CLASS NOTES
WHERE ARE THEY NOW?
JODI SMITH Anderson College of Business, Master of Nonprofit Management, Class of 2001 Current Job: North Dakota Land Commissioner “I’m the first female in North Dakota history to hold this position. Regis University impressed me with its interaction with so many different issues that were important to me. It was serious about education and serious about principles and teaching students how to lead and grow and change the country for the better.”
KIRSTEN KOROSEC Regis College, English and Communications, Class of 1993 Current Job: Senior reporter/editor at TechCrunch “Regis professors imparted no shortage of knowledge and lessons that would come to shape my life. But perhaps the most valuable skill — and one I use daily in my professional life — is critical thinking. I can’t thank the professors at Regis enough for teaching me to do more than just obediently consume information on the who, what and where, and to instead, think critically and question, so I ultimately come to understand the ‘how’ and ‘why.’”
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Summer 2019 | REGIS UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
OUT OF THE SHADOWS
DACA RECIPIENT PUTS A FACE TO THE ISSUE
W
HEN
LUISANA
PAC H E CO
LEAVES HER HOUSE, she never
forgets her EMT jacket.
It doesn’t matter if she’s going to work at Mile High Ambulance or not. That jacket equals safety. For Pacheco, RC ’15, one of the more than 800,000 students who have been approved for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the jacket is a disguise. DACA gives undocumented young immigrants relief from deportation for two years. It also can offer a driver’s license and in-state tuition. However, the federal government may terminate the status at any point. Pacheco, who is originally from Costa Rica, grew up in Summit County, where she attended high school. She initially received DACA status in 2015, and recently renewed it until 2020. Pacheco started her accelerated bachelor’s in nursing at Regis in May. WHY SPEAK OUT ABOUT DACA?
I used to be so scared and embarrassed to share my story. I didn’t know if I was going to be judged or shunned for it, without people getting to know me first. I remember
I was dating this guy and finally had the guts to tell him, and he just asked, “Are you dating me for papers?” It was very discouraging. I’m speaking out now because of the political environment. We need to put a face to thousands of DACA students who are wondering about their futures in the U.S., and if I can do that, and hopefully inspire others to do the same, then that may make the difference in the outcome. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THOSE WHO SAY YOU SHOULD FOLLOW THE LEGAL WAY TO CITIZENSHIP?
I don’t think people realize the situations we face. There should be a better process. We’re pawns in a political game. I’m not sure what the ideal solution would be. But there has to be a better solution. WHY NURSING?
I wanted to work with patients. I wanted to do it at Regis, because I did my undergraduate degree here. The Jesuit ideals and the idea of being in service of others really resonates with me. My ultimate goal is to become a neonatal nurse practitioner.