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!
✨🎓 Congratulations to our amazing 2025 CU Boulder Graduate, Mariajose Baca! 🎓✨
🌟 Mariajose spent the last year collaborating with one of her peers to present to create a financial literacy basics presentation for high school seniors and University students, specifically targeting groups of underrepresented students. They covered topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, and planning for the future and created interactive videos, worksheets, and online simulations to help their students grasp the material. They were proud to be the support they needed when coming to CU Boulder.
🚀 Moving forward, she is pursuing a career in Real Estate. Way to go Mariajose, we know you are looking at a bright future ahead! 👏
✨🎓 Congratulations to our incredible 2025 University of Colorado Denver graduate, Leo Banuelos-Rivera! 🎓✨
🌟 Leo began working construction in September 2021 and was surprised when they’d tell him, “just throw it out”, and it could be material that was still good for a purpose. This inspired him to dedicate his time in Puksta to find a way to reuse construction material rather than it just being thrown out. Anything from drywall, and plywood to cabinets, and more, etc.
🚀 Leo plans to integrate what he has learned about sustainability and responsible consumption and production into his career in construction management!
🎉 Way to go, Leo, we know you are looking at a bright future ahead!
✨🎓 Congratulations to our incredible 2025 MSU Puksta Graduate, Victor Delgado! ✨🎓
🌟 Upon joining the Puksta program, Victor led an initiative to get an RTD bus line on campus. When the administration didn`t support his efforts, he applied for student government. In this role he served as the main connection for undocumented student support, and became the co-chair of sustainability where he managed an 8k budget, supported a menstrual product initiative, and planned both Earth Week and Homelessness & Hunger Auraria Awareness Week. Victor also sat on the Student Advisory Committee for the Auraria Board of Directors to advocate for undocumented students and participate in a selection committee for architects for a new Tivoli student union.
👏 This year, Victor was selected for the Boettcher Student of the Year award and Espiritu of Aztlan award at MSU!
🚀 Moving forward, Victor plans to focus on developing his career now that he`s received his physics degree! Here`s to Victor`s remarkable achievements and his bright future ahead!
✨🎓 Congratulations to Rediet Ayanaw, a proud DU graduate and now Puksta Alumna! 🎓✨
🌟 Rediet spent the last year serving as an IT Coordinator and mentor at College Track, helping students navigate technology and build confidence in their creative abilities. She led weekly “Apple Bites” sessions where she guided high school freshmen through the process of planning, designing, and prototyping their own mobile apps. Rediet also contributed to ScholarSprint, a new initiative that encourages students to set ambitious academic and personal goals. While the program is still in development, she has been involved in shaping its early structure and providing feedback to ensure it reflects students’ needs and aspirations. Her time at College Track has been rooted in community, growth, and helping students see what’s possible for themselves.
🚀 As Rediet embarks on her journey to pursue a masters` degree in Business Analytics at CU Boulder this fall, we celebrate all that she has achieved and look forward to her continued impact in the technology field!
#PukstaProud #Puksta Foundation #PukstaGraduates2025 #DU #CommunityImpact...
✨🎓 We`re celebrating our amazing 2025 Metropolitan State University Puksta Graduate, Artemis Douglas! 🎓✨
🌟 Artemis aligned her Puksta project with the work of her undergraduate thesis. She worked with various mentors to create an original research study that demonstrates the risks and harms trans women face and how wide-spread those risks are. Using a methodology of "ask trans women and believe them" and a lens of harms and spaces, she successfully demonstrated transfeminized and classical precarity as something that is applied and enforced, on to trans women on the axis of their gender. No prior academic literature has done this- and her thesis is now under review at an academic journal for future peer-reviewed publishing. Artemis presented this work 4 times this year, and she`s working on a monograph which is essentially a book-version of her thesis for either self- or peer-reviewed publishing!
🚀 After taking a well deserved break this summer, Artemis will be moving to Dublin in August for a graduate program in Gender, Politics, and International Relations. She may also consider a concurrent graduate program focusing on transfeminism from a disciplinary lens of philosophy and literature.
🎉 Congratulations, Artemis! We look forward to seeing the continued impact you will make in your community and beyond!
🌟 During her journey with Puksta, Autumn created resources for the community regarding Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and trauma healing. She developed a google site to make these resources more obtainable from anywhere in the U.S. Her resources include getting involved in the community to help aid trauma healing and supporting your local community. Autumn shared that her project "was influenced by working at the Ute Mountain Ute summer camp and seeing the children who have already faced hardship. I wanted to give resources to ensure they follow the correct path and can heal from their trauma."
🚀 Autumn is taking time to rest after graduation before she begins her career working with animals, specifically fish! Join us in celebrating her accomplishments and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors! 🎉 @autumnspirit33
✨🎓 Mayra Luna...proud Puksta Scholar and now Graduate of the University of Colorado Denver! 🎓 ✨
🌟 During her last year of the Puksta program, Mayra worked with a future center counselor at the high school she graduated from to help seniors apply to colleges and utilize the future center on campus. She facilitated a workshop and promoted MSU for any senior interested in applying and learning more about the school. Mayra was excited to engage in this work, because as a first generation student, she knows how hard it is to navigate the transition to college and that it is easier with the help of a mentor.
👏 Join us in celebrating Mayra`s achievements and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors!
🎉 John and NiChel had this year`s graduates over for a very special evening on Tuesday to celebrate their accomplishments! 🎉 Each graduate received a Puksta alumni pin and they were welcomed into our growing network of almost 400 alumni! Then, they all enjoyed dinner over laughs and lively conversation at Nana`s Dim Sum & Dumplings 🥘💞 Congradulations graduates, we are so proud of your evolution as individuals and contributing community members!! 👏
✨🎓 Cristal De La Torre...proud Puksta Scholar and now graduate of the University of Colorado Boulder! 🎓✨
🌟 Cristal spent the last year collaborating with one of her peers to present to create a financial literacy basics presentation for high school seniors and University students, specifically targeting groups of underrepresented individuals. They covered topics such as budgeting, saving, investing, borrowing, and planning for the future while integrating interactive videos, worksheets, and online simulations to help their students grasp the material. Cristal and Mariajose are proud to be the support they needed when coming to CU Boulder. 💞
🚀 Moving forward, she is pursuing a career to be a financial advisor with Morgan Stanley. We are so excited for you Cristal! 👏 @cristal_dlt.23
✨🎓 Congratulations to Paige Perricone, a proud CSU graduate and now Puksta Alumna! 🎓✨
🌟 This year, Paige worked hard to establish programs promoting resilience and protective factors for LGBTQ+ homeless and foster youth in a Denver-based LGBTQ+ homeless shelter. She worked with Dr. Kevin Powell to develop specific programs around engagement in social services and community-building activities. They were able to give two full seminars to the support systems (parents, friends, teachers, etc) of the youth at the homeless shelter, as well as host a community picnic potluck, and an arts & crafts day for this upcoming pride month.
🚀 Future plans: Paige plans to apply for graduate school and continue working at a crisis line for suicide prevention and sexual assault & domestic abuse survivors.
👏 Join us in celebrating Paige`s incredible achievements and wishing her all the best in her future endeavors! @rampaige687 #PukstaProud #PukstaFoundation #PukstaGraduates2025 #CSU #CommunityImpact #LBGTQ+...
Puksta passages concluded this year with a fabulous celebration at DU 🎉
Congratulations to our graduates, 🎓 Jay Keodonexay, 🎓 Zoe Stelzer, 🎓 Rediet Ayanaw, and 🎓 Samantha Rodriguez! We are rooting for you as you transition out of your undergraduate experience!
We also had the lovely opportunity to hear some words of wisdom from Zoe Grisez, 2023 DU Puksta Alumni. Thank you for sharing your insightful reflections with our new and current scholars 😍
The event was bittersweet this year as we also said goodbye to John Macikas, our DU Puksta Coordinator. John, you`ve made such an impact on our scholars and the program - thank you for dedicating your time and talents to Puksta these last few years. 🙏 Congratulations on your promotion, we will certainly miss you and wish you the best!...
The MSU Puksta Passage is always a special event as we get to hear from each scholar about their civic engagement experiences. This year, scholars provided social and academic support at Thomas Jefferson High School, offered financial education, engaged in research to create new literature and improve the discourse involving trans women, participated in student government, and supported first-generation students, undocumented students, and veterans!
We also got to welcome our incoming scholars, celebrate our fabulous graduates, 🎓 Artemis Douglas & 🎓 Victor Delgado 🎉 CONGRATULATIONS 🎉, and hear some beautiful words of wisdom from Duvia Ortega, MSU 2022 Puksta alum!
Wow, we truly enjoyed hearing the insights that all of you have gained from dedicating your time and energy to your community 🤩😍...
📣 🎓 Graciela Leal, MSU Puksta Alumni, just graduated with her Master`s degree in Social Work from Metropolitan State University! Congratulations 🎉 We are so proud of your achievements and the ways in which you`ve continued to contribute to your community beyond your time in Puksta - and LOVE seeing you repping your Puksta cord one more time!...
The CSU Puksta Passage was truly a special evening!
We celebrated our fabulous graduates, 🎓 Miguel Eduardo Lopez, 🎓 Autumn Wilson, and 🎓 Paige Perricone, as well as our continuing scholars who are addressing food insecurity on campus, supporting refugee students in higher education, bridging cultural divides, and much more! 🎉
We also had the honor of hearing from Puksta alumni Vera Asuamuzuah! In 2011, Vera received the Puksta scholarship and set a goal to provide a clean, reliable, and convenient water source to her village of Potomu, Ghana. In 2014, Vera oversaw the installation of a bore hole well and hand pump in Potomu, thanks to her dedication and hard work to fundraise and build community around this project - WOW! 🤩...
Congratulations CU Denver graduates, Leo Banuelos-Rivera and Mayra Luna!! 🎉 Leo, we appreciated the heartfelt words and wisdom you shared with us at the Puksta Passage Thursday evening.
It was such a joy to spend time with this group of scholars. They are dedicating time during their undergraduate journeys to support latino immigrants in higher education, address racial disparities in advances high school programs, decrease the digital divide amongst college students, and to engage in harm reduction and substance use prevention on their campus. We loved getting to learn even more about everyone through a fun social Bingo activity!...
📣 Puksta Passages commence this year with CU Boulder 🎉
Congratulations to our graduates: Cristal de la Torre, Mariajose Baca, and Anahi Sarmiento Garcia - 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 youth empowerment, creating opportunities for women in STEM, providing support for minoritized students pursuing higher education, and uniting diverse student organizations at CU. Wow, what an incredible group of scholars!
Nothing brings us more joy than seeing and celebrating you all 💞...
We were so thrilled that Puksta got to share our magic at the MSU Annual Scholarship Celebration Dinner! ✨ Our Founder, John Mulstay, joined Victor Delgando (current scholar), and Karen Nunez Sifuentes (MSU alumni) on a panel during the event program, and Karen gave a fabulous keynote address! Enjoy these highlights from such a special evening:
"That is the power of a scholarship. It`s not just about covering tuition. Its about creating space for students to dream without limits. It`s about giving the freedom to pursue our potential without being held back by circumstances beyond our control." - Karen Nunez Sifuentes
"In 2024, there were 23,000 students that graduated with an undergraduate physics degree and only 5% of them were Latino students. I think that explains why we need people like us in these places. Puksta has allowed me to become a physicist. My sister just said today, "now we have a physicist in the family." - Victor Delgado
"If you have the ability to empower young adults that are looking for a boost up at this time in their lives, amazing things will come from it. Students that we work with know that we care about them deeply, they know that we love them, that we are there to support them, they pick up the ball and they run. And they do incredible work. If you can give, support them financially. If you have time, mentor them. Dive in, lean in. It is the most rewarding thing I`ve experienced." - John Mulstay...
Today, March 9th, marks 25 years of the Puksta Foundation—25 years of impact, community, and unwavering dedication to creating meaningful change. What began as a vision has flourished into something far greater than a scholarship—it has become a family, a movement, and a legacy of service and leadership.
To our 63 current Puksta Scholars and 346 alumni—you are the heart of this program. Your passion, resilience, and commitment to social change continue to inspire us every day. The work you do in your communities is a testament to the power of education, service, and connection.
Harry and Eva Puksta would be so incredibly proud of all that you have done and continue to do. Your efforts embody the spirit of their generosity and vision for a better, more just world.
A special thank you to John—our incredible founder—whose dedication allowed Puksta to not only take root but to bloom and blossom into something truly extraordinary. Because of you, Puksta is more than a scholarship—it is a family that uplifts, empowers, and transforms lives.
And to every mentor, coordinator, university partner, donor, and supporter who has walked alongside us on this journey—thank you for being part of 25 years of caring, impact, and community. This milestone belongs to you, too!
Here’s to the next 25 years of Puksta Scholars making a difference! 💙✨
📣 Victor Delgado, MSU Puksta Scholar, was recently named a 2025 Boettcher Student Leader of the Year Finalist by the Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation, in partnership with the Boettcher Foundation! 📣
Victor is a senior Physics major at MSU Denver. As a student leader on campus, he is an active participant in the Brother to Brother program, is on the Vice President of Student Affair`s student advisory board, and works at the Tutoring Center. He also serves his MSU Denver student body as an elected official to Student Government: The Student Advocacy Council.
Congratulations Victor, we`re so proud of you! 🎉...
🎉❄️ Check out these highlights from our 2025 Puksta Winter Intercollegiate Retreat! ❄️🎉 At the end of January, scholars and staff from all five campuses gathered at the Estes Park YMCA for a weekend of rest and community building. Between a roller skating party, karaoke, family meals, bonfires, and our annual senior skits, fun was had by all...even in below 10° temps 🥶! A special thank you to our fabulous alumni who were able to join: Jorge Lomas (`19), Shannon Coffey (`05), and Lumiere Sidone (`21) 🙏...
