The Maverick magazine is a great way to stay in touch with current events at your alma mater, old classmates and the bright future of Colorado Mesa University.
Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1080357
STATE OF THE UNIVERSITY Some people believe civic life in America is broken — often, we hear social media, technology and dislocation from the community are to blame. The idea that democracy is unraveling is not one that I share. As CMU president, I have the benefit of interacting with remarkable students each and every day. This interaction gives me a great deal of optimism about the future. The creativity, hard work and self-belief embodied by this generation of Mavericks is more than enough to overcome the cynicism we sometimes find when discussing the future of civics in America. This edition of The Maverick focuses on many campus initiatives featuring inspiring stories about students, faculty and new projects. All of them are important and exciting. But in a time that is testing the fabric of the nation's shared democratic values, I'm specifically excited about what is happening on campus to strengthen civic engagement and renew values around the importance of civil discourse. In fact, in 2018 CMU offered civic involvement opportunities for students and alumni that were available nowhere else in western Colorado. CMU hosted the Centennial State's first prime time, nationally televised gubernatorial debate produced by CMU students in partnership with Rocky Mountain PBS. The U.S Court of Appeals' Tenth Circuit held oral arguments on campus — a first for western Colorado. The university hosted a suite of community forums with national thought leaders like Ruben Navarrette and Native American artist and civic leader Esther Belin. When it comes to building civic capacity at CMU, 2018 was like no other year before. I like to think we're just getting started. In 2019, we are launching a CMU civics initiative. January's celebration of Martin Luther King Day, featuring Nita Mosby Tyler, was just the beginning. As we embark on the spring semester, I'm more optimistic than ever about the contributions CMU can make towards building a better community and elevating our expectations around what it means to sustain a civil society. I hope you are as excited as I am about CMU's exciting spring lineup from the new Innovation and Cyber Security Center to another inspiring Entrepreneurship Day program — our faculty and students, and the support of our alumni, keep us pushing the envelope and expanding the remarkable story of CMU's journey as a university. Sincerely, Tim Foster The Maverick WINTER 2019 • VOLUME 8.2 Editor:Katlin Birdsall Art Director: Jeremy Smith Graphic Artist: Lisa Smith Videographer and Photographer: Bronson Henriques Online Maverick: Andrea Keck Copy Editor: Laura Bradley President: Tim Foster Executive Director of Marketing and Communications: Michael Mansheim Director of Alumni Relations: Jared Meier Board of Trustees: Jonathan Anderson; Ray Anilionis; Betty Bechtel, Chair; Tilman Bishop; Kelly Brough; Sonia Gutierrez; Stephanie Motter; Doug Quimby; Daniel Ramos; David Reed, Vice-Chair; Joan Ringel; Chad Middleton, Faculty Trustee; Amara Hobbs, Student Trustee Copyright © 2019 All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without express written permission is strictly prohibited. Colorado Mesa University 1100 North Avenue Grand Junction, CO 81501-3122 coloradomesa.edu/maverick maverick@coloradomesa.edu The Maverick magazine is printed on 20% recycled (10% post-consumer waste) paper using soy-based inks. Our printer meets or exceeds all Federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) standards and is a member of the Forest Stewardship Council and Sustainable Forestry Initiative.