AsΒ COVID-10 continues to affect lives around the globe, we look forward to joiningΒ 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 youβll follow along.Β
Building on the successful model of theΒ 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 βCalming Bellsβ 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 itβs implications, weβd 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: βLovingkindness Meditation.β
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. β 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.Β
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 β80s it was discovered that the immune system is highly intelligent; it became known as βa floating brainβ 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!
π 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.
π 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.
π Congratulations, Nina! We look forward to seeing the continued impact you will make in your community and beyond!...
β¨π We are thrilled to celebrate the graduation of Anahi Alvarez, one of our CU Boulder Puksta Scholars!! πβ¨
π 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.
π 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! π...
π 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.
π 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! π...
β¨π Congratulations to Jennifer Montserrat Adame, a proud MSU graduating senior! πβ¨
π 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.
π Join us in celebrating Jennifer`s incredible achievements and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors!...
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 acompaΓ±era, 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 acompaΓ±era in our Puksta family, and we are so grateful for that. We wish you all the best π...
Can ya`ll take a moment to please help amazing DU `21 Puksta Alum, Aliyah Williams?! Aliyah is working on a research project in collaboration with some of her colleagues. They are interested in how rest influences the relationship between burnout and hope among Black college students. If you are eligible, please take the survey and share with your networks! https://lnkd.in/eqqed4ZP...
With heavy hearts, we remember and honor the life of CSU Puksta Scholar alum, Jada Johnson.
Jada was a bright light in our communityβher presence, compassion, and commitment to making a difference left a lasting impact on those around her. She will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Jada had a way of making people feel seen and cared forβtruly an angel in the lives of so many. To know her was to love her.
We hold Jadaβs family, friends, and all who loved her in our hearts during this time.
π£ Shout out to β¨ Will Trevizoβ¨, one of our MSU scholars for being an amazing person and Puksta community member! π We enjoyed a lovely dinner with Will and his partner Louisa last week and are just so proud of him. Will is a Music Performance & Education Major and has been dedicating his time to mentoring East High School students over the last few years. To combine these passions, he will soon join an orchestra program to teach music to low income youth - while also continuing to work with his dad in a mariachi band! He was a volunteer for our 25th Anniversary celebration and always steps up to lend a hand. π Will, we are grateful to know you and support the unfolding of your last year at MSU and the Puksta Program!...
This Thanksgiving, weβre thankful for our scholars, mentors, and communities who continue to uplift, inspire, and create change. π§‘π #Gratitude #Thanksgiving2025...
Mission brief: empower others, create lasting impact, and lead with compassion. We proudly welcome our newest Puksta Scholars, individuals dedicated to transforming vision into action. #PukstaMission #AgentsOfChange #CSU...
Major(s): Software Engineering βProject Focus: Technology for Social Impact, Digital Literacy Equity, Leadership Development
βProject: My goal is to directly combat the digital divide and ensure educational justice in Denver schools that have high populations of students of color and poverty. This involves securing and delivering essential tech resources (laptops, 3D printers) and implementing hands-on digital literacy classes led by trained educators. This initiative will provide the skills students need to excel in the 21st-century. βInspiration: My passion is driven by my own experience of witnessing the persistent funding and resource issues at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College (DMLK), which severely limited students` access to digital literacy education and technology. This strengthened my resolve to ensure that no student`s potential is capped simply because their household lacks the means or history with technology.
βFuture Goals: I will work through the Puksta platform to move from ideas to action, bringing about solutions for smaller schools in impoverished areas. This includes strategically securing grants and establishing partnerships with the Denver Public Schools system to implement a sustainable, long-term plan that provides continuous tech resources and training, ultimately helping these marginalized schools close the digital gap with better-funded institutions. #CommunityLeadership #Pukstaspotlight #Puksta...
π Colorado State University Senior π Continuing Puksta Scholar ποΈββοΈ Health and Exercise Science major π Making an impact through her Puksta project combating Housing Insecurity π Connect on LinkedIn: Jazmyne Ewing
Colorado State University - 2027 Major(s): Landscape Architecture Project Focus: Homelessness, Food insecurity, Environmental issues
Project: I`m working on ways to incorporate communities into combating food insecurity amongst students. I want to build a sense of community where people feel like they`re making an impact in society while also providing fellow Rams with resources that are needed.
Inspiration: My inspiration for this project stems from my youth, when I had the opportunity to give back to my community through canned food drives and holiday gift baskets. This is what Iβm trying to bring to students at CSU: it fosters a sense of community while addressing a serious social issue that often gets overlooked.
Future Goals: I aim to achieve this by utilizing flyers or other methods to disseminate information about the resources available on the CSU campus. I also plan to host canned food drives, which I believe will help people feel the impact theyβre making because thatβs the goal.
πβΎ Looks like the Puksta Scholars are good luck! πβ¨
We had such a blast welcoming 18 new scholars from all 5 universities πππππ at the Rockiesβ last home game of the season β and they pulled off the win! ποΈππ₯
From chicken tenders π, Rockies dogs π, and Dippinβ Dots π¦ to new friendships π¬π€, our scholars kicked off their Puksta journey in true community spirit ππ
Hereβs to the start of an amazing journey together! π
π The Puksta Foundation proudly hosted our 25th Anniversary Celebration! πβ¨ For 25 years, we`ve been dedicated to providing access to higher education and empowering students to engage in their communities.
Nearly 200 people joined us for this special event, which opened with a powerful meditative prayer through blessing and movement by the incredible Mexika Aztec Dance Group Yohualli Ehecatl Mitotiliztli. πΏποΈ
We were inspired by heartfelt words from Puksta alumni, our founder John Mulstay, and our executive director NiChel Mulstay. With live music, games, a photo booth and plenty of joy, fun was truly had by all. π«π Here`s to the next 25 years of impact and community! #Puksta25 #EducationForChange #CommunityStrong...
β¨π Congratulations to our incredible 2025 University of Colorado graduate, Anahi Sarmiento Garcia! β¨π
π This year Anahi had the opportunity to return to her high school with a group of Puksta peers to talk to students about college and answer any questions they had. As part of this effort, she created a prototype app designed to help students stay on track with scholarship and college application deadlines, and provide a space for them to reach out to us with questions. She noticed an increase in the number of students who were interested in going to college after realizing they had someone who understood their challenges and was there to support them.
π Moving forward, Anahi plans to pursue a full-time career in real estate while also continuing to build her skills in data science. She`s excited to grow within the industry and gain experience, while also using data to inform smarter business decisions.
Here`s to Anahi`s amazing achievements and bright future ahead! Congratulations π...
β¨π A huge congratulations to Jay Keodonexay, a 2025 Graduate at University of Denver! πβ¨
π This year, Jay facilitated over 10 workshops with Envision You, an organization that seeks to improve LGBTQ+ mental health through community programming, advocacy, and evidence-based training. Jay was also a mentor for a 5th grade mentee through joy as resistance, and created art that he sold to donate over $200 to non-profit organizations!
π When asked about his favorite aspect of the Puksta program, he said it is "our meetings and getting to know the scholars in and outside of my school." He also shared, "The Puksta program has meant a lot to me. Sometimes I find it hard to stay motivated and the program and other scholars always are able to help re-light the fire to keep doing what i`m doing."
π Here`s to Jay`s accomplishments and bright future ahead!!
