“I cherish all the amazing professors I was able to learn from, and I will carry their wisdom, teachings, and advice with me for the rest of my life,” she added. “I do not take lightly the hard work and sacrifice/risk all of these mentors took so that I could be stepping into/creating a world that I love/desire."

In particular, something said by Rennie Harris, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder artist-in-residence and renowned Hip-hop dancer and scholar, helped closed the loop on the tension Swain has been experiencing amid her love of dance and Hip-hop: “movement is the last manifestation of reality.”

“This statement knocked me out of my chair,” she said. “I have had a struggling relationship with dance, but this statement has rebuilt the lens I approach dance forevermore. Dance can be spiritual, healing, affirming, cathartic, etc. and I, as a guest in Hip-hop culture, can appreciate and humbly tap into this gift.”

What does graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder represent for you?

Dr. Rabaka (and I think he quotes his mother for this saying) says that the college certificate hanging on your wall after graduation is a receipt. It is there to hold you accountable. What am I going to do with this education after these four years of learning? It matters more what I do with this degree and less about the accomplishment of its completion. So what does graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder mean to me? Well to me �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder is where I met all my mentors. Graduating from here means that I need to do good work and continue to unlearn the Whitewashed narrative that I grew up knowing and believing. It is a reminder that I cannot let all my professors’ labor and love that they poured into me go to waste.”

Sara’s special thanks

I just want to thank my capstone team from the bottom of my heart. The six of them, Jessie, Erin, Matthew, Mercedes, Abby, and Jack, were the ones who nominated me for this award and I appreciate the love and kindness they give me everyday. They have seen me at my most vulnerable and uncertain and yet have always believed in me. They have taught me a lot about honesty, listening, leading with love, and letting go. I know they will all do world-shaking things.”

Off

Traditional

White

Leadership and Community Engagement

Running with Ralphie

Discover more from Voices, vol. 8:

Supporting Rural Teachers & Leaders

The Transformative Power of Community

Get to know Dean Amanda Haertling Thein and her full-circle journey to becoming dean of the �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder School of Education

Off

Get to know our newest faculty members

Off

Diving into new opportunities | Samantha Lane, Outstanding Leadership and Community Engagement Graduate

In her own words

Off

Meet Cora Emslie, an outstanding graduate who says creating community is key

In her own words

Off

Meet Cynthia Corral Robles, a leader in empathy, reliability, and enthusiasm and a passion for justice

In her own words

Off

Meet Sara Swain, leading, moving and grooving for justice

What does graduating from �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder represent for you?

Sara’s special thanks

Off

Get to know Dean Amanda Haertling Thein and her full-circle journey to becoming dean of the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder School of Education

What does graduating from �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder represent for you?