Welcoming More Than 2,600 Students to the CU Denver Family at Convocation
August 23, 2022
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There are many things we love about the start of the academic year, including the opportunity to officially welcome our students to campus at the annual New Student Convocation. Just as graduation commemorates the end of a student’s CU Denver education, this event marks the beginning of a student’s journey. Here are some highlights from the Aug. 19 event.
CU Denver’s class of 2026+ celebrates with pristine views of CU Denver’s vibrant murals and the city skyline in the background. Chancellor Michelle Marks, PhD, greets the more than 2,600 students that represent 47 different states and 40 countries. She offers some words of advice: Get to know each other and your faculty and staff; pay attention to your personal wellbeing and use the campus resources available for support; and try a whole bunch of new things. “Take advantage of the lifechanging opportunities inside and outside of CU Denver,” she says. “So that when you graduate, you will be career ready—and ready for the next stage of life.” Monique Snowden, PhD, Senior Vice Chancellor for Strategic Enrollment and Student Success, welcomes students to CU Denver and helps them understand the role of our faculty and scholars. She highlights the importance of the 2022–23 academic year in particular. “You are our entering class for CU Denver’s 50th anniversary,” she says. Provost Constancio Nakuma, PhD, asks students to stand as he calls out the different time zones and areas of the world they represent. He encourages students to seize all the opportunities CU Denver has to offer, such as study abroad, on-campus activities, and more. “Make your experience what you want it to be,” he says. “Your experience isn’t just in the classroom; it’s all around you.” Chancellor Marks sits down with keynote speakers and alums Alysia Davey (BS ’15) and Ryan Anderson (BS ’13, MS ’15). The high school sweethearts embarked on their dream to open a restaurant—one where their beloved grandmas could work and cook their Vietnamese and Chinese recipes. That restaurant is now Zomo Asian + American Eatery in Englewood, and is known for its fresh ingredients and famous Vietnamese-style egg rolls (Chancellor Marks recommends the appetizer, too!). “We opened our restaurant to create opportunities for people,” Alysia says. “We learned that at CU Denver.” If you go, show your CU Denver ID card to receive a 10% discount. Students participate in a new CU Denver tradition: touching the paw of the Lynx Statue on the Benson Terrace.
