Weekly Letter from the Provost—Oct. 17
This weekly newsletter will serve as one of many tools my office will use in the weeks and months ahead to keep you informed and engaged as, together, we pursue and achieve accomplishments toward our three goals for Academic Affairs. Thank you for your interest and support.
If you have suggestions for what we should include in future communications, . Suggestions received before noon on Monday will be reviewed and considered for publication in that week’s Friday newsletter. Others will be held for consideration until the following week.
Today’s update falls into four categories:
If you have suggestions for what we should include in future communications, . Suggestions received before noon on Monday will be reviewed and considered for publication in that week’s Friday newsletter. Others will be held for consideration until the following week.
Today’s update falls into four categories:
- Campus news and happenings
- Goal 1: Shape enrollment and improve retention and graduation rates for all students
- Goal 2: Improve career outcomes and better prepare our students to succeed and lead in an AI-transformed workforce
- Goal 3: Strengthen academic excellence
Campus News and Happenings
Graduate School of Social Work Dean’s Tea
Thank you to Dean Henrika McCoy and the Graduate school of Social Work (GSSW) for the invitation to participate in the second annual dean’s tea. I enjoyed the opportunity to engage with GSSW faculty, staff, and the newly formed GSSW Board of Advisors for celebration, connection, reflection, and conversation, and to do so in such a lovely setting.
Time Attack Racing Team visit
ٱ’s is a student organization with the lofty goal of designing and building a car to compete in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb motorsports race. Chancellor Haefner and I really enjoyed getting to meet team members this week and having the chance to put on my engineering hat for at least an hour! Thank you to Tyler Miller, the student engagement liaison in the Chancellor’s Office, and team members for coordinating this event and for your efforts to enhance the student experience at DU. There is a , and look out for a fun post that features the team on DU's Instagram channel soon!
University Leadership Summit
Yesterday and today, I had the opportunity to represent DU at the University Leadership Summit—an annual gathering of presidents, chancellors, and provosts—during two panel discussions. The first was focused on leadership and strategic planning during disruption, and the second was on the need to consider how we might redefine higher education’s value proposition in our rapidly evolving landscape. I learned a great deal engaging with peers around solutions for the challenges we are all facing in higher education right now and walked away very encouraged about ٱ’s approach and the commitment you are demonstrating toward taking DU forward.
WeRead Presents: Not so Spooky Storytime
University Libraries and the Graduate School of Professional Psychology are hosting on Saturday, Oct. 25, 3-4:30 p.m. in the Anderson Academic Commons. The event is free to attend but registration is required.
This “not-so-spooky” afternoon of stories, costumes, and community connection is designed to welcome children and families from across Denver to the DU campus. Guests will enjoy themed story times, healthy trick-or-treat giveaways, and free books to take home. The program highlights ٱ’s commitment to literacy, accessibility, and community engagement in a festive and joyful way and provides a great opportunity to share that spirit with the campus and broader Denver community.
This “not-so-spooky” afternoon of stories, costumes, and community connection is designed to welcome children and families from across Denver to the DU campus. Guests will enjoy themed story times, healthy trick-or-treat giveaways, and free books to take home. The program highlights ٱ’s commitment to literacy, accessibility, and community engagement in a festive and joyful way and provides a great opportunity to share that spirit with the campus and broader Denver community.
Goal 1: Shape Enrollment and Improve Retention and Graduation Rates
How Undergraduate Students Can Get Involved in Research
Through our commitment to a teacher-scholar model, ٱ’s faculty integrate their research into the classroom and go above and beyond to involve students, even at the undergraduate level, in their work. In line with our promise of a 4D Experience, our students have opportunities to participate in ‘signature work’ where they tackle real-world problems through research, scholarly, and creative projects under the direction of DU faculty. This provides a great overview of the opportunities our faculty are providing, and which make DU so special.
Additionally, the is an annual, peer-reviewed publication of research articles from all undergraduate disciplines. Students are able to apply online, and a cross disciplinary committee of faculty and upper-class students will look over the submission to determine publication eligibility. Visit our website to learn more about undergraduate research.
Additionally, the is an annual, peer-reviewed publication of research articles from all undergraduate disciplines. Students are able to apply online, and a cross disciplinary committee of faculty and upper-class students will look over the submission to determine publication eligibility. Visit our website to learn more about undergraduate research.
DU Commits to Campuswide Well-being
I encourage you to read this on ٱ’s participation in a global movement to make well-being central to campus life. This week, DU joined higher education institutions from across the globe to commit to advancing the health and well-being of their communities. Chancellor Haeffner memorialized this commitment by signing the Okanagan Charter on Oct. 15.
Adopting the Okanagan Charter builds on ٱ’s holistic approach to education and aligns closely with the 4D Experience, emphasizing the personal, intellectual, and professional development of every student. The charter complements ٱ’s ongoing work to promote health, belonging, and sustainability across campus and provides a coordinated framework to enhance those efforts.
Adopting the Okanagan Charter builds on ٱ’s holistic approach to education and aligns closely with the 4D Experience, emphasizing the personal, intellectual, and professional development of every student. The charter complements ٱ’s ongoing work to promote health, belonging, and sustainability across campus and provides a coordinated framework to enhance those efforts.
Goal 2: Improve Career Outcomes and Better Prepare Our Students to Succeed and Lead in an AI-transformed Workforce
Introducing DU's New Career Outcomes Dashboard
Working with the offices of Career and Professional Development, Institutional Research, and a team from the College of Professional Studies, my office is developing a public-facing dashboard as a new and transparent way to share the very good story about career outcomes for DU graduates.
The dashboard will display program-specific outcomes data (starting salaries, placements) at the undergraduate, masters/professional, and doctoral levels, that is easily parsed by college/school. The dashboard currently includes three years of data (2022, 2023, and 2024), with plans to update annually after summer commencement when we have had time to collect and gather survey data from our graduates.
As pressures increase on the value proposition for higher education, applicants and, often, their parents anticipate this level of transparency, and DU has a great story to tell. Be on the lookout for information about how to access the dashboard in subsequent newsletters.
Note: are collected and reported separately, according to ABA and NALP standards, and are currently available.
The dashboard will display program-specific outcomes data (starting salaries, placements) at the undergraduate, masters/professional, and doctoral levels, that is easily parsed by college/school. The dashboard currently includes three years of data (2022, 2023, and 2024), with plans to update annually after summer commencement when we have had time to collect and gather survey data from our graduates.
As pressures increase on the value proposition for higher education, applicants and, often, their parents anticipate this level of transparency, and DU has a great story to tell. Be on the lookout for information about how to access the dashboard in subsequent newsletters.
Note: are collected and reported separately, according to ABA and NALP standards, and are currently available.
Office of Student Employment 2025 Impact Report
This week, the Office of Student Employment shared highlights of its 2025 Impact Report, exploring the impact student employment has had on the retention, graduation, and career success of our students. To preview a few of the report’s many highlights:
- In academic year 2025, there were 3,656 student employees and 710 supervisors.
- Looking at the fall 2023 cohort (the most recent for which data is available) and across most categories, student employees tended to have higher end-of-term retention rates than their non-student employee peers.
- First-generation students with student employment had graduation rates very close to those of their non-first-generation peers.
Be on the lookout for more information in the coming weeks once the report is available online. In the meantime, I encourage you to read for a preview:
Thank you to the Office of Student Employment for sharing this report and for their commitment to enhancing student outcomes for student employees. And, finally, thank you to the faculty and staff who supervise student employees. Your collective efforts are seen, appreciated and making a real impact.
Thank you to the Office of Student Employment for sharing this report and for their commitment to enhancing student outcomes for student employees. And, finally, thank you to the faculty and staff who supervise student employees. Your collective efforts are seen, appreciated and making a real impact.
Goal 3: Strengthen Academic Excellence
Federal Contracts and Grants Conversations Resume Next Week
Faculty are encouraged to join Senior Vice Provost for Research & Graduate Education Corinne Lengsfeld on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from noon-1 p.m. as she provides updates from the federal government and DU's government relations firm regarding research and more. This virtual session will NOT be recorded. There will be time for questions.
Meeting ID: 254 433 312 052 9
Passcode: td9en6JL
These meetings will continue through the shutdown to provide opportunities for discussion and to answer questions.
Meeting ID: 254 433 312 052 9
Passcode: td9en6JL
These meetings will continue through the shutdown to provide opportunities for discussion and to answer questions.
DU Senior Wins Gallo Sales Competition
Caroline Vivanco, a senior management major and vice president of the DU Sales Club, recently represented the 鶹 at the 2025 Gallo Sales and Marketing Competition in Napa Valley. During her visit to the renowned E.J. Gallo vineyards, Caroline gained firsthand insight into the artistry and strategy that shape the wine and spirits industry. Competing alongside her team, she was challenged to develop a marketing plan for Gran Malo, a newly released tequila brand, with the goal of expanding its reach among non-Hispanic, young consumers while maintaining its authentic cultural roots.
Through creativity, strategic thinking, and collaboration, Caroline and her teammates crafted a campaign that was both innovative and true to the brand’s identity—earning them first place among thirty selected teams from a pool of over 300 national applicants. Caroline’s success reflects her deep commitment to her studies and her passion for authentically blending her heritage with sales and marketing strategy.
As an engaged leader within the Daniels College of Business, she continues to exemplify the spirit of innovation, excellence, and storytelling that defines the 鶹.
Through creativity, strategic thinking, and collaboration, Caroline and her teammates crafted a campaign that was both innovative and true to the brand’s identity—earning them first place among thirty selected teams from a pool of over 300 national applicants. Caroline’s success reflects her deep commitment to her studies and her passion for authentically blending her heritage with sales and marketing strategy.
As an engaged leader within the Daniels College of Business, she continues to exemplify the spirit of innovation, excellence, and storytelling that defines the 鶹.
Celebrating Teaching Excellence: Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Research Symposium Week at DU
This week, the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) hosted its Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Research Symposium. It featured poster presentations of 11 SoTL research projects. The SoTL Research Symposium is a culmination of the fellows’ commitment to advancing the teacher-scholar ideals that are core to the 鶹’s identity. This event offered faculty opportunities to engage with innovative research focused on enhancing teaching and learning across disciplines. Following the event, posters are being displayed in a curated exhibit at the Anderson Academic Commons to extend the reach of the fellows’ work and engage a broader campus audience, as well as viewable on the .
Thank you to the OTL staff for providing this venue for community members to connect with colleagues and celebrate the thoughtful, creative work being done to advance teaching at DU.
Thank you to the OTL staff for providing this venue for community members to connect with colleagues and celebrate the thoughtful, creative work being done to advance teaching at DU.
Fall Writing Showcase
Fall Showcase began in 2019 as an opportunity to shine a light on exemplary student writing—a chance to shine a spotlight on the amazing work we see in our WRIT 1533/1122/1133/1733 and writing minor classrooms.
This year, with over eighty students, faculty, and family present, we recognized fifteen students for the many ways they excelled as writers in a range of genres. We recognized their academic excellence, their creative ingenuity, and their rhetorical versatility. Students were awarded Exemplar Awards, Director’s Awards, the Distinguished Writing Minor Award, the John Tiedemann, Community-Engaged Writing Award, and the Kornfeld Scholarship. You can and here is a list of the awardees:
This year, with over eighty students, faculty, and family present, we recognized fifteen students for the many ways they excelled as writers in a range of genres. We recognized their academic excellence, their creative ingenuity, and their rhetorical versatility. Students were awarded Exemplar Awards, Director’s Awards, the Distinguished Writing Minor Award, the John Tiedemann, Community-Engaged Writing Award, and the Kornfeld Scholarship. You can and here is a list of the awardees:
- Distinguished Minor Award: Anna Vogt
- Instructor: Brad Benz, WRIT 3500
- Academic Exemplars Awards: Elizabeth Standing and Bear Light
- Instructor: Brad Benz, WRIT 1133
- Director’s Award: Fawn Pengpha
- Instructor: April Chapman-Ludwig, WRIT 1533
- Director’s Award: McKenna Deckert
- Instructor: David Daniels, WRIT 1122
- Alternative Exemplars – Exhibit Award: Wilkes Nichols
- Instructor: Rob Gilmor, WRIT 1133
- Alternative Exemplars – Game Award: Jo Griggs
- Instructor: Matt Hill, WRIT 1133
- Academic Exemplars Award: Jake Bartlett
- Instructor: Megan Kelly, WRIT 1133
- Popular Exemplars Award: Lexi Gwaku
- Instructor: Kamila Kinyon-Kuchar, WRIT 1133
- Director’s Award: Nadia Jackson
- Instructor: Calley Marotta, WRIT 1122
- Alternative Exemplars – Music Award: Dylan Moore
- Instructor: Logan Middleton, WRIT 1133
- Director’s Award: Ciara Enright
- Instructor: Rebecca Shultz Colby, WRIT 1122
- Academic Exemplars Award: Lauren Puryear
- Instructor: Rebecca Shultz Colby, WRIT 1733
- Director’s Award: Ester Bocel Chopen
- Instructor: Angela Sowa, WRIT 1122
- Popular Exemplars Award: Lila Ash
- Instructor: Jesse Stommel, WRIT 1122
- Kornfeld Scholar Award: Juniper Koelliker
- Instructor: Jesse Stommel, WRIT 1122
Join Me for Lunch
Please join me in the Faculty Lounge (Community Commons 2800) from noon-1 p.m., on Monday, Oct. 20 for our “First and Third Mondays” lunch. Bring your food, your questions, and your ideas—I look forward to engaging with you.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth
Sincerely,
Elizabeth