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Coloradan Magazine

University of Colorado Boulder

Weighty Words, Too

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In this sequel to The Weighty Word Book, English professor Levitt plus former English professor Elissa S. Guralnick and associate English professor Douglass Burger make it easy for young children to learn grown-up words in an amusing context. The authors cleverly use mnemonics to ensure that the words make a lasting impression on young minds. This innovative sequel opens up new doors in the animal, geographic and vocabulary world, and is an entertaining and educational read for children of all ages.

Hearing the Mermaid’s Song

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Over nearly a decade, anthropologist Lindsay Hale (Anth’84) spent countless hours studying the Umbanda religion. Through his dedication and hard work, Hearing the Mermaid’s Song was born. This book goes into intricate detail about the interesting religious practices and beliefs of the Umbanda religion, which has its origins in Rio de Janeiro and its surrounding urban areas where Afro-Brazilians, many ex-slaves or the descendants of slaves, practiced versions of the religion handed down to them by their ancestors.

Sam, Meriam and Me

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In this novel sociology professor Baheej Khleif (PhDSoc’71) of Columbia College of Chicago draws the reader into a complex love story concerning a love triangle between three people of different cultures and religions. The clashing cultures and the mix of values and traditions make this story compelling from a cultural standpoint.

Football and Philosophy: Going Deep

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In this novel by Michael W. Austin (PhDPhil’04), an associate professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University, the author offers an insightful look into the world of football and explores the personal philosophies of people involved in America’s most popular sport.

Pitch Black

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Chuck Sisson’s (EdD’74) latest novel is a thrilling mystery about Stan, a man who inadvertently discovers illegal drugs while moving artifacts on a Navajo reservation. He gets captured, knocked unconscious and thrown in a basement of a supply center. The story focuses on Stan’s experiences in the pitch black basement and his brother Larry’s desperate search to find him before time runs out.

Mamma Mania: Managing the Craze of 0-5 year olds

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Amy Jewett Sampson’s (Comm,Jour,’90, MPubAd’99) first novel is about managing the chaos that results from having multiple young children and a full time career. The book features advice for young working mothers and gives tips to help them succeed.

Comfort Me

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Louis Ceci’s (MEngCompSci’88) debut novel is an intricate and touching story about a small town in Oklahoma in the 1960s. Fifteen years after his mother left the town in disgrace, the main character, Mally, must return to take care of his sick grandfather.

Serving up summer

During the summer when you were 20, anything was possible. You held your first job, maybe went to war, fell in love, lived with good friends and an overflowing sink of dirty dishes and volunteered to make the world a better place. Without fail, September called you back to campus with its cool nights, engaging classes and spirited football games. And life marched on.

Zen and mountaineering madness

Trudging through waist-deep snow on the 24,688-foot Annapurna IV mountain, Tonya George Riggs (Bus’86) couldn’t get one thought out of her mind: they were alone. It was just her and husband Brad Clement, two little specks climbing up the enormous peak in Nepal with the thundering sound of avalanches crashing down the slopes around them. Fear and exhaustion overwhelmed her.

Science with a twist(er)

It’s doubtful even a tornado could have pulled 9-year-old Brian Argrow away from flickering black-and-white images of a man walking on the moon.

Alumni confidence shapes university

In this difficult economy, where news ranges from bad to horrible, positive signs are always welcome. So it was gratifying to learn from figures tallied at fiscal-year end on June 30 that the University of Colorado recorded its second-best fundraising year.

Forever Buffs: Ask a Buff connects students with alums

Our Forever Buffs initiative continues to evolve, offering all CU-Boulder alums more and easier ways to connect for business and social purposes. Get involved as an Ask a Buff expert online at Forever Buffs Network (formerly My CU Network) where alums share their professional advice with other alums seeking guidance in their jobs, career paths, relocation plans and graduate school decisions.

Club sports highlights

Three CU club sports programs won national titles during the spring season: swimming and diving, freestyle skiing and the crew team (women’s novice eights). In addition, CU triathlete Jessica Broderick won the female overall individual title at the Collegiate Nationals, leading the CU women to a runner-up team finish. Meanwhile, two other club sports lost in national championship games — women’s lacrosse and men’s Ultimate Frisbee. All of the athletes involved will be recognized for their successes during a home football game this fall.

Hale sunset

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A bicyclist practices his moves in front of the Hale Science building on July 15, 2009. Glenn Asakawa

Silver & Gold’s last Record

The Silver & Gold Record ended up including its own obituary in its last edition June 18.

Churchill denied job, back pay

In a resounding defeat for fired CU-Boulder ethnic studies professor Ward Churchill, a judge ruled July 7 that Churchill deserves neither financial compensation nor his job back. This vacates a jury finding in April that CU’s regents had unlawfully stripped Churchill of his job for expressing his political beliefs in his controversial essay about the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

Sports potpourri

Soccer coach Bill Hempen helped train the U-18 women’s national team in Boulder in July. The U-18 and U-20 U.S. teams, along with the U-20 Canadian national squad, took part in a week of exhibition matches and altitude training at CU’s Prentup Field.

Syllabus spotlight for fall 2009

Course description: An introduction to life in the universe, including scientific, technical, philosophical and social aspects. Topics include conditions necessary for life to exist on Earth and other planetary bodies. Students will discuss NASA’s program to seek life in space.

Hawk: Big 12 title run possible

The CU football team won just two of eight games against Big 12 opponents last season, but coach Dan Hawkins believes his Buffs have a chance to make a big jump in the conference standings in 2009.

Volume 13, Number 1, September 2009

Coloradan aims to connect, inform and engage readers in the life of the University of Colorado at Boulder through regular communication with alumni, faculty and staff members and friends of the University. It is published four times per year in March, June, September and December by the CU-Boulder Alumni Association. Permission to reprint articles and illustrations may be obtained from the editor.

By the numbers

Current statistics about the University of Colorado.

The Hawk walks the talk

When the Buffs host Colorado State on Sept. 6, Dan Hawkins will begin his fourth season as CU’s head football coach. He talked with Coloradan contributor Mark Wolf (Jour’70) about football, music and kidney stones.

September 2009 Editor's note

CU has had its share of traditions. Years ago, students held tug-of-war games across Varsity Lake, weeded the Norlin Quad lawn during Dandelion Picking Day and forced all freshmen to wear green beanies.

Undefeated legend runs on

Senior Jenny Barringer concluded her CU track and field career in style in June, winning her third NCAA outdoor 3,000-meter steeplechase title, this one in Fayetteville, Ark. Barringer posted a time of 9:25.54, a college record, in winning by more than 15 seconds.

Alumni donations high to ol’ CU

More than 19,000 CU-Boulder alums donated to the university in the fiscal year ending June 30 — 8.8 percent more than the prior year and the most in the university’s history.

Go wild at Zoolights

Dec. 3. Kick off your holiday season at Denver Zoo with dozens of acres of glittering trees, animated light sculptures and live animal presentations while beating the crowds, as this is a private Buff night. Reserve your tickets now!

Order the new campus calendar

Purchase a calendar for $12.49 and enjoy the beauty and spirit of the Boulder campus from August 2009 to July 2010.

CU wherever you may roam

2009 Roaming Buffaloes Calendar

Wheat’s Western weavings wow

Some of Powell’s rare and priceless blankets are part of the CU Museum of Natural History Joe Ben Wheat collection, considered one of the finest Southwest textile collections in the world. Visitors can view portions of the collection in the revolving exhibit Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes on display in four-month installations through May 30, 2010.

Image Album – September 2009

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