2016–2017
FINAL REPORT A publication of the University of Colorado Denver College of Arts & Media
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A Year in Review A look at some of the events and milestones from the 2016-17 academic year
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Comcast Media & Technology
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CAM Pitch Competition
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inspiration starts here
Media & Technology Center launched
Our impact across the globe
Faculty and Staff Notables Noteworthy achievements of CAM’s faculty and staff
Pitch Competition Student winner Isabella Sandoval and judges Patrick Jager, Gaye Leonard and Mike Belitz (page 12)
INSPIRING GENERATIONS CONTINUES TO GROW
“My experience was fantastic! I’ve learned a lot and made many friends. I left class with a smile every day and I was eager to return every morning.” - Session Two Student
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ATTENDANCE 2014: 26 2015: 94 2016: 141
2017: 195
GUEST ARTISTS 2014: 4 2015: 11
2016: 17
For information about the College of Arts & Media LYNX: National Arts & Media Camp, contact David Walter at: david.walter@ucdenver.edu
e a , : u
Through this survey of recent CAM alumni (2011-2015) we’ve learned: (39% of CAM graduates from the 2011-2015 cohort responded, where the national average is 17%)
LETTER FROM THE DEAN The College of Arts & Media participated in the Strategic National Arts Alumni Project (SNAAP) for the first time. This online survey, data management and institutional improvement system is designed to enhance the impact of arts-school education. SNAAP partners with degreegranting institutions to administer the survey to their arts graduates from over 92,000 arts alumni in America and is helping to change the national conversation on the value of an arts degree. This report summarizes key data of CAM alumni providing us: • comparisons and analysis of the national aggregate group, and peer group, of respondents on key indicators (e.g. graduation rates, percentage pursuing arts careers, non-arts career paths, income levels) • confidential internal institutional analyses of alumni with appropriate comparison groups • access to data files for individualized institutional research
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
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A Year in Review
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By the Numbers
89% felt communicating the importance of what they do very important 86% would recommend CAM to others 84% rated their experience in CAM as Excellent/Good 58% completed a portfolio 54% rated research as very important 49% completed an internship 38% rated perception of research support very high 13% participated in study abroad
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Next Stage Collaborative
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Comcast Media and Technology Center
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Emmanuel Gallery
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Award Winning Web Series
CAM graduates also told SNAAP that there are “gaps” in the following areas between what they received and what they need in their current jobs: finance and business, entrepreneurship, tech skills, project management, creative thinking, networking, clear writing, persuasive speaking, critical thinking and interpersonal and leadership skills. The largest gaps alumni see are in project management and networking.
14 Faculty and Staff Notables
These results validate some of the additions and changes we’ve recently made to CAM, many of which I’ve mentioned in previous communications and on our web and social media outlets. Some of the findings are immediately actionable, but others will need to be parsed out. My leadership team is working on how they will approach the vast and important information and address the “gaps” that our recent alumni have identified as skills they need to thrive in the 21st century workforce. Onward!
10 Department Year in Review 12 CAM’s First Pitch Competition
16 Alumni & Student Notables
The University of Colorado Bruce Benson, President The University of Colorado Denver Dorothy Horrell, PhD, Chancellor Roderick Nairn, PhD, Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic and Student Affairs The College of Arts & Media Laurence Kaptain, DMA and FRSA, Dean Sam McGuire, MS (‘04), Associate Dean for Academic & Student Affairs Karen Ludington, MBA, Assistant Dean for Finance and Administration College of Arts & Media Department Chairs Brian DeLevie, MFA, Visual Arts David Liban, MFA, Theatre, Film & Video Production Richard Strasser, DMA, Music & Entertainment Industry Studies Managing Editor: Bill Lewis, Director of Communications and Marketing
Laurence Kaptain, DMA and FRSA Dean of the College of Arts & Media University of Colorado Denver
Publication production by Orbit Design Special thanks to University Communications and Robert King Photography
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A YEAR IN REVIEW
A SAMPLE OF EVENTS AND MILESTONES ACHIEVED BY CAM FACULTY, STAFF, STUDENTS AND ALUMNI
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J
•
AUG
OCT
• CU Denver welcomed back our students at the Block Party/New Student Convocation
• Rian Kerrane and her students put on another remarkable Iron Pour in Greenwood Village
NOV • CAM hosted the Alliance for the Arts in Research Universities (a2ru) 2017 National Conference
DEC • Fall Graduation
• MEIS students spent the day shadowing The Fray as the band rehearsed and prepared to embark on their national tour
• CAM bands tagged as up-and-coming artists to watch
SEP • Visual Arts lecturer Michael Paglia recognized at the Denver Art Museum. Paglia received the DAM Key Award in recognition for his significant contributions to art in Colorado • Dean Kaptain was interviewed as part of a Denver Post article about the Denver Center for Performing Arts • CU Denver and CAM were sponsors of the first ever outdoor animation festival, SuperNova
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• Several TFVP faculty, student and alumni films were accepted into the Denver Film Festival • CAM was featured as a major sponsor of the Colorado Business Committee for the Arts roll out of the 2016 Economic Activity Study. Dean Kaptain shared the stage with Governor John Hickenlooper and others in touting the major role that the creative industries play in both boosting the Colorado economy and enhancing the quality of life • CAM was one of only three schools noted in a Billboard Magazine article called “Where to start on a pre-law path” on pre-law studies for the music business
• CAM was a sponsor of the Denver Film Festival • Disney Animation Studios Hyrum Osmond (Co-Head of Animation) and David G. Derrick Jr. (Story Artist) animation production leads for Moana visited CAM • 100 CAM students had the opportunity to Think Like a Genius® with Todd Siler Art and the Think Like A Genius Foundation
F • Next Stage Collaborative Gallery grand opening
• • Director of Creative Industries Research and Policy Michael Seman and his role in CAM were featured in Westword and in The Denver Post story “How artist-friendly is Denver? Talking with Michael Seman about the future of our cultural scene”
•
•
2017 JAN
• Chuck Morris, president and CEO of AEG Live Rocky Mountains, visited CAM
MAR
• 2017 CAM Pitch Competition for Arts & Media (cover story)
• Grand opening of the Comcast Media and Technology Center
• Partnership started between MCA Denver and the College of Arts & Media providing easy access for all CU Denver Visual Arts students
FEB
• CAM hosted the CU Board of Regents who met in the Tivoli Community Theatre and had a tour of the new Comcast Media and Technology Center • Student web series “Seven Days Straight” wins awards at Los Angeles Web Series Festival • 14th Annual Art History Symposium held in the Emmanuel Gallery
• Digital Animation Center University of Colorado Denver ranked as one of the top 50 animation schools in the country by Animation Careers
APR • MEIS a cappella group Lark won big at the VoiceJam Festival 2017, taking outstanding choreography, fan favorite and overall VoiceJam champion. With this win they are now off to the Vocal Asia Festival in Hong Kong with a stop in South Korea to perform at a festival
MAY • Spring Graduation, Congrats Class of 2017!
• CAM was the lead education sponsor for the Denver Chalk Art Festival
• CAM was well represented with three faculty members and a music student from MEIS at the AM-PM Music Production Conference in Havana, Cuba. This trip was tied in with the Biennial of the Americas, a week-long festival of ideas, arts and culture. It takes place in Denver, Colorado, every two years, and is an important gathering of top elected, business, NGO and cultural leaders focused on the Western hemisphere • CAM Hosted the Association for Popular Music Education (APME) national conference
JULY • CAM and MEIS were sponsors of The Denver Post’s Underground Music Showcase (UMS)
• TheWrap’s first annual ranking of the top 50 film schools ranked the CAM Film and TV production program No. 35
• CAM was a sponsor of Denver Comic Con, hosting a trade show booth at an event with over 115,000 in attendance
• Forbes specifically mentioned MEIS in its “From Austin To Memphis: What It Takes To Build A Music-Tech City” story • #CUintheCity! was launched
JUNE
• Cinefest 2017 was held in the Rawls Theatre • BFA Thesis show at Redline
• CAM hosted Bill Strickland at the Emmanuel Gallery to talk about his journey to turn an after-school arts program in 1960s Pittsburgh into a booming enterprise and modern day template for social change
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BY THE NUMBERS…
WHERE THE MONEY
IS BEING SPENT * WHERE THE MONEY
$8,929,078 Faculty & Staff
COMES FROM *
$1,887,551
$9,322,659
$48,000
General Fund Allocation
$1,057,193
Operating
Travel
$24,000 Financial Aid
Student Fee Allocation
$10,379,852*
Total Budget Allocation
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*Source: 2016-2017 Unrestricted Fund Budget document; Projected year-end actuals Expenditures are higher than budget due to additional funding from FY 16 carry forward, temporary salary savings and plant fund
CAM ADMISSIONS
OUR MISSION IS TO EFFECT CHANGE
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CAM students self-identify as ethnic % ofMINORITY STUDENTS
vs. 31% last year
BY PREPARING STUDENTS TO SUCCESSFULLY PURSUE THEIR PASSIONS
79
%
OF CAM STUDENTS ARE ENROLLED FULL-TIME
vs. 77% last year
GROWING PROGRAMS
18
%
7
%
INCREASE
INCREASE
Theatre, Film and Video Production
Music and Entertainment Industry Studies
3%
INCREASE Visual Arts (BFA)
15
%
INCREASE
TOTAL CAM COURSE CREDIT HOURS
1246 TOTAL NUMBER OF CAM STUDENTS 3% INCREASE over last year
25
%
INCREASE IN OUT-OF-STATE STUDENTS OVER 50% INCREASE IN OUT-OF-STATE FRESHMEN
NEXT STAGE COLLABORATIVE AN INNOVATIVE NEW VENUE FOR INTERACTIVE ART WORK Denver’s art leaders of the future are now on display. Next Stage Collaborative is a gallery focusing on new media and audience interaction, featuring works by students and faculty of the College of Arts & Media at CU Denver. The gallery gives College of Arts & Media students and faculty a space to display their work. The students are also given the chance to manage the gallery along with their faculty, and work as docents who will guide the visitors through the exhibits. The student docents are coordinated by Scholar in Residence for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Angela (Angie) Buckley. The student manager of the facility is Brandon Vargas (VA,’18). Students celebrated the opening with CU Denver Chancellor Dorothy Horrell and officials from the City and County of Denver. “Tell your friends, tell your neighbors, bring your families, because this is something very, very special,” Horrell enthused. “I couldn’t be more proud.” Next Stage Collaborative is located in the Galleria at the Denver Performing Arts Complex (DPAC) across from the Buell Theatre. The gallery engages patrons of all ages in interactive artwork created by students and faculty in the CU Denver College of Arts & Media using tablets, mobile devices and the latest generation of virtual reality headsets. The three Digital Design faculty primarily involved in this project are Michelle Carpenter, Travis Vermilye and Bryan Leister. The gallery was designed and constructed by College of Architecture and Planning students at CU Denver. The university worked with Denver’s Arts & Venues office to plan the project and is receiving funding from a grant from
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Denver’s Next Stage Now program. “Designing and building the gallery at the Denver Performing Arts Complex provided students an invaluable experience rarely realized in a traditional college setting,” states College of Architecture and Planning, Professor Rick Sommerfeld. “The Next Stage Collaborative hints at a bold vision for DPAC through The Next Stage vision plan,” observes Arts & Venues Executive Director Kent Rice. “Partnering with CU Denver brings the originality and imagination of student projects into a non-traditional space. Furthermore, the Collaborative displays the talents of Denver’s future arts leaders and reinforces a commitment to education within the complex.” The debut installation featured students from the digital design program, while the current installation showcases a collaborative project between the College of Arts & Media and the College of Architecture and Planning students. It showcases 3D renderings of architectural designs that can be explored using VR headsets, allowing the user to explore their world. The gallery will be open to the public before most performances at DPAC and the curation and coordination is being done by Emmanuel Gallery Director and Curator Jeff Lambson. Cynthia Hessin, executive producer and host of the popular Rocky Mountain PBS Television show “Arts District,” did a video feature on the Next Stage Galleria. Student docent Brandon Vargas, Ginger White, deputy director of Denver Arts & Venues, and Dean Laurence Kaptain were all interviewed for this program. It may be accessed at: tinyurl.com/RMPBS
NEW COMCAST MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER IS LAUNCHED An Exciting Blend of Technical and Creative Learning The University of Colorado Denver is proud to announce the opening of the Comcast Media and Technology Center. This new academic facility is designed specifically to cultivate technical and creative skills in the ever-changing media and technology sectors. “The Comcast Media and Technology Center is an example of how CU Denver works with our industry partners to develop innovative approaches to the problems of today,” asserts CU Denver Chancellor Dorothy Horrell. Located in the Tivoli Student Union on the Auraria Campus, this multi-disciplinary facility will focus on engaging audiences in collaborative activities involving the latest approaches to the research, creation and delivery of new media in all its forms. The new facility is made possible by a generous cash and in-kind contribution from Comcast. The Comcast Media and Technology Center will be a place for students, researchers, Comcast employees and the greater community to build partnerships. It will be a breeding ground for the development of new technologies as well as programs such as Computer Graphics and Visual Effects. “The Comcast Media and Technology Center will help to empower the professionals of today and tomorrow with the skills they need to innovate the next generation of rich, immersive media experiences,” comments Matt McConnell, senior vice president and general manager of Comcast Technology Solutions. Student creations could include new user interfaces, computer games, virtual reality projects or just about anything that blends technology and art. “We don’t have any predefined limits about what topics we’ll be doing and what will come out of this center,” says Min-Hyung Choi, a professor of computer science and engineering in the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “This is the starting point for now. I think we have a lot of interesting ideas.” The Center will feature the latest digital technology and receive frequent upgrades to keep up with swift advancements in industry standards. “Denver is the ideal place where our college can align with Comcast to advance the creative economy and the tools necessary to succeed after graduation,” said College of Arts & Media Dean Laurence Kaptain. Comcast will offer internships to CU Denver students involved in the center, in continuing their mission to invest in the community. 7
CAM’S HISTORIC EMMANUEL GALLERY LIGHTS UP WITH ART FOR ANYONE “Art may not be for everyone, but it can be for anyone.” “My favorite quote,” points out Jeff Lambson, CU Denver College of Arts & Media’s (CAM) new director and curator of the Emmanuel Art Gallery. “My director at the Smithsonian, Ned Rifkin, used to tell us that.”
Dan Steinhilber, an artist who created sculptures out of duck sauce packets and dry-cleaner hangers. Beautiful. We had an installation that filled the room with styrofoam peanuts blown about by giant fans, turning the gallery into a giant living snow globe. It was fun but carried a message on consumerism. What attracted me most to CAM and CU Denver is its location in the heart of a vital city with a diverse student energy.”
“I like going beyond the traditional definition of art; involving music, performance and virtually anything from the world around as its medium. I worked with
Lambson was the founding curator of Contemporary Art at Brigham Young University, the most attended university art museum in North America with 350,000 visitors annually. Coming from a 100,000 square foot gallery to the Emmanuel at about 1,584 square feet, Lambson asserts, “It’s not a small gallery, I prefer the word intimate.” With Lambson’s mid-year hiring, Emmanuel officially became a part of CU Denver and CAM. The Emmanuel Gallery is Colorado’s first building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Most Important Album Cover of All Time
Opening the Emmanuel Gallery Aug. 24 to the public, Lambson will exhibit the work of his friend, Jann Haworth, widely known as the artist who co-created, with her husband Peter Blake, the art work for The Beatles’ “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” termed by Rolling Stone as the most important album cover of all time. The dynamic Haworth, a pioneer of soft sculpture, is internationally recognized as an advocate for feminist rights. She will collaborate with select CAM students in a collective art installation being assembled on her current tour of the U.S.
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For more information on the Emmanuel Gallery and its shows http://www.emmanuelgallery.org/
Producing an
Award Winning Web Series For the creators of “Seven Days Straight,” the award season has been as triumphant as it was unexpected. Luke Austin and Nigel Wickens created the series with CAM classmates and faculty as part of an intense course during their senior year. They had no idea that David Liban, chair of the CAM Theatre, Film and Video Production department was sending “Seven Days Straight” to festivals. Austin and Wickens didn’t find out until they began receiving emails of congratulations from faculty and peers. Their web series had received eight nominations from the Los Angeles Web Series Festival. “My first thought when I found out was, ‘Wow, this is incredible,’” states Wickens happily. “This is the first time something I’ve created has been honored.” The excitement didn’t end there. Austin, Wickens and their professor, Roma Sur traveled to Los Angeles to represent CAM and “Seven Days Straight” at the festival. “This was an opportunity for the students to network and to be celebrated,” Liban observes. “They spread the word about what we’re doing in Denver.” When it was all done, “Seven Days Straight” took home three awards; Austin and Wickens won the award for Outstanding Writing and, along with fellow student Darren Hone, the award for Outstanding Editing. The series also won Best Theme Song, for the piece written and performed by CAM Digital Design student Reid Hollingsworth. The LA Web Series Festival is the oldest and largest web series festival in the world.
A Professional Crew Experience
“Seven Days Straight” is a web series focusing on the interwoven lives of a group of criminals and their crimes. Each episode documents a new crime from heists to illegal casino gambling. The series was created from beginning to end within two flagship
courses in the Department of Theatre, Film and Video Production in CAM. Writing for Episodic Television has students working in pairs to produce their own original script. CAM faculty then select a script to produce in the spring course, Producing Episodic Television. In these two courses, students and faculty collaborate on each stage of production. Each job is assigned based on students’ skill sets and preferences. “We did pre-production, location scouting and detailed auditions in the first part of the semester. We auditioned several professional actors before selecting our cast,” Professor Roma Sur recounts. “Jim Phelan, my colleague, and I let the students lead the process, while we supervised.” These courses are woven together so that students truly experience working as a professional crew. To view the web series navigate to their YouTube Channel, tinyurl.com/sevendaysstraight 9
DEPARTMENT YEAR IN REVIEW THEATRE, FILM AND VIDEO PRODUCTION
MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY STUDIES
Richard Strasser, Chair MEIS
2016-17 has been a year of outstanding achievements for the Music and Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS) Department. Each achievement is indicative of a vibrant and growing department that has gained state and national recognition. The department has seen an extraordinary increase in its student population, with an increase in out-of-state students. The student ensemble, Lark won the VoiceJam Festival Competition. The prize will allow the group to perform at the Vocal Asia Festival in Hong Kong.
MEIS faculty have continued to gain recognition on a national and international level. Associate Professor Storm Gloor was elected president of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association in April. Professor Leslie Gaston-Bird was elected vice president (Western Region, US and Canada) of the Audio Engineering Society. MEIS faculty continue to be a force within the Denver music industry, with music business faculty member Chris Daniels releasing his album with the Magic Music Band, Owen Kortz releasing a new album and Todd Reid releasing a new album on Capri Records. Professor Gregory Walker continued to represent the department at the international level with a performance at New West Electronic Arts & Chuck Morris, AEG Live Rocky Mountains president and CEO visits CAM Music Organization in Tokyo, Japan. The National Center for Media Forensics continues to receive international accolades for innovative programming and research. Professor Catalin Grigoras presented a paper at INTERPOL International Forensic Science Managers Symposium in Lyon, France. Associate Director Jeff Smith presented several papers at the Audio Society and other prestigious conferences and published work in scholarly journals. 10
David Liban, Chair TFVP
This past academic year the Department of Theatre, Film and Video Production saw students produce over 100 film and TV projects throughout the entire curriculum. The films are getting better each year and are starting to receive national attention. The department is on the list of 50 top film schools in the country, according to Hollywood insiders who produce The Wrap, and more and more out-of-state students are coming to study in the program.
One of the signature programs is the Web Series. Each year students produce a web series that is written and directed by them. Last year’s Web Series, “Seven Days Straight,” was nominated for eight awards by the Los Angeles Web Series Festival and was awarded three, including best editing, writing and theme song. The two student producers of the series, Luke Austin and Nigel Wickens, were in attendance to accept the award, along with faculty supervisors Roma Sur and Jim Phelan. Another class project called “Voz de la Clave” was nominated and won a Heartland Emmy. This was produced by the CAM Film Production class along with support from the Director of the MEIS group Voz de la Clave led by Pete Ellingson. As the department continues to grow, it continues to attract incredibly talented faculty. The department recently hired Eric Jewett, who is a 30-year 2017 TFVP Cinefest
Hollywood veteran. Eric has been a director and assistant director for “Return of the Jedi,” “Basic Instinct” and “Weeds,” just to name a few. He will start teaching in the fall of 2017 and will focus on directing and performance. This new addition to the faculty will improve the program even further and will provide a direct conduit to the Hollywood industry. Recent film and television graduates are working all around the industry. Just a few of the better known shows are: “The Walking Dead,” “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver,” “Comedy Bang Bang” and numerous feature film projects.
VISUAL ARTS
The 2016-17 academic year was once again a year of many outstanding accomplishments for the Visual Arts Department. This past March, the Visual Arts faculty and selected alumni from the Visual Arts Department were in a group exhibition curated by CAM alumna Andra Archer entitled “Cultivation” at the Republic Brian DeLevie, Plaza. The show represented a wide variety of styles and media, Chair Visual Arts with an emphasis on new works, site-specific installation pieces, collaborative works and video/film presentations. Also at the Republic Plaza, Associate Professor Rian Kerrane worked with sculpture students from The Museum of Outdoor Arts’ Design and Build Public Arts Program to create and install a sculpture by CAM’s Digital Design student Scottie Burgess. His site-specific sculpture called “Ties Forward” is now on display at the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities. During the 2017 Research and Creative Activities Symposium, the Department of Visual Arts showcased the research endeavors of seven students from the areas of Art History, Digital Design, Illustration and Painting and Drawing.
Photography alumna Cortney Lane Stell was featured in an article by Ray Rinaldi in The Denver Post where he proclaimed that Cortney is “easily the most influential independent curator in the region right now.” Painting and Drawing alumnus Curt Bean was featured as the cover story in February’s Westword for his work with vets suffering from PTSD or grappling with anxiety and other post-deployment challenges. Art History major Adrian Butler presented his paper, “The Deeper Beauty of the Tang Dynasty: A Socio-Political Examination of Zhou Fang’s Ladies Wearing Flowers in their Hair,” at the 7th Chapman University Undergraduate Art History Symposium in Orange, California. This symposium is the only national undergraduate art history symposium of its kind. Adrian’s paper was one of six selected through a blind competitive process. Not to be outdone, Art History major Elena Jones presented her paper, “Supermodel (You Better GesamtkunstWERK!): RuPaul’s Drag Race Seen Through Richard Wagner’s ‘Total Work of Art’” at the Front Range Art History Symposium at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. In April, six students (Emily Joern, Elena Jones, Khoa Nguyen, Katelyn Odenheimer, Kara Rossi and Phil Than) of the BA Art History Thesis course delivered their research papers at the 14th Annual Bachelor of Arts Art History Symposium to a packed house at the Emmanuel Gallery. In attendance were members of the CU community and the broader Denver community. The fruits of these students’ labor will carry into the summer and fall semester. Khoa Nguyen and Phil Than were awarded grants from the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) to extend their projects to continue research on Japanese fashion and bonsai, respectively. In May the annual BFA Thesis show at the nonprofit contemporary art space RedLine Denver was once again a huge success with close to 800 in attendance. The exhibition featured a broad array of work and featured 28 graduating students from Photography, Illustration, Sculpture, Painting and Drawing, Animation and Digital Design.
Alumni are continuing to accomplish great achievements in the world as evidenced by 2010 CAM Digital Animation Center graduate Elena Reznikova, who published a book on self-acceptance, “Thank You, Me,” that was ranked No. 1 among new releases in the Children’s Inspirational Books category of Amazon. VA Alumnus Curtis Bean
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CAM’S FIRST PITCH COMPETITION KICKS OFF “What I really felt at first was surprised and then… validated,” Isabella Sandoval, winner of the College of Arts & Media’s (CAM) inaugural Pitch Competition states firmly, capped by an energetic smile. Isabella is a CAM student newly transferred from CU Denver’s business school. Pitch Competitions (think “Shark Tank,” the TV series) are a business school staple; however for an arts and media college, this is a first and only for the state of Colorado. Hoisting the oversized $2,000 check, Isabella recounts how her achievement came about through pure happenstance.
Good News and Bad News
“I manage a band called Voz de la Clave, a Latin-style CAM Ensemble. I was hoping the CU Denver Student Agency could help us out with some promotion. I met with Angela (Angie) Buckley, who is the scholar in residence for Entrepreneurship and Enterprise. I know, that’s quite a title, but Angie lives up to it. On my way out of our meeting, Angie happened to ask what my plans were after graduation. I mentioned the smart phone app project I was working on. She pulled me back into her office and said, ‘We need to talk about CAM’s first Pitch Competition,’” Isabella recalls. 12
She was already behind in the process and had just two weeks to prepare an executive summary. Through hard work and coaching she met the deadline, and then Angie called. “The good news was that I had been selected to be in the final five. The bad news was that I had to make a presentation to an audience and panel of judges – I was terrified.”
Pitch Fits Beautifully with CU in the City
Founder of the new CAM Competition, Angie Buckley, feels that Pitch fits right into Chancellor Horrell’s vision that encourages entrepreneurial-minded students across the campus. “The timing is good because it fits great into our ‘CU in the City’ branding since urban professionals and business owners sponsored, judged and also followed up with our Pitch students.”
Concert Junkie Coming Soon to a Venue Near You
Isabella’s winning idea was built around two joys in her life – live music and subscription buying (“It’s like getting a surprise present on a schedule!”). With coaching, Isabella came up with her app’s name, Concert Junkie. “Denver is an amazing place for live music. It seems like on every corner, on any night, you can find a high-level music venue hosting nearly every genre of music,” she said.
Thanks to our Pitch Judges:
Mike Belitz, Owner of Ultimate Support Patrick Jager, Lead Judge, Owner of CORE Innovation Group Gaye Leonard, Owner of Social Synergies=Solutions
Thanks to our Sponsors: LAWFATHER - Travis Luther www.lawfather.net CACTUS Communications cactusdenver.com Made With Grit madewithgrit.com Nine Dot Arts ninedotarts.com Sukle Advertising sukle.com TDA Advertising tdaboulder.com Why does Isabella feel, in her words, “validated”? “It’s great to have this idea in your head and have your professors, Angie, even the dean, supporting you in bringing your concept to life as a project. But it is quite another feeling when a company’s CEO sits in a judge’s chair and tells you that your idea is good and worth pursuing. And beyond that, they offer to help you. I have met with lawyers, consultants and promoters without crazy bills piling up on me. A CU Denver MBA student is working with me now. I find it hard to believe how much they really want people with an idea, like me, to succeed.”
“That’s validation!”
Fairfield and Woods P.C. fwlaw.com
CAM Pitch Competition Fund Want to help? You can contribute funds to provide support, including awards, for the CAM Pitch Competition in the College of Arts & Media at the University of Colorado Denver. Please follow the link to learn more. giving.cu.edu/fund/ cam-pitch-competition-fund
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FACULTY & STAFF NOTABLES MICHELLE BAUER CARPENTER, associate professor
of Digital Design and her documentary “Klocked: Women with Horsepower” were honored at the Breckenridge Film Festival and won a Heartland Emmy for Journalistic Enterprise. She was nominated for three regional Emmys.
BENOM PLUMB
of MEIS was interviewed by investment magazine FINalternatives regarding investing in music royalties.
NCMF’S CATALIN GRIGORAS
was appointed to The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Video/ Imaging Technology and Analysis Subcommittee.
DAVID BONDELEVITCH, recording arts faculty member, wrote an article on mentorship in the film industry, which ran in the Cinema Audio Society’s quarterly magazine. 14
MEIS PROFESSOR STAN SOOCHER
contributed to a Rolling Stone article about the Taylor Swift and Kanye West leaked conversation, which was written by CAM alumnus Kory Grow.He was also featured in “Where to start on a pre-law path” by Billboard Magazine.
DENVER F COLORADO O Y IT S R E IV UN udies Denver nment industry st ai rt te en d an ic The mus ado’s Denver niversity of Color U e th at m ra og pr Stan courses taught by campus includes ey, editor of rtainment attorn te en an r, he oc They So nce and author of na Fi & w La t en Entertainm Cour t, a ck Music Goes to Ro : w La e th ht ug Fo -T.D. lawsuits. history of music
DAVID LIBAN, Chair of Theatre, Film
and Video Production completed a film, called “Feral.” It has been submitted to 25 festivals and features collaborations from multiple CAM faculty. A sequel is in the works.
JEFF SMITH, M.S. (’05), and the
National Center for Media Forensics were the feature in a Westword article about the impact of media forensics on solving crimes.
AMARA HULSLANDER,
visual arts lecturer, has worked on the user experience (UX) design of some of the hottest apps and gadgets, Amazon’s retail interface, its voice-activated Echo, and the Sphero-made droid, to name a few and she’s currently involved with a host of innovative projects.
STORM GLOOR HANS ROSENWINKEL was
MARIA BUSZEK
continues to generate publicity for her book, “Pin-Up Grrrls: Feminism, Sexuality, Popular Culture.”
LESLIE GASTON-BIRD elected vice president (Western Region, US and Canada) of the Audio Engineering Society.
the co-producer and the director of photography/cinematographer for “Titanic’s Tragic Twin: The Britannic Disaster,” featured on BBC.
was elected president of the Music and Entertainment Industry Educators Association.
RIAN KERRANE
associate professor, has been named the CU Denver Campus winner of Excellence in Research and Creative Activities receiving a $25,000 award. The award will allow Rian to further her research both in the U.S. and internationally. 15
ALUMNI NOTABLES TFVP GRAD BROCK BYRD, (’16)
was interviewed on 9News for his accomplishment of landing a job on the set of “The Walking Dead.”
was named senior vice president of film and television music and soundtracks at Warner Bros. Records.
CAM GRAD KANSINEE ADSANATHAM, (’97)
DJ CHONZ, (’01)
was featured in CU Denver Today for her work as a senior UX (user experience) designer for Team Unicorn. She creates the end-to-end experience on Google websites.
CAM GRAD REBECCA FORTH, (’10)
lives her dreams at Industrial Light & Magic. She discussed her role in the creation of “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story” with CU Denver Today.
CURTIS BEAN, (’16)
was featured in the Westword article “Curtis Bean’s Art of War is painting a brighter future for veterans.” 16
CAM GRAD PJ BLOOM, (’93)
was featured in the Xposer Magazine article “The many faces of ‘DJ Chonz’ Rodriguez.” He was also named one of the new morning hosts on KS 107.5.
VERONICA REEVES, (’08)
is enjoying her time spent as an artist-in-residence for an elementary school near Portland, Oregon. She is leading a mural project in collaboration with the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students.
GRAD CORTNEY LANE STELL, (’04)
who is the executive director and chief curator for Black Cube was featured on the website One Good Eye.
CAM GRAD LAURA PHELPS ROGERS, (’13)
featured an exhibition “A New Look at the American West” at Pirate: Contemporary Art’s main gallery.
CAM ANIMATION GRAD ELENA REZNIKOVA, (’10)
published a book on self-acceptance which was ranked No. 1 among new releases in the Children’s Inspirational Books category of Amazon.
STUDENT NOTABLES “TIES FORWARD”
a Museum of Outdoor Arts Design & Build Outdoor Sculpture created by College of Arts & Media students, was displayed in front of Republic Plaza.
A2RU STUDENT SUMMIT
Four students from the Department of Music & Entertainment Industry Studies Music Cities class traveled with Professor Storm Goor to the 2017 a2ru Student Summit hosted by the University of Florida from Feb. 8-11. This year’s theme was WATER: New Directions Through Arts and Science.
MATT TELSEY, MEIS B.S. (’16)
landed an internship with NBCUniversal.
CHLOE TANG (’18)
who is an MEIS Singer Songwriter student, released a five-song EP which was reviewed in Boulder Beat. “Listening to her new EP is like meeting a young person who exceeds expectations and defies stereotypes.” said William Baumgartner.
CAM MEIS STUDENT YASMAN AZIMI (’16)
who performs as YaSi, was featured on CPR’s OpenAir piece, “YaSi is a Bright Young Star in Denver’s Hip-Hop Scene.”
TFVP STUDENT GEOFF VELANDO (’16)
was interviewed by Clarke Reader, community editor at Colorado Community Media for being a finalist in The Meth Project commercial contest. 17
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