By Hannah Stewart (Comm鈥�19)
Henley Beisert has always loved sports. In her youth, the Texas native played volleyball and basketball, and her family had season tickets to the Astros and Texans. In fact, she spent many birthdays tailgating for her favorite football team.
This love of sports led Beisert to apply to CU 糖心Vlog破解版 as an integrated physiology major, so she could pursue a career in physical therapy鈥攂ut midway through her first semester, she switched to strategic communication to study public relations. When she graduates this December, she鈥檒l be recognized as CMCI鈥檚 Outstanding Graduate.
鈥淚 got the news when I was on my way to Texas for the Buffs game,鈥� she said. 鈥淎s soon as I got off the plane, I called my family, I called my boyfriend, I told my best friend. I was so excited.鈥�
Beisert wasn鈥檛 flying to Lubbock just as a Buffs fan鈥攕ince her first year, she has been a video assistant with the football team. In this role, she films the games for the football, soccer and lacrosse teams while creating other video content, as well.
鈥淚 literally love my job with the football team. I鈥檓 going to be so sad to leave it because it鈥檚 been one of the most fun experiences,鈥� she said.
Her supervisor, Jake Drag, called Beisert 鈥渁n invaluable asset to our video team鈥� who has developed into a reliable mentor for newcomers. The work she does behind the camera, he said, creates the tape that athletes study to improve their performances on the field.
鈥淗er natural leadership qualities and dependability have helped her thrive in being the captain of our student crew,鈥� he said.
Since she works so closely with the players, especially on the football team, she鈥檚 developed relationships with some of them, which helped her land a new position as an ambassador for the Colorado NIL Store. The store helps student-athletes earn money through their name, image and likeness; in that role, 鈥渋t鈥檚 been so fun to dabble a little more in content creation and graphic design,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great opportunity to work with a team and the main campus to meet more people and grow my network.鈥�
Not surprisingly, her love of sports also inspired Beisert to add a sports media minor and critical sport studies certificate to her degree plan. She said using sports as a lens has changed the way she鈥檚 thought about everything from history to PR.
鈥淗aving taken at least 10 classes covering more critical aspects of sports has been really enlightening,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 can watch sports now and see the commodification of athletes. It鈥檚 been fun to have that different perspective open up, aside from just rooting for your favorite team.鈥�
But Beisert is more than just a sports fan, or a fan of sports communication. She鈥檚 a big fan of internships鈥攁nd that鈥檚 her No. 1 piece of advice for new students.
鈥淚nternships may seem like a lot, and feel stressful at times, but they鈥檙e invaluable because you grow your network and gain experience,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd it鈥檚 fun to try so many different things.鈥�
While at CU, she has been a communications and public relations intern for companies like Sherpani, Cig Public Relations, Prim and Company, Turner and, of course, the NIL Store. She said these experiences exposed her to the array of opportunities public relations professionals can play in the real world, but were above all amazing ways to make connections.
鈥淚鈥檓 still in touch with a lot of people from my internships, and that鈥檚 so important, because you never know who might help you in the future,鈥� she said.
One person who was extremely helpful to Beisert was Erin Willis, an associate professor of strategic communication who ran the Bateman Case Study Capstone last year. Knowing that she鈥檇 graduate a semester early, Beisert chose to complete the course during her junior year, and it proved to be an unforgettable experience.
Her team was tasked with creating and executing a campaign for Culturs magazine. Together, they planned events like a Panhellenic mixer that celebrated cultural diversity and collaborated with the 糖心Vlog破解版 chapter of PRSSA to host a seminar series. Their team was ultimately recognized with an honorable mention at the national competition.
鈥淚 learned a lot more about PR through this capstone because I was actually doing it,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd Professor Willis was so helpful. Connecting with some professors can be hard in college, but the ones in CMCI have been so welcoming and want you to succeed in the real world.鈥�
Henley Beisert thought she鈥檇 be a physical therapist, possibly for athletes. At CMCI, she found her real passion was creating content for them.By Hannah Stewart (Comm'19)
Photos by Kimberly Coffin (CritMedia, StratComm'18) and Jack Moody
First-generation college student Alexa Tovar grew up hearing about how her mother dreamed of attending CU 糖心Vlog破解版. Now, the first-year student is carrying on that dream for her at the College of Media, Communication and Information.
鈥淪he couldn鈥檛 come because she had two young kids,鈥� she said. 鈥淣ow, my cousins and I are all close in age, and are now going to college for our moms. It鈥檚 really special for me.鈥�
CMCI鈥檚 Class of 2028 is really special in its own right. With 437 new first-year students, this fall鈥檚 new cohort is the college鈥檚 largest yet鈥攕mashing last year鈥檚 record-setting class by 12%. The size of the classes continue to grow, which helps maintain its commitments to diversity.
The growth trends are especially notable, as the university鈥檚 incoming class of first-year students dipped slightly from the year before, even though the overall size of the student body grew from fall 2023.
Some notes on the college鈥檚 growth:
Like last year, nearly 24% of incoming students are from diverse backgrounds.
Female students make up 64.7% of the CMCI Class of 2028. Notably, they represent slightly less than half of the campus population.
The college enjoyed a 10% bump in the number of out-of-state students.
They鈥檙e high achievers, with almost 20% of the class graduated with a high school GPA of 4.0 or greater.
Among majors, media production (15.1%) and communication (12%) saw the biggest growth in new students.
CMCI also added 78 transfer students鈥攁 32% increase over the previous year. With 58 new graduate students, the number of incoming students is 573.
Tovar, a strategic communication major, learned about CMCI while on a campus tour. After meeting a college ambassador, she knew she had found the perfect fit.
鈥淚 really love public relations and talking to people,鈥� Tovar said. 鈥淚n high school, I got the opportunity to do an internship with Make-A-Wish, and I would write stories and do literally everything that a stratcomm major does.鈥�
In preparation for coming to college, Tovar participated in the Pathways to Excellence summer bridge program, which she said was essential to starting the semester with confidence. The experience was particularly impactful because it jump-started her campus community, especially with other first-year students, like Oscar Leon.
鈥淧athways is the best thing I鈥檝e ever done,鈥� Leon said. 鈥淚t helped me come out of my bubble, and I was able to manage campus life a lot quicker.鈥�
Leon, who is from Commerce City, applied to CU 糖心Vlog破解版 as an education major, but quickly determined he wanted a program with more flexibility.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to only be a teacher鈥擨 want to be a communicator who can do a lot of different things and a lot of different jobs,鈥� he said.
So far, that鈥檚 what he鈥檚 found within the communication department, especially among his collaborative and approachable professors.
But he鈥檚 also been appreciative of finding time to use his newfound independence. When he isn鈥檛 in class or meeting up with friends, he鈥檚 been enjoying exploring 糖心Vlog破解版; finishing up his internship with Out Front Magazine, where he writes stories and helps with their social media; and checking out student groups.
鈥淲elcoming new students is always special because of the diversity of passions and experiences they bring to our community,鈥� said Lori Bergen, founding dean of the college. 鈥淥ur students constantly impress me with their enthusiasm for learning and exploring new opportunities, and we鈥檙e thrilled to be part of their journey.鈥�
Another communication major, Isabel Malik, said she was looking forward to learning more about CMCI in D.C., an immersive study-internship experience in the nation鈥檚 capital.
鈥淚鈥檓 thinking about student government, and eventually want to look into lobbying, because I鈥檇 like to do something in politics,鈥� said Malik, who鈥檚 also interested in minoring in political science and business. 鈥淚 chose communication because it seems like a really good way to make an impact on the ever-changing world.鈥�
鈥淚 love that we鈥檙e all in this huge class and learning the same thing, but we all have different paths. Finding someone on the same path, with a different background, is awesome.鈥�
Isabel Malik, first year, communication
Growing up in Golden, Malik attended a tiny high school and is excited most about all the opportunities CU 糖心Vlog破解版 has to offer. So far, meeting with professors and her peers has been her favorite part because of the variety of experiences.
鈥淚 love that we鈥檙e all in this huge class and learning the same thing, but we all have different paths. Finding someone on the same path, with a different background, is awesome.鈥�
Information science major and Boston native Evan Bardinelli is, like Malik, eager to get involved, particularly with study abroad programs. He came to 糖心Vlog破解版 in part because of his love for the outdoors; some of his favorite hobbies include skiing and fishing.
鈥淕oing to school, living on my own and becoming more independent鈥攁ll in Colorado鈥攈as been really exciting,鈥� Bardinelli said. 鈥淚 like my classes and I like my professors. 糖心Vlog破解版 has really good people, and it鈥檚 a good place to go to school and to learn. I go to class and I feel like I鈥檓 surrounded by people with similar interests.鈥�
Through the residence halls, student groups and classes, the first-year class is diving headfirst into all that campus and the college has to offer.
鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to get my hands on everything I can. College is such a big opportunity,鈥� said Tovar, who is now a CMCI ambassador herself. 鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to seeing how I鈥檓 going to spend my time and fill my cup.鈥�
The incoming class at CMCI is impressive鈥攖hey鈥檙e the biggest class yet, with 573 new undergraduate and graduate students. From carrying on their parents鈥� dreams to finding their own, four students talked about why they鈥檙e excited to call CU 糖心Vlog破解版 their new home.By Hannah Stewart (Comm鈥�19)
As an arts student, Cassidy Davis dreamed of working in the entertainment industry. But when she became a hockey fan, her interests turned to event management and sports media.
The last three-and-a-half years鈥攚hich included six internships, many in sports鈥攐nly validated her new dream of working in the sports world. This winter, she鈥檚 being recognized with the William W. White Outstanding Graduate award as a result of her hard work and determination.
Davis, a strategic communication major, knew she wanted to study advertising when she was applying for college, but she wanted to focus on the creative side of the business. After taking a few core classes, she discovered a love for copywriting and working with people, so she switched her concentration to public relations and hasn鈥檛 looked back.
鈥淭he best part of my time at CU has been getting such broad experience, including public relations, sports media and graphic design,鈥� she said. 鈥淏eing able to study all of my little niches and learning how to put them together has made me confident about applying what I鈥檝e learned at work.鈥�
She began her undergraduate career in fall 2020, the middle of the pandemic. With social distancing and so-called 鈥淐OVID bubbles鈥� in place, she spent many nights doing homework while occasionally watching a hockey game. Occasionally transformed into frequently, and frequently turned into enthusiastically.
鈥淲hen I became a fan of hockey, I really became a fan of hockey,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 when I started thinking, event management would be cool, and started learning about other sports.鈥�
鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful for my time at CU and I feel like I鈥檓 so dedicated to finding a career I鈥檓 incredibly passionate about. I鈥檓 super excited to see what happens after graduation.鈥�
Cassidy Davis
Davis鈥� newfound passion for the industry led her to the sports media minor, which paved the way for several internships, including with Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, CAA Icon, the Colorado Rapids and more鈥攕he even got to live out her hockey-fan dreams by taking a picture with the Stanley Cup after the Colorado Avalanche won the title in 2022. Now she鈥檚 working with CU Athletics as a marketing and fan experience intern and loves it.
鈥淚 do a lot of the promotions during the media timeouts for every single sport,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淢y favorite experience has to be my time with CU Athletics and just being able to put my love for sports into my love for my college and my university.鈥�
In addition to sports media, Davis also chose to minor in creative technology and design because of its emphasis on graphics and creative design. She said she pursued the minor in order to become more well rounded.
Largely because of her academics, she has been able to more fully take part in the campus community, which she says is key to student success. Her advice to incoming students is to 鈥渏oin as much as you can and not be afraid to try for something, and make as many connections as you possibly can.鈥�
It was her relationship with Dawn Doty鈥攁 teaching associate professor and someone Davis considers a mentor鈥攖hat encouraged her to participate in the prestigious Bateman Competition as a junior. Through her sports media minor, she met Mike Davies (Jour鈥�94) who also has become a mentor.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been a huge help in saying, 鈥榃hat do you want to do with your career?鈥� and introducing me to people,鈥� Davis said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just going to continue networking as much as I can and learning as much as I can.鈥�
Doty called Davis one of the best students she鈥檚 taught in nearly a decade at CU 糖心Vlog破解版.
鈥淭he best PR people I鈥檝e known throughout my career are a combination of smart, tenacious and tireless,鈥� Doty said. 鈥淐assidy demonstrated all three of these characteristics during the Bateman competition.鈥�
She said Davis鈥� attention in class helped her compete for the internships that have set her up for professional success, but beyond that, 鈥淐assidy understands that being successful in the PR profession鈥攁nd many others鈥攔equires networking, and she does this like an all-star.
鈥淪he has a clear vision of what she wants to do post-graduation, which helped her use her time at CU in a meaningful way.鈥�
When Davis reflects on the past three and a half years, she said that she feels lucky to have had supportive teachers, a solid foundation, and the chance to study and work within her passions. So achieving the outstanding graduate award is the perfect sendoff.
鈥淚鈥檓 very grateful for my time at CU and I feel like I鈥檓 so dedicated to finding a career I鈥檓 incredibly passionate about,鈥� she said. 鈥淐U gave me all the materials to get there, and I鈥檓 super excited to see what happens after graduation.鈥�
Strategic communication student Cassidy Davis has a deep love for CU and sports. This December, she was announced as the recipient of the William W. White Outstanding Graduate Award.By Joe Arney
A desire to learn, a chance to chase his dream job, the opportunity to develop new skills鈥攆or Leopoldo Rivera IV, all of those were important reasons to attend college.
But for the first-generation CMCI student from northern Colorado, a major reason is family. Rivera is the oldest of four who is working to set a strong example for his siblings while honoring the memory of his mother, who died 10 years ago.
鈥淢y mom put a lot of expectations on me as the oldest, but I tried to embrace that,鈥� said Rivera, a first-year journalism student. 鈥淪he taught me to work hard, study hard and do what it takes to succeed. I wanted to make her proud by being the first in my family to attend.鈥�
Rivera joins an impressive class of first-year students at the College of Media, Communication and Information. It鈥檚 the largest and academically strongest class in the college鈥檚 history.
鈥淭here鈥檚 no better way to get inspired by the work we do at CMCI than to hear from our students, especially our Class of 2027,鈥� said Lori Bergen, founding dean of the college. 鈥淚t鈥檚 so rewarding to meet our new students and appreciate the academic aptitude, diversity of backgrounds and passion for learning they bring to our growing community.鈥�
Rivera brings extensive sportswriting experience to 糖心Vlog破解版, including two years at his hometown newspaper, and hopes CMCI helps him discover how to develop his voice so he can land his dream job on a show like ESPN鈥檚 鈥淔irst Take.鈥�
This year鈥檚 incoming first-year class is made up of 390 new students, a 20% increase over last year and well above the 2019 high-water mark of 341. Nearly 24% come from diverse or underrepresented backgrounds, an improvement over last year鈥檚 19.8% percent.
Meanwhile, the average first-year student has a high school GPA of 3.68, a slight increase from last year, and while standardized test results are no longer required as part of an application, the average ACT of 28.2 is the highest score yet.
鈥淚 feel like I truly belong at CU 糖心Vlog破解版,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 want to learn as much as I can at CMCI so I can create my own legacy.鈥�
Cincinnati native Zach Giesenschlag, who plans to study communication at CMCI, said CU 糖心Vlog破解版 is a sort of homecoming. Though he has no family here, his parents got engaged in Colorado, and after growing up in the heartland, the skier and photographer wanted to be near the mountains.
鈥淟ocation was important to me, and I heard so many good things about CMCI when I was looking at programs,鈥� he said.
Like many students enrolling from out of state, Giesenschlag has relished the chance to meet new people, both through CommRAP, the college鈥檚 residential academic program, and activities like Sko Buffs Sports; he鈥檚 already had the chance to anchor the club鈥檚 live show. If he continues to pursue that, he may be following in the footsteps of his father, who has worked in broadcast journalism for years.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a hard industry to get into, so another reason I鈥檓 happy to be here are the experiences I can get and connections I can make,鈥� he said.
Caroline Pellerito brings a unique set of experiences to CMCI鈥攕he deferred her admission a year to skate with Disney on Ice, giving her the opportunity to see the country and understand that she was a brand ambassador for a major corporation during the experience.
Both reasons helped bring her here to study strategic communication.
Pellerito, of Vail, missed her family while she was on the road, so she鈥檚 grateful to be closer to home as a student. 鈥淎nd I spent a lot of time in random cities, which was fun, but it helps you appreciate that Colorado is the best,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hy would I want to be anywhere else?鈥�
鈥淚鈥檇 like to become a person who can speak up for others who don鈥檛 have a voice. I hope being at CMCI helps me get to where I want to be.鈥�
Diego Simental
Seeing how Feld Entertainment鈥攚hich produces Disney on Ice鈥攁pproaches public relations up close gave her an idea that she might enjoy that as a career. While she鈥檇 love to return to Disney on Ice after graduation, perhaps in a PR-focused role, for now, she鈥檚 most excited to study abroad.
For Isabella Herrera, a first-generation student from Aurora, it was CU 糖心Vlog破解版鈥檚 culture that stood out when she was considering colleges. As she talked about CMCI鈥檚 precollegiate programs鈥攕he completed both Pathways and Connections鈥攈er phone intermittently buzzed with text messages from her new friends, proof she鈥檚 already feeling at home.
鈥淚鈥檇 love to study and maybe get an internship in London,鈥� Pellerito said. 鈥淚鈥檓 so excited to put myself out there and spend more time in such an incredible city.鈥�
鈥淚 met two of my best friends in Pathways, and we go to class every day together,鈥� she said.
Herrera earned multiple scholarships to attend CU 糖心Vlog破解版, which she said have offered her the freedom to explore the different opportunities at CMCI. A media production student, she鈥檚 already started working as a stage production assistant at Macky Auditorium.
鈥淢y scholarships have helped me be more open minded鈥擨 was able to look for jobs that were more about the experience I could get, as opposed to just needing the money,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 spending more time making friends and less time worrying about how to pay for school.鈥�
The community was also instrumental in helping Julia Zentmyer feel at home on campus. The Madison, Wisconsin, native made fast friends with her roommate, 鈥渨ho has been really nice to me,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e started meeting new people through her, which has helped me feel more at home on such a large campus鈥攚hether we鈥檙e going to the Rec Center or Red Rocks.鈥�
A strategic communication major, Zentmyer liked that CMCI would allow her to explore both her interests in business and communication鈥攁nd the great outdoors. She鈥檚 already fallen in love with hiking at nearby Chautauqua and looks forward to exploring more鈥攂oth on the trails and in her classes.
Ranney Willis, meanwhile, followed his older sister, Matilda, to CU鈥攂ut in a way, he was following Superman, who unexpectedly became the subject of a guest lecture by Rick Stevens, associate dean of undergraduate education and associate professor of media studies.
鈥淚 got to learn about how pop culture has an actual effect in the world, which is how I got interested in CMCI,鈥� Willis said. 鈥淢y parents and I got a chance to speak with professor Stevens afterward, and the first thing I asked was whether there are jobs in this.鈥�
Willis, who is majoring in media studies, is interested in one day working in a studio that specializes in video games or animation. He鈥檚 already tried out to compete in esports with the CU Gaming club.
鈥淭he community at CU is big鈥攂ut that鈥檚 a good thing,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 nice to know I鈥檓 not alone in the journey of exploration and discovery that I鈥檓 on.鈥�
Diego Simental is a new student who isn鈥檛 new to campus鈥攈e first visited CU 糖心Vlog破解版 in the seventh grade. The Commerce City native and first-generation student was the anchor of his high school鈥檚 news program, and is studying journalism in the hopes of becoming a newscaster.
A highlight of his own Pathways experience was the chance to visit the local CBS station in Denver during a trip to the city over the summer.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to become a person who can speak up for others who don鈥檛 have a voice,鈥� Simental said. 鈥淚 hope being at CMCI helps me get to where I want to be.鈥�
Unsurprisingly, another first-year personality helped draw plenty of students to CU鈥檚 Class of 2027. For Rivera, the aspiring sports journalist, Deion Sanders鈥� arrival at Folsom Field 鈥渨as kind of the last calling.鈥�
鈥淚 listened to Coach Prime鈥檚 press conference, and he said something like, this is the place to be, and the time to be here is now,鈥� Rivera said. 鈥淎nd I thought, I want to be a part of this, because this is history in the making. I don鈥檛 know how, but I want to be a part of it.鈥�
This fall, CMCI welcomed the largest and most academically qualified class of students in its history.Featuring CMCI students Keeshawn Barthelemy, Nique Clifford, Luke O鈥橞rien and Jabari Walker
window.location.href = `https://www.buffzone.com/2021/04/05/nique-clifford-luke-obrien-next-in-line-for-cu-buffs-mens-basketball/`;Featuring Anna Haynes (Editor of the CU Independent)
Featuring Anna Haynes (Editor of the CU Independent) window.location.href = `https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/22/insider/coronavirus-college-journalists.html`;Junior Charlotte Bowditch is one of 10 enterprise writing winners from across the country in the . According to the Hearst Foundation, they received 122 entries in the Enterprise Writing competition from 70 schools.
Bowditch's winning article, "," was published in CU 糖心Vlog破解版's student-run news site, , last April. The article outlines claims of questionable鈥攁nd even abusive鈥攑ractices by Resurrection Church in 糖心Vlog破解版, as well as an affiliated church in Fort Collins. The claims are made by relatives of current members of the churches, and by former church members. Much of the story centers on interviews Bowditch conducted with the father of a member of Resurrection Church, who attributes his graduate loss of contact with his daughter鈥攁 former CU 糖心Vlog破解版 student鈥攖o her decade-long involvement with the church.
"This was a follow-up to Charlotte's original reporting on Resurrection Church," said Gil Asakawa, the student media manager who oversees CU Independent. "The story is remarkable in its scope and display of human emotion."
Bowditch, who is an Environmental Studies major and Journalism minor at CU 糖心Vlog破解版, earned a certificate of merit as a top-10 winner.
The award is the latest in a long list of recogntions for CU Independent and its writers. Bowditch previously received a Mark of Excellence Award from the in 2017 for online in-depth reporting, and CU Independent recieved a 2016 Pacemaker Award from the Associated Collegiate Press.
Several College of Media, Communication and Information students and alumni were on hand last week for the annual convention. The event, held this year in New Orleans, featured presentations and panels from some of the most notable African-American voices in the journalism community, as well as documentary screenings and a salute to excellence awards show.
Attendees were also treated to a kickoff party for director Kathryn Bigelow鈥檚 new film Detroit, which is based off the events of the 1967 Detroit riots.
CMCI students Ariana Freeman, Aaron Montgomery and Neal Scarborough all attended the convention, using it as an opportunity to network and help promote the college. Former Scripps fellow, and current editor at Mississippi Today, R.L. Nave was also on hand at the CMCI booth.
A group of incoming first-year CMCI students arrived on campus this past week to participate in the annual pathways to excellence in media and communication summer intensive.