As COVID-10 continues to affect lives around the globe, we look forward to joining Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) for an important conversation on ways that student leaders can help help address the pandemic and support communities in need. Hope you’ll follow along.
Building on the successful model of the Clinton Global Initiative, President Bill Clinton launched the CGI U in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world.
This year, due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 crisis, CGI University will host a virtual program focused on how young people can lead through this crisis. All are invited to tune in!
Our Director of Development and Community Outreach, NiChel Mulstay has another guided meditation podcast episode to help bring you some moments of mindfulness this week. NicChel is a certified Practitioner/Instructor of Meditation, as well as a certified Reiki Master to help with energy healing. NiChel launched the “Calming Bells” podcast to offer our scholars guided meditation and promote personal health. With the many upheavals to our personal and professional lives resulting from the COVID-19 situation and it’s implications, we’d like to share this podcast with our extended Puksta community, as well. We hope it will bring a sense of calmness, relief, and mindful connection.
Below is a note from NiChel that accompanies the latest episode: “Lovingkindness Meditation.”
Hi Everyone,
I think it is important while we are practicing physical distancing that we make sure we are sending out thoughts of love and compassion to ourselves and others, this is why I chose to create this LovingKindness Mediation for you this week. Make sure you have at least 20 minutes to devote to this meditation.Lovingkindness meditation stems from is a Buddhist prayer (Metta Bhavana) and is a technique with which you can create feelings of love and kindness, warm feelings that make your inner world a place of compassion.
This is first practiced toward oneself since we often have difficulty loving others without first loving ourselves. Then it slowly ripples out to the world.
While you say these phrases, allow yourself to sink into the intentions they express. Loving-kindness meditation consists primarily of connecting to the intention of wishing ourselves or others happiness. However, if feelings of warmth, friendliness, or love arise in the body or mind, connect to them, allowing them to grow as you repeat the phrases. As an aid to the meditation, you might hold an image of yourself in your mind’s eye. This helps reinforce the intentions expressed in the phrases.May you be filled with lovingkindness… May you feel connected and calm… May you accept yourself just as you are… May you be happy and well… May you be safe… May you be peaceful and at ease.
We all are so deeply interconnected; we have no option but to love all. Be kind and do good for anyone and that will be reflected. The ripples of the kind heart are the highest blessings of the Universe. ― Amit Ray, Yoga and Vipassana: An Integrated Life Style
I have also included Solfeggio music in the background (frequencies known to help bring our bodies, cells, and DNA back into resonance and health.) This one, in particular, is called Tender Love (639 Hz), tuned at a frequency associated with opening and healing your heart chakra. It is the Marimba Meditation Music album by Meditative Mind.
I hope you enjoy and that it may bring you some peace and comfort.
We’re celebrating Rob Hatcher and his successful defense of his MA in Communication project last week!
Rob was awarded our Puksta Foundation Fellowship at University of Colorado at Denver in 2018-19. For his project, Rob spent the spring semester of 2018 leading poetry workshops at the Community College of Aurora, where he used creative writing as a means for helping students explore voice and agency. His hope was that it would create active citizens who could harness their own voices to create change in the world.
After his fellowship was complete, Rob continued contributing his time and skills to Puksta as an intern for two consecutive semesters during the summer and fall of 2019. His talent for communication greatly benefited our community engagement. One of the Puksta Foundation’s goals has been to expand our outreach and share the stories of what our scholars are doing in the community. Rob was able to do this for us in a truly remarkable and powerful way.
Director of Development and Community Outreach, NiChel Mulstay shared the following about Rob:
It is very obvious to me and everyone who comes into contact with Rob that he is committed to helping people find their voice. With his spirit and persistence, he doesn’t stop once the requirements are met and the day is over. To this day he still is very generous with his time and artistry, as someone who is always willing to help where needed and lend a hand. We were extremely lucky to have had him in both capacities as a Puksta Fellow and our Puksta Intern.
Congratulations, Rob, and best of luck to you in your future work!
We gathered for our first virtual Puksta Family Game Night last Saturday evening! The “Pajama Party” theme had us sporting our finest cozy fashions. Before jumping into a game of Scattergories, we practiced mindfulness and wellness through guided meditation and stretches. Thank you to everyone who was able to join for bringing smiles and fun, positive energy.
Bweza Itaagi was a Puksta scholar during her last two years at the University of Denver (2012-2014). Her Puksta project focused on food access, urban agriculture, and food justice in the Denver area. She began the Puksta program after spending a quarter studying public health and development in Senegal, West Africa in the fall of 2012. In Senegal, she learned from health officials, professors, and farmers that food access is a pressing issue in global public health. Upon returning to Denver and planning out her Puksta project, she began to research more about how barriers to accessing healthy and affordable food impacted a large number of Denver residents as well. Through Puksta she was able to connect with Denver leaders who were committed to growing fresh food in the city for the residents who needed it most. As a result, she was hired by the GrowHaus for the summer of 2013 to co-lead a program for Denver high school students. In the program she taught classes focused on personal nutrition, urban agriculture, and community activism.
The Puksta program was foundational in her career path post college. It was a catalyst for sparking her passion in addressing health through food. While developing her Puksta project, she realized that she wanted to focus her work and life on addressing food access issues through urban agriculture. She moved to Chicago in 2015 to pursue a master’s degree in Sustainable Urban Development from DePaul University. After finishing her master’s, she met with several organizations focused on urban agriculture, community empowerment and food justice and ultimately was hired by a non-profit organization called Grow Greater Englewood (GGE). GGE works with Englewood residents and developers to create profitable community owned farms to promote community health and economic development. In her role as the Sustainable Program Steward/Program Manager, she co-leads a network of Black, Brown and Indigenous urban farmers on the south and southwest sides of Chicago. The network works as a collective to create and support initiatives that address inequities in Chicago’s food system.
Outside of her non-profit work, she owns a pop-up shop for houseplants and succulents called Ebimera Vines (follow them on Facebook and Instagram! – @ebimeravines). She grows plants and sells them at various events throughout the Chicago area. She also does plant installations, hosts workshops and leads demos on various topics related to growing indoor plants.
She is forever grateful to John, NiChel, and the Puksta Foundation for enabling her to pursue her passion for food justice work and urban agriculture. She appreciates their genuine kindness and commitment to all scholars even after graduation. Some advice she has for current scholars includes the following:
First, realize that your Puksta project can continue after you finish the program. View your project as a stepping-stone to something even greater. Second, you can always reach out to your Puksta family at any point in your professional life. John and NiChel are always available to give career advice or connect you with other Puksta alumni if you move to a new city. Third, feel free to contact me if you have any questions about my work or if you’re interested in learning more about urban farming!
The Puksta Scholars Program is always close to her heart and she is very thankful to have been a part of such a great program.
We’re so greatful to Bweza for taking the time to share her updates and reflections with us! If you’d like to be featured in a future Puksta Spotlight post, email Sarah Thomas at sthomas0519@gmail.com.
In addition to being a Puksta Scholar, Kelly Stone (MSU ’23) is also a personal trainer!
To help the Puksta Community stay physically active at home while gyms are closed, Kelly recorded a video for three cross fit bootcamp-inspired workouts, including demonstrations of the correct form for each movement and different options for various levels of athleticism. Thank you for sharing this fun way to keep ourselves moving, Kelly!
Once you’ve got the moves from the video down, turn up the volume on your favorite workout jams and try out these other exercise programs provided by Kelly:
Upper Body 50-100 reps each (choose how you want to split this up) Jump Squats Step Up Lunges Tripods Donkey Kicks Clam Shell Hip trust (1 legged) Copenhagen hip adduction Crunches Leg Raises
Lower Body Do each exercise 50-100 reps Pike Pushup Pushup Tricep dips Reverse Angels Power focused punches (your choice of combos) Pseudo Pushup Door Frame Rows Elbow Lifts Plank hold as long as possible (shoulder taps, plank walk downs and wide plank)
Full Body AMRAP (as many reps as possible) #1: 10 minutes 5 (1 rep is a push up and 4 mountain climbers) 10 Pike pushups 15 Jump Squats
As some of you may know, our Director of Development and Community Outreach, NiChel Mulstay, is a certified Practitioner/Instructor of Meditation, as well as a certified Reiki Master to help with energy healing.
Recently, NiChel launched the “Calming Bells” podcast to offer our scholars guided meditation and promote personal health. With the many upheavals to our personal and professional lives resulting from the COVID-19 situation and it’s implications, we’d like to share this podcast with our extended Puksta community, as well. We hope it will bring a sense of calmness, relief, and mindful connection.
Below is a note from NiChel that accompanies the latest episode: “Immune Strengthening Meditation.”
You will want to find a nice quiet space where you will not be disturbed for at least 30-35 minutes. Feel free to get comfortable, lay down or find a comfortable chair and let your mind be open. During this meditation, I will guide you through a few different exercises/scenarios to help expand your mind to help you communicate and guide your immune system.
“Your immune system is one of the most critical, and most fascinating, aspects of the mind-body connection. For a long time, the ability of immune cells to attack invading disease organisms was considered purely physical, even though the mechanism was not completely understood. Then, in the ‘80s it was discovered that the immune system is highly intelligent; it became known as “a floating brain” because of the ability of immune cells to participate in the chemical messages sent by the brain throughout the body. This means that your thoughts, moods, sensations, and expectations are transmitted to your immune cells. When you meditate, these messages change in important ways.”
Deepak Chopra
I really hope this can help you, your friends and family to create a positive mindset, deeper relaxation, and nurture and encourage your immune system to work even better for you… So I hope you enjoy all the benefits that this session will bring you.
As a little extra, I added some Solfeggio music in the background (frequencies known to help bring our bodies, cells, and DNA back into resonance and health.)
Thank you for letting me be a part of your meditative journey.
Today’s featured Puksta Scholar is David Chiu, a member of the 2008 Puksta Scholar Cohort at CU Boulder. David’s Puksta project established a water quality monitoring program in Left Hand Canyon, Boulder County, to aid in environmental restoration of areas impacted by historic mining activity. His goals in the program were to meet similar like-minded people that shared a passion for helping others and improving our communities. Another goal of David identified was to learn tools and strategies for implementing sustainable and measurable civic service projects.
David is currently living in Bothell, Washington and works as an analytical scientist for Seattle Genetics, a pharmaceutical company focused on cancer therapies. Regarding his Puksta experience and how it connects to his current work, David shared his reflections on how the Puksta program gave him the confidence to lead a large project outside of the confines of the classroom. The scholars, staff, and advisors, he added, provided him with a positive and supportive network of individuals that helped him through challenging times. Through his Puksta experience, David says, “I was able to improve my mental fortitude, empathy, organizational skills, and had doors opened for me that continue to benefit me throughout my life.”
We also asked David to share any advice for current scholars or alumni. He offered these words of wisdom:
Identify your dream that you are passionate about. Develop a plan to achieve that dream. You will encounter setbacks, but have the self-confidence to believe in yourself and the determination to achieve those goals. We all change as people and our dreams change as well so stay true to yourself and focus on things that you are passionate about.
Life has a strange way of working out. Maybe you interview for a job and don’t get it, but then you see a new posting for the job of your dreams. Maybe you buy a shiny new car, but end up crashing it and hurting yourself. Live in the moment, don’t dwell on the past and don’t try to predict the future. If you carry yourself with humility, respect, and integrity, good things will happen.
Thank you for taking the time to share this update with us, as well as your reflections on your Puksta experience, David!
We love hearing from our scholars, past and present! If you have an update to share or a recent accomplishment to celebrate, let us know! Email Sarah Thomas at sthomas0519@gmail.com with your news!
20 years ago today, John Mulstay, fulfilled a wish and a promise to Harry and Eva Puksta and founded the Puksta Foundation! How Harry and Eva had the amazing foresight to chose John for this incredible task, we may never know. But, 20 years later it is clear they knew what they were doing.
The Puksta Foundation has come to be an incredible part of so many lives across this world, from the current scholars now, the alumni who carry the spirit of Puksta within them wherever they go, the coordinators that were willing to breathe their magic into our programs across all of our campuses, to the volunteers and anyone who has met one of our amazing scholars/alumni and everyone that has been touched by one of their Puksta Projects.
This foundation has definitely found the “Good Kids of the Community and given them the opportunity to get a college education” and so much more.
Thank you John, for founding this amazing foundation on the wishes of Harry and Eva! You have created a place of love and support to foster learning, community, and growth!
And thank you to everyone who has been a part of Puksta over the last 20 years! You have all touched and left your mark on this foundation and it would not be what it is without all of you! Let’s celebrate each other and keep the ripple going!
In celebration of of International Women’s Day, the Denver Girls Athletic Leadership School (GALS) hosted a panel event on Wednesday March 4 exploring struggles, identity, and attending college from a woman of color’s point of view.
The following is a brief synopsis of the event from Metro State University Puksta Scholar and event panelist Betty Tewodros:
The panel was a discussion with GALS students on gender equality, work-life balance, personal improvement, and mainly the differences between white feminism and what feminism means for women of color. Feminism is the opposite of sexism: it is a right to be yourself, it is a right to choose and live your life the way you deserve, and it is about equality. We also talked about how men can be feminist too, and it doesn’t have to be gender-divided because people identify as different genders.
MSU Puksta Scholars Karen Nunez and Ari Gibson, as well as Puksta Director of Development and Community Outreach NiChel Mulstay, were also in attendance at the lunch succession to meet with some of the high school students who are interested in going college and looking to find more resources and advice.
Jessica Matthews, Founder and CEO of Uncharted Power, participated as a guest speaker at the event. She developed soccer balls that produce energy when played with to help the energy crisis in undeveloped countries. Learn more here: https://www.u-pwr.co/company
Check out the photos of the event below!
Thanks to Betty, Karen, and Ari for sharing this experience with us!
✨🎓 Please join us in celebrating, Samrawit Shewanargaw CSU Graduate and now Puksta alumni! ✨🎓
Samrawit is passionate about advancing mental health awareness in the Black community—especially how mental health challenges impact Black women and how homelessness can affect mental health outcomes.
Inspired by the growing need for support and understanding in the African community, Samrawit hopes to collaborate with a mental health facility in South Africa to learn from community-based approaches and bring those insights back home. Her goal is to help build awareness, reduce stigma, and expand access to care, while honoring the religious and cultural contexts that shape how many people experience and interpret mental health.
We’re proud of you, Samrawit—congratulations on this incredible milestone and on the impact you’re already making. 💙...
✨🎓 Please join us in celebrating our Puksta graduate from CU Denver, Adriana Fiero Mena! 🎓✨
🌟 During her time in Puksta, Adriana researched the gaps within AP and IB programs—highlighting how many low-income schools are not able to offer these courses. Recognizing that these disparities often begin early, she shifted her focus this year to early education as a way to address education inequities in underserved communities. Adriana also partnered with Kids In Need Foundation to organize and host a school supply drive that helped ensure local students have the tools they need to succeed academically.
🚀 As she looks ahead, Adriana plans to continue growing her business as a nail technician and build a recognizable brand. Her long-term goal is to open her own location with space for her services and stations to rent to other beauty professionals. Further down the line, she hopes to offer nail courses as well.
🎉 We’re proud of you, Adriana—congratulations on your graduation and all you’ve already accomplished!...
On Wednesday evening, we enjoyed a beautiful and inspiring fifth and final Puksta Passage at the University of Denver.
We were honored to hear remarks from Elizabeth Loboa, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, who shared that during our 25-year partnership, Puksta has contributed over $1.6 million to scholarships at DU—helping welcome more than 110 scholars into DU classrooms. ✨
Our DU graduates, Nour Zouhou and Elizabeth Navarro 🎉, shared deeply insightful remarks on their experience in our program and we got to celebrate our continuing scholars and the powerful work they’re advancing in their communities, including:
• Creating pathways to college access with and for youth • Research to support more informed, nuanced conversations about the heavily stigmatized topic of sex work • Education equity for students in special education systems • Food justice advocacy and partnership with local food pantries • Compassionate behavioral health support and advocacy in underserved communities • Writing instruction for incarcerated individuals to help reduce recidivism • Youth development and mentorship • Addressing inequities in health outcomes for Black women • Working toward collective liberation across campus • Community storytelling
We also said goodbye to longtime Coordinator John Macikas. John, thank you for your steady leadership and care—wishing you all the best in your new role as Associate Director of CCESL. We’re very excited to welcome our new coordinator (and Puksta alum) Brendan Teck. We can’t wait for what’s ahead!
And a special thank you to the DU Advancement team for planning such a meaningful event 💞...
🌟 During her time in the Puksta program, Yoseline helped build a coalition that stood up for students’ rights through legislation, meetings with decision-makers, and powerful sit-ins. She also led food drives to support students facing hunger, reminding all of us that community care and advocacy go hand in hand.
🚀 After graduation, Yoseline is heading to Denver to begin her next chapter, with plans to one day attend law school.
🎉 We’re so proud of you, Yoseline! Thank you for the heart, leadership, and courage you bring to all you do. Wishing you all the best in everything ahead!...
✨🎓 Congratulations to Hyab Tekeste, a fabulous Puksta Scholar graduating from Colorado State University! 🎓✨
🌟 During her time in Puksta, Hyab has been focusing on financial literacy support, especially for immigrant and underserved communities. She hosted engaging workshops and conversations around topics like budgeting, credit, and financial planning. She also worked on building partnerships with community organizations to help expand access to these resources.
🚀 After graduation, Hyab plans to continue working in finance while staying involved in community-focused work, as well as her photography work!
👏 Join us in celebrating Hyab`s incredible achievements and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors!...
Congratulations to Puksta Scholars and MSU Denver graduates Alexis Campos & Montserrat Adame! 🎓✨
Today we celebrate not only your graduation, but the care, leadership, and commitment to community you’ve brought to our program throughout your journeys. The Puksta Foundation believes in the power of civic engagement and young people working alongside their communities to create meaningful change. Both of you embody that spirit so fully. 🌟
We are deeply inspired by your passion, the ways you show up for others, and the futures you are helping imagine and build. We can’t wait to see where your leadership takes you next. 💙...
✨🎓 Congratulations Nour Zouhou, soon to be a proud DU graduate and Puksta Alumni! 🎓✨
🌟 During her time in the Puksta program, Nour focused on addressing the erasure and discrimination against BIPOC, queer people, immigrants, and women as well as broad critique of conduct by the US government through individual and community art practices. She has been researching public art as a means of rest and resistance, connecting with other artists, non profits, and galleries in Denver.
🚀 After graduation, Nour plans to do some traveling and try out new hobbies. She looks forward to hiking with friends and making zines!
🎉 Please join us in celebrating all that Nour has accomplished applying her artistic passions and talents to her civic engagement work!...
✨🎓 Congratulations. to our amazing MSU graduate and now Puksta Alumni, Alexis Cardenas Campos! 🎓✨
🌟 During his time in the Puksta program, Alexi worked with high school minority students to build their emotional intelligence and personal development skills. He supported 7-10 non-English speaking immigrant students per month, talking to them about respect, stress management, identity, self-esteem, growth mindset, masculinity, and other personal life topics. He engaged in both group meeting sessions and one-on-one conversations with students.
🚀 After graduation, Alexis plans to continue emphasizing the role of design, art, and self towards the overall approach of existential balance and everyday life. He will bring more cross-disciplinary dialogue and democratization to the role of thought and expression.
🎉 We are celebrating all you have accomplished supporting your students and living your values in our program and beyond! Wishing you the best as you move forward on your journey!...
This year’s Puksta Passage was filled with so much heart. Throughout the evening, our 7 graduating scholars shared personal stories, reflections, and experiences from their time in Puksta that brought many of us to tears. Congratulations Jazzy Ewing, Yoseline Rivera, Hyab Tekeste, Edna Agustin Chavez, Andrea Pereida, Lensa Wako, Samrawit Shewanargaw! 🎓💚 You are a powerful reminder of the relationships, growth, and community that make this program so meaningful.
Before dinner, we had the opportunity to learn from our continuing scholars through their poster presentations and celebrate the important work they are doing. We are so proud of all you continue to contribute to your communities and campus!
This evening was also bittersweet as we said goodbye to Sam Desta, our longtime CSU coordinator. Sam’s impact on generations of scholars and on the development of the program at CSU cannot be overstated. Thank you, Sam, for the immense care, leadership, and love you have poured into this community over the years.
At the same time, we are so excited to celebrate Michael Silvey, who has stepped into the coordinator role this year with such warmth and care already. He has quickly become beloved by scholars, and we are grateful for the future ahead.
What a beautiful night honoring past, present, and future Puksta scholars. 💫...
✨🎓 Congratulations to our incredible 2026 CSU Puksta Graduate, Andrea Pereida! 🎓 ✨
🌟 During her time in Puksta, Andrea worked at the Colorado State Public Defender`s Office, an organization with a long history of providing excellent representation to persons accused in criminal cases when they cannot afford to hire counsel. She was able to meet with 30 clients and help address their needs. She served as a translator to help schedule appointments and shared resources to support them upon their release.
🚀 As Andrea embarks on a new position at New Leaf Family Law Firm as a bilingual legal assistant after graduating, we celebrate all that she has achieved and look forward to her continued impact in the technology field!...
This year’s CU Denver Puksta Passage was a lovely evening in the Wright Room reflecting on where our scholars have been, celebrating where they are now, and welcoming the next chapter ahead. ✨
Congratulations to our graduates, Genessi and Adriana! 🎓💛 Thank you for the ways you have shaped this community during your time in Puksta. We cannot wait to see all that comes next for you both.
We loved hearing from our continuing scholars through thoughtful poster presentations on topics including student mentorship, supporting Latino immigrants in higher education, digital empowerment, and the importance of trees in our ecosystem.
This year also marked a meaningful coordinator transition at CU Denver. We are deeply grateful to Karina De Jesus for the steadiness, care, and organization she brought in helping get the Puksta program established on this campus. We are so excited for the work Megan O’Connor has continued this year, especially the relationships and sense of connection she has built with scholars.
A special thank you to our friends at Appaloosa for the incredible food that helped make the evening feel so warm and welcoming!...
✨🎓 Congratulations to Edna Agustin Chavez, a proud CSU graduate and now Puksta Alumni! 🎓✨
🌟 During her time in Puksta, Edna developed a comprehensive resource guide and presentation focused on improving support for international students at CSU. This included creating a detailed informational toolkit addressing key challenges such as financial constraints, visa limitations, social isolation, and unfamiliar academic expectations. She also conducted informal interviews and gathered survey responses to better understand the lived experiences of international students.
🚀 After graduation, Edna plans to attend law school. She wants to pursue a career where she can advocate for individuals facing barriers in areas like immigration, education, or access to resources to create meaningful community change.
🎉 Here`s to Edna`s remarkable achievements and bright future ahead!...
This year’s Puksta Passage at MSU was a beautiful celebration of community, growth, and impact! We got to congratulate Alexis Campos and Jennifer Montserrat Adame, our graduating scholars 🎉, and were especially moved to hear from MSU alumni David Campos-Cardenas, Alexis’s older brother.
David encouraged scholars: “Don’t forget about your projects when you’re out there — find a way to implement your projects in the real world.” He shared how, as a Puksta scholar, he supported high school students with college applications and FAFSA completion. Today, he owns two tax firms and continues that work of accessibility and care by creating Spanish-language tax organizing tools and helping immigrant and undocumented communities complete ITIN applications free of charge.
We also heard presentations from our continuing scholars and watched an incredible video that Alexis created about the Puksta foundation and our community!
So much pride, love, and inspiration in one room. Once Puksta, a always Puksta. ✨...
👀 Here`s a fun little window into our latest Puksta First Year Experience session! 🤩 We gathered with scholars across all five campuses to celebrate and reflect on their first year in our program, while exploring the fundamentals of working ethically and responsibly in the community. 🙌 We are so excited to see where you all go from here and hope you have a fabulous summer! 🚀...
🌟 During her time in Puksta, Nina worked closely with a local high school and her scholar team to support first generation juniors and seniors as they prepare for the transition to college. Nina has also developed a strong understanding of business operations and has applied that knowledge by launching her own business driven by her passion for wellness and community, while starting and running her own club on campus. Through her work, she strives to break down barriers and provide practical tools and encouragement to help others overcome challenges and pursue opportunities that may once have felt out of reach.
🚀 After graduation, Nina plans on opening her own pilates studio here in boulder, continuing to engage in social impact work and make financial contributions from her own business.
🎉 Congratulations, Nina! We look forward to seeing the continued impact you will make in your community and beyond!...
✨🎓 We are thrilled to celebrate the graduation of Anahi Alvarez, one of our CU Boulder Puksta Scholars!! 🎓✨
🌟 Throughout her time in Puksta, Anahi worked with a local high school and her Puksta Scholar team to support first generation juniors and seniors as they prepare for the transition to college. They engaged in personal research, guided by their background and experience, as well as student interviews to learn about challenges, goals, and needs of this community. Then, the group designed and led workshops tailored to these needs, while also building real relationships with the students. Anahi and her team helped students understand admissions, financial aid, campus resources, and what to expect during their first year of college.
🚀 After graduation, Anahi plans to get a job in financial planning or data analytics within the cosmetics or skincare industry.
Your passion for supporting others and working on your scholar team really shines through, Anahi! We wish you the best as you move forward on your journey! 🎉...
🌟 While in the Puksta program, Jazmyne focused on addressing housing Insecurity of lower income and international students. She worked with Pastor Paul to create a video detailing the situation that Lumin Students go through surrounding the housing insecurity crisis. The video touches up on the recession that many students are facing and the lack of community/family support that these students go through.
👏 We`re proud of the impact you have made in your community, Jazmyne! Join us in celebrating her achievements and wishing her well on the next steps of her journey! 🎉...
✨🎓 Congratulations to Jennifer Montserrat Adame, a proud MSU graduating senior! 🎓✨
🌟 In Puksta, Jennifer worked on the newsletter for the Immigrant Services Program (ISP) at MSU Denver. She familiarized herself with the work that ISP does for their students and was able to spend time organizing resources for their newsletter. She also gave presentations in her social work courses about Immigration which helped her educate her peers around knowing their rights. This gave her space to educate and help other social work students understand how they can support their communities and peers affected by this difficult time.
👏 Join us in celebrating Jennifer`s incredible achievements and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors!...
✨🎓 Congratulations to our incredible 2026 University of Colorado graduate, José Gutierrez! ✨🎓
🌟 During his time at CU, José developed a strong foundation in visual storytelling, video production, and creative direction, with a focus on using film as a tool for community engagement and meaningful impact. He has contributed to projects focused on supporting high school juniors and seniors by promoting awareness around pursuing higher education. He and his team delivered presentations that highlight the college experience and its accessibility while he documented the process. José also served as President of Tau Psi Omega Fraternity, Inc!
🚀 After graduation, José aims to continue growing as a filmmaker while expanding opportunities for storytelling within underserved communities!
Here`s to José`s amazing achievements and bright future ahead! Congratulations 🎉...
📣 Can you believe it`s that time of year again - we celebrated CU Boulder`s Puksta Passage on Thursday! 🎉
Congratulations to our graduates: Anahí Alvarez, José Gutierrez, and Nina Patterson - we are so proud of all you have accomplished!
The rest of the CU Boulder cohort shared poster presentations about their civic engagement endeavors focused on supporting families with autistic children, increasing access to higher education, promoting diversity on campus, support and mentorship for indigenous students, and addressing education inequity. We are so impressed by this incredible group of scholars!
The event was bittersweet this year as we also said goodbye to Ana Contreras, who has served as our CU Boulder Puksta Coordinator for the past 5 years. In Ana`s words of farewell, she discussed acompañera, the practice and embodiment of walking with others. "This requires me to be with students not just as an instructor, but as a bridge, a border broker, being together in humanizing ways. Research has found that the current education system is not equipped to maintain these types of pedagogies. However, Puksta pushes back against the limiting structures of universities." Ana, you have been such a brilliant example of acompañera in our Puksta family, and we are so grateful for that. We wish you all the best 💞...
