Outdoor Program scholarship elevates student leadership opportunities

BY MADELYNN FELLET DESIGNED BY CMU VISUAL ARTS STUDENT BRAYDON SONDROL

Located in the heart of the Grand Valley, Colorado Mesa University is a prime destination for outdoor enthusiasts. To help students get acquainted with their surroundings, the CMU Outdoor Program provides opportunities to explore Colorado and beyond through student-led trips. These trips range from hiking and mountain biking to river rafting and rock climbing.

Single Pitch Climbing Instructor. However, these certifications can cost up to $1,000 each. To help alleviate these expenses, the Outdoor Program established an endowed scholarship through the CMU Foundation last fall.

“These certifications not only help our students become better trip leaders here at the Outdoor Program, but they help them to be safer recreators in our community,“ said Outdoor Program Coordinator MacKenzie Holbrook. “They also give students more opportunities as they graduate and begin to look for careers in the industry.”

Thanks to the endowed scholarship, the Outdoor Program was able to award $2,000 to trip leaders during the 2022-23 academic year, allowing them to obtain their Wilderness First Responder and AIARE 1 Avalanche Rescue certifications.

“My Wilderness First Responder certification has had a significant impact on my ability to successfully navigate outdoor settings while feeling confident I can maintain a positive, safe setting for all involved,” said Burnham.

To ensure the safety of trip participants, student trip leaders are required to obtain industry standard certifications such as Wilderness First Responder, American Institute for Avalanche Research and Education (AIARE) Avalanche Rescue and American Mountain Guides Association

“This scholarship endowment has benefitted me by allowing me to get my AIARE 1 certificate from the Silverton Avalanche School at a massive discount. The certification has helped me to make better educated decisions in avalanche terrain as a trip leader for the Outdoor Program and as a recreator on my own time,” said CMU student and Outdoor Program Trip Leader John Wintering.

Fellow CMU student and Outdoor Program trip leader Carter Burnham echoed Wintering’s sentiment.

In May, the Outdoor Program hosted a black tie Masquerade Gala and silent auction to raise additional funds for the endowed scholarship. Silent auction items donated by community industry leaders included a fully rigged sixteen-foot oar frame raft, a Hala Rado Stand-Up Paddle Board Package, tickets to the Palisade Bluegrass Festival, a Northwest River Supplies Bucket of Straps, Downtown Grand Junction gift cards, art created by Outdoor Program students and more.

More than $17,000 was raised at this year’s Masquerade Gala. All proceeds from the event went directly into the scholarship fund. •

DESIGNED BY CMU VISUAL ART STUDENT BRAYDON SONDROL

New Foster Field House provides recreational and athletic opportunities for the community

On May 5, Colorado Mesa University celebrated the completion of the newest addition to campus, the Foster Field House, with a ribboncutting ceremony.

This state-of-the-art facility, located north of Escalante Hall and connected to the Maverick Center by a sky bridge, features four new basketball courts and additional classrooms. The facility serves as a multidisciplinary space that provides recreational opportunities for the community, expands the university’s capacity to host regional athletic events and houses additional academic classrooms for the school’s kinesiology department.

Named in honor of CMU President Emeritus Tim Foster, his wife Lisa and the entire Foster family, the Foster Field House stands as a testament to his dedication and transformative leadership during his 17-year tenure as CMU’s president. Throughout his time at the university, Foster spearheaded remarkable changes in academic and athletic offerings and expanded the physical footprint of the campus leaving a lasting impact on the institution.

The occasion drew a gathering of esteemed guests, including members of the CMU Board of Trustees, CMU President John Marshall, community leaders and faculty, staff and students. The ceremony celebrated Foster’s enduring legacy and his unwavering commitment to CMU, even after his retirement, as he continues to positively impact the campus and the community.

Powell, along with Kinesiology Department Head Jeremy Hawkins, PhD, and a third kinesiology faculty member will move into the Foster Field House as it becomes the new home for CMU’s Athletic Training graduate program. Recently retired Director of Campus Recreation Lynn Nordine was instrumental in seeing the facility through to completion. From its initial conception in 2014 to its grand opening in 2023, Nordine was involved throughout the whole process.

“We are really excited about the expansion. It’s going to provide our students with more opportunities to participate in

“It is enormously humbling, embarrassing even,” said Foster. “But my family, I think, will appreciate it.”

Foster was moved by the number of people present at the ribbon cutting.

“You walk into the room and see all these people that you worked with forever...people who love this university and you have relationships with. It’s just heartwarming. And it’s a testament to what this place is that we call home,” said Foster.

Marshall paid tribute to Foster’s significant contributions to CMU.

We are really excited about the expansion. It’s going to provide our students with more opportunities to participate in sports and other recreational activities. It will also allow us to host larger events and competitions.

And I’d say from a community environment. With its completion,

We want to feed people, and regardless of how much money you have, you should be able to eat well and be well.