Last month, our DU Puksta Community gathered for a virtual Puksta Passage to celebrate our graduating scholars, as well as our incoming scholars. DU Puksta Scholar Rosie Contino (’22) shared a wonderful summary of the event through the DU Center for Community Engagement to Advance Scholarship and Learning’s “Public Good Impact” newsletter. Thank you for your beautiful words and sharing your reflections from the evening, Rosie!
Read the full write-up here:
🎉❄️ 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) 🙏
We are highlighting our MSU Denver’s Puksta Scholar Divya Bhattarai!
Divya has created a highly informative presentation for high school students regarding financial aid for post secondary education. Divya’s presentation informs students about FAFSA, a variety of scholarships, and the Colorado Promise. Her presentation also has important information about different types of loans such as the federal subsidized, unsubsidized, and private loans. The purpose of this presentation is to encourage high school students to avoid getting into debt.
Post by MSU Denver`s Puksta Social Media Ambassador Montserrat Adame
This Friday Mariajose Baca and Cristal De La Torre will be facilitating a financial literacy workshop in collaboration with the Diverse Scholars Program! 🎉 Congratulations to these CU Boulder Puksta Scholars for pursuing your passion to share essential financial knowledge in marginalized communities! 🎉
We hope you can join them to learn about budgeting, building credit, insurance, and an introduction to investing! 3-5pm in Koelbel (business school) room 140. Snacks provided!
📣 PUKSTA ALUMNI! 📣 We are thrilled to invite you to our Alumni Holiday Social on Dec. 4th at ❄️✨ZOO LIGHTS✨❄️! Join us from 5:30-8pm for hot cocoa, hot cider, desserts, and great company. This will be an awesome opportunity to enjoy a night out, connect with the Puksta community, and hear some fun updates during our program at 6pm! 🎄
PLEASE REGISTER for this event on the Puksta Online Community Portal (POCP). You can find a registration link in our recent email to you OR you can select the POCP link at the top right of the Puksta website to log in, search for the "Alumni Holiday Social" event, and sign up! ☃️
What a surprise to run into Guillermo Ramirez, CSU Puksta Alum `15, at the CU Denver Donor Celebration Wednesday night! Guillermo is now the Program Manager for Latinx Student and Intercultural Engagement at the CU Boulder Center for Inclusion and Social Change. We`re so thrilled that you are following your passion to help marginalized communities have access to and through college, and creating spaces in higher education institutions for them to thrive! It truly makes our day to see and hear from our talented alumni 😍
📣 Convivir Colorado is looking for Board Members - apply by Oct. 25th! 📣 Karen Nuñes Sifuentes, `21 MSU Puksta Alumni, is the programs contractor for this amazing organization that creates leadership opportunities for immigrant, refugee, and first-generation 6th – 12th-grade youth. They help students channel their leadership through the lens of their migrant journey so they can strengthen their sense of self and continue practicing agency as they make a positive impact on their Colorado communities.
Puksta Scholars from all five campuses gathered for our annual Fall Intercollegiate Retreat last Saturday! We practiced one to one relational meeting skills, shared public narratives, played games, and enjoyed a fantastic lunch from EHijole tacos! We truly enjoy this community building time with you all and can`t wait for more fun at the winter retreat with this group! 😍😜🎉
Ciera Blehm, University of Denver Puksta Alum 2019, is helping to give power back to victims of campus sexual assault. We hope you`ll read her story in the Her Campus Media interview and spread the word about the valuable resources she`s established: https://loom.ly/5u5czeQ
Ciera co-founded the University of Denver`s CAPE Survivor Fund, which provides sexual assault survivors at the University of Denver with direct cash assistance. Then, she brought her project beyond DU to create the Survivor Fund Hub, where any college students who have experienced sexual assault can apply for financial assistance on the fund’s website. To date, The Survivor Fund, in combination with the University of Denver’s CAPE Survivor Fund, has distributed more than $21,000 to survivors of sexual violence since 2017.
Ciera, you are making an incredible difference in the lives of survivors. Thank you!
✨🎓BOOM💥🤯The Puksta Foundation 2023-24 Annual Report is Here!!✨🎓
This year has been marked by significant milestones. We celebrated the memories of Harry and Eva Puksta, increased our Puksta Scholar award amounts at MSU and CSU, welcomed 22 new Puksta Scholars into our community, and celebrated the achievements of 13 Puksta Graduates who completed their degrees across a diverse range of disciplines! Read the full report here: https://loom.ly/kA6f91s!
🎉 Welcome, MSU Puksta Scholars! 🎉
We had an incredible evening at the MSU Puksta Scholar Welcome Dinner, where we focused on building connections, setting intentions, and starting the academic year on the right foot. 🌟
Our new scholars were warmly welcomed into the Puksta community, and the night was all about creating meaningful cohort connections. Together, we explored our personal purpose and intentions through powerful writing and expressive art. ✍️🎨
We’re also thrilled to introduce our brand-new Puksta Scholar Social Media Ambassador position! This exciting role will give one of our scholars the opportunity to lead our digital presence and share the amazing work being done across our community. 📲✨
As we move forward into the academic year, we’re excited to see how our scholars grow, connect, and make a lasting impact. Welcome to the Puksta family—we can’t wait to see what you’ll achieve!
#PukstaScholars #MSUDenver #WelcomeDinner #CohortConnection #SetYourIntentions #SocialImpact #SocialMediaAmbassador #NewBeginnings
We recently went on a trip to Chicago and were thrilled to schedule sometime with our Puksta alumni, Ian and Bweza, who now live out there! We embarked on an architecture tour by boat and caught up over delicious deep-dish pizza at Giordano’s! 🍕🚤 We were so inspired to hear of amazing work they’re doing post-Puksta.
🎻 Ian’s Story: Ian has taken his love for music and discovered his lifelong passion for crafting violins, a journey that has been as intricate and beautiful as the instruments he’s learning to create. His dedication to this art form is nothing short of inspiring, and we can’t wait to see where this passion takes him. We also got to meet his beautiful wife Morgan!!!
🌱 Bweza’s Journey: From her days working with Growhaus in Denver on her Puksta project, Bweza has taken her love for plants and passion for food justice to new heights. She’s now co-founded Sistas in the Village, a local farm in Englewood, Chicago, that’s making a significant impact on the community. At Sistas in the Village, they’re reclaiming farming as a source of cultural pride and spiritual resilience. Their vision? A community where everyone is fed spiritually, physically, and emotionally.
They not only sell and donate the food they grow, but they also host workshops for community members of all generations and partner with like-minded Black-owned organizations and brands. Bweza’s commitment to food justice is transforming her community and empowering others to join the movement. https://loom.ly/LoOc1Ow
We are beyond proud of Ian and Bweza for their incredible contributions and the lasting impact they’re making. Keep shining, and thank you for continuing to embody the Puksta spirit wherever you go!
Alumni don`t forget to update you profile in the Puksta Online Community Portal https://loom.ly/zF3L4jg so we can be sure to visit you next time John and I are off on our next adventure! ❤️, NiChel
#PukstaScholars #Chicago #PukstaAlumni #FoodJustice #CulturalPride #CommunityEmpowerment #ArchitectureTour #DeepDishPizza
Maria Kahn, University of Denver Puksta Alumni 2013, is now being represented by Grassports LLC, the only sustainability and inclusivity focused publicity agency in the UAE! 🎉 👟⚽
As the Captain of the Pakistan Women`s National Team and the first Pakistani female athlete to be endorsed by PUMA Middle East, Maria consistently breaks barriers and sets new standards. She has played football at the highest levels in the USA, UAE, Pakistan, and Saudi Arabia, earning numerous accolades. Including the Player of the Tournament Award in Saudi Arabia’s first ever Women’s International Competition, which comprised of 4 different nations. 🏅
Congratulations, Maria! We hope ya`ll will keep up with her journey and check out the article: https://loom.ly/tnZtHTU
Just another day at the office 🤩 Puksta Scholars Program 24-25!! can`t wait to start this next year and welcome in our new scholars! Big thanks to our Puksta Coordinators and our special guest for lunch, Puksta Scholar Cristal De La Torre! #planning #planningcommunity #makingmoves #pukstascholars
🎓🌟 Proud of our now Puksta Alumni and DU Alumni Christy Vo🌟🎓
We are thrilled to announce Puksta Scholar, Christy Vo`s, graduation from the University of Denver with a double major in Biochemistry and Computer Science not to mention a minor in Art! 🎉 Christy`s dedication over the past years has been deeply rooted in a transformative project aimed at enhancing access to higher education for underserved communities. Through collaboration with Minds Matter, a prestigious nonprofit organization, Christy has empowered individuals from low-income backgrounds by providing essential resources and guidance for their college journeys.
This experience has reinforced Christy`s commitment to equity and demonstrated the profound impact of collective efforts in creating opportunities for aspiring students. Christy`s journey highlights the importance of perseverance and the transformative power of education.
As Christy celebrates this milestone, we also recognize her growth in patience and trust in the future. She is actively pursuing opportunities, including potential roles at Denver Safe House, to further contribute to causes she deeply cares about.
Congratulations, Christy, on this incredible achievement! 🌟 We look forward to seeing the continued impact you will make in your community and beyond.
#PukstaScholar #PukstaALUMNI #UniversityOfDenver #Graduation #EquityInEducation #CommunityImpact #FutureLeaders
🌟🎓 Josie Duenas Tapia... Proud Puksta Scholar and now a Graduate of Colorado State University! 🎓🌟
I am thrilled to share that Josie has graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in Computer Science 🎉 During his time at CSU in the Puksta Scholar Program, he dedicated himself to combating the underrepresentation of Latine students in higher education. Through initiatives like the Caminos mentoring program, he worked with over 50 high school students each semester, empowering their Latine identities and expanding their post-graduation opportunities.
In his first year with Puksta, he conducted impactful research on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Latine community in Eagle County and Vail, CO. This research, which Jose was proud to contribute to, has been published and can be accessed here: https://loom.ly/bkhJG1U
Looking ahead, he is excited to explore opportunities with local nonprofits like Adelante, supporting Latine businesses in Denver, and expanding his impact as an independent contractor in the area.
So proud of you Josie and we can`t wait to see what the future holds! 🌟
#CSUPukstaGraduate #LatineLeadership #EmpoweringCommunities #HigherEducation #CSURams #PukstaALUMNI
📚🎓 Proud moment! 🎓📚
Congratulations to Marissa Alejandra Martinez Suarez, a 2024 Puksta Scholar graduating from the University of Denver! 🎉🎉 Marissa has achieved an incredible milestone, earning at the same time her Master`s degree in Teacher Education and Bachelor`s with a Majors in History and Political Science, and a Minors in Spanish, Critical Race, and Ethnic Studies. 🌟
Over the years, Marissa has made a tremendous impact by working with youth and fostering their identities. As a Peer Program Coordinator for the Achieving Excellence Academy, she has supported students in developing their skills as mentors. This summer, Marissa will continue her journey as an 11th-grade teacher, working closely with the LatinX affinity cohort. 🍎📚
In Puksta, Marissa has been actively engaged in impactful projects like the P3 mentorship program, Empowering our Women of Tomorrow initiative, and organizing DACA/Undocu Week with Unity Without Borders. These experiences have enriched her perspective, enhanced her advocacy skills, and strengthened her commitment to social justice.
Marissa’s journey doesn’t stop here. She aims to continue supporting students and becoming the representation she wished she had growing up. Here’s to Marissa’s bright future and the positive change she will bring! 🌟👩🏫
#PukstaFoundation #PukstaGraduates2024 #UniversityOfDenver #TeacherEducation #Mentorship #SocialJustice #LatinxEducation #EducationForAll #ProudGraduate #ProsperityDenverFundScholar
