CDHE launched the First Generation-Serving Campus designation, recognizing colleges and universities that enroll and support a higher-than-average number of first-generation students—defined as students whose parents did not complete a bachelor’s degree.

Many Adams State administrators and faculty members were themselves first-gen students, including Vice President for Student Affairs Savala DeVoge, Ed.D., and Vice President of Advancement Jake Rissler. In the fall of 2024, they, along with Lane DeVoge, established the Grizzly Summit First-Generation Student Endowment. All three understand the trajectory that a bachelor’s degree can offer and created the endowment to help eliminate some of the obstacles first-generation students face.

“We are proud that the CDHE officially recognizes and affirms what we know and see every day with our students – that we are a First-Generation Serving Institution,” VP Rissler said. “Adams State will continue to serve all students with a variety of resources available for any student who may need additional guidance or assistance.”

Established through House Bill 24-1082, the First-Generation Serving Institution designation honors institutions whose first generation resident undergraduate enrollment meets or exceeds the statewide average of 37 percent over three consecutive years, as well as institutions participating in the FirstGen Forward Network, a national network of colleges and universities committed to advancing the success of first-generation college students through intentional, institution-wide strategies.

CDHE also publishes a First-Generation Dashboard highlighting enrollment trends by institution, gender and race/ethnicity. Future enhancements will include persistence and completion outcomes, reinforcing Colorado’s commitment to equity and first-generation student success.

Learn more by visiting the

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Apache will guide writers during a Community Writing Workshop at 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 in McDaniel Hall 204. All are welcome.

Crisosto Apache is the current 11^th Poet Laureate for Colorado (26-27) and is from Mescalero, New Mexico, on the Mescalero Apache reservation. Crisosto is Mescalero Apache, Chiricahua Apache, and Diné (Navajo). Apache’s clanships are the Salt Clan, born for the Towering House Clan. Apache attended the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) and earned an MFA and is an Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing. Crisosto is also an editor-at-large for The Offing Magazine. Apache’s books are GENESIS (Lost Alphabet), Out-of-Print & Ghostword (Gnashing Teeth Publishing), winner of the Publishing Triangle’s 2023 Betty Berzon Emerging Writers Award and a finalist for the 2023 Colorado Authors League Award in poetry, with a new poetry collection is(ness), from Gnashing Teeth Publishing. Apache is a three-time Pushcart Prize nominee. Crisosto continues to advocate for the Two-spirit/Indigiqueer community for the past twenty years, working in grassroots non-profit organizations both locally and nationally.

Throughout his college career, senior Cosmo Innarelli came to realize the actual reason he writes stories. “Not just writing them for fun – even though that’s what I do every time – but also adding meaning and relatability to each story I write.” Commercial fiction is his first goal. However, he learned that the literary sense is most important when writing stories. “Not only that, but it fuels me to focus on my passion and understand why I keep writing.”

Innarelli genuinely enjoyed writing throughout his college career, but only a handful of his stories made it into his final capstone book. “Those stories and the characters spoke to me in a way that challenged me to take so much time and effort to make sure the story is good and says what I always intended for it to be.”

Melanie Bernstein experiences at Adams State have been wonderful and she is glad that she returned as a non-traditional student. “My professors have been wonderful to work with and they’re very supportive. My inspirations have been the authors that I’ve studied in English classes such as Joy Harjo, Edgar Allen Poe, and Anton Chekhov, to name a few.”

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Naranjo, percussionist, vocalist, composer, clinician, graduated from Alamosa High School, and took music courses at Adams State. This early exposure propelled her forward to becoming a very accomplished musician. “Adams State is my original alma mater.”

In the mid 2010s, she donated a West African percussion instrument, a gyil, to the Adams State music program. Through demonstrations and hands-on workshops, Naranjo will focus her teachings on the instrument. “The gyil is the grandparent of the modern-day marimba. It, like the marimba, is a series of wooden bars that is suspended over a frame from which are hung resonators.” Naranjo and kuor player Barry Olsen garnered a first-place award for their playing of the gyil’s traditional repertoire in Ghana’s Kobine Festival of Traditional Music, in 1996.

Along with mastering the gyril, Naranjo will share many other lessons garnered during her 25 visits to West Africa over the last 36 years. “I have learned so much from the West African philosophy of art.” For the community in Ghana and surrounding countries, art is present in all aspects of being and creating, from cooking to music. “Everyone has tremendous gifts just by living life. In Ghana, artists are not judged by their accomplishments, they are revered if they can touch the soul.”

91��� will also learn the rewards of tenacity and dedication from Naranjo. She moved to New York City after completing studies in vocal and instrumental music education at the University of Oklahoma and Percussion Performance from Ithaca College.

When first moving to the city, she often played on the streets, known as busking, and performed in restaurants. “My parents always supported my decision to become a musician, they looked on it as a gift. My dad’s advice stayed with me, ‘if you desire something, don’t sit at home and ask, you need to put what you do out there.’”

As Naranjo became known the gigs became more fruitful, but she also faced disappointment. “When times were tough, I listened to my friends who told me you are not tested when all goes well, you are tested when they don’t.”

In the summer of 1995, Naranjo faced severe disappointment after losing a very important role with a nationally known band. A practicing Buddhist, Naranjo came to understand her own heart through prayer. “I came to the realization that there is nobody like me. I began to believe in my contribution to the world.”

That belief became substance for Naranjo. In 1996, she was approached to accept the role as the percussionist for NBC’s Saturday Night Live Band, one that continues to this day. She has recorded and performed with Broadway’s The Lion King, The Philip Glass Ensemble, David Byrne, The Paul Winter Consort, Tori Amos, Airto Moreira, and the international percussion ensemble, MEGADRUMS, which includes Milton Cardona, Zakir Hussein, and Glen Velez. Naranjo is also a professor at New York University.

“I reflect daily on all of the cool experiences that, together, have made for a very happy life,” Naranjo said.

Participants of the Percussion Festival will learn through hands-on workshops and public concerts, featuring Valerie Naranjo and Melinda Leoce, Adams State assistant professor of music and festival organizer. The ASU Percussion Concert begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15. The Percussion Festival Showcase Concert begins at 5:30 p.m.  Thursday, April 16, both concerts willl be held in Richardson Hall Auditorium.

The cost for admission, cash only, to the concerts is $5 for adults, $1 for students and seniors, and free to AS&F and Friends of Music. 91��� attending the festival will receive free admission. For more information contact the Music Department at 719-587-7621 or email Melinda Leoce at mleoce@adams.edu.

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Institutions earning the Military Friendly® School designation were evaluated using both public data sources and responses from a proprietary survey. More than 3,200 schools participated in Military Friendly® survey.

Methodology, criteria, and weightings were determined by Military Friendly®, in consultation with the Military Friendly® Advisory Council, a group of independent leaders in the military community. Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey score, public data, and an assessment of the institution’s ability to meet and exceed thresholds for student recruitment, retention, academic progress, graduation rates, career placement, and support services for veterans, transitioning service members, and military spouses.

“Adams State is proud to have achieved our Military Friendly and Military Family Friendly designation,” said Mark Buck, assistant vice president for Enrollment Management. “Supporting our military, veterans, and their families pursuing their educational goals is one way we can demonstrate our appreciation and gratitude to those who have served and are serving.”

Kayla Lopez, Vice President of Memberships, Military Friendly® said: “Earning the Military Friendly® designation is more than a badge of honor; it is a reflection of an institution’s deep-rooted values and strategic commitment to those who served. These schools don’t just open doors for veterans and military spouses, they build sustainable pathways for academic success and long-term impact. Their support is transformative, proving that investing in military-connected students is both a moral imperative and a standard for educational excellence.”

Adams State will be showcased in the 2026-2027 Guide to Military Friendly Schools® in the April issue of G.I. Jobs ® magazine and on MilitaryFriendly.com.

Military Friendly® is the standard that measures an organization’s commitment, effort, and success in creating sustainable and meaningful benefits for the military community. Over 3,200 organizations compete annually for the Military Friendly Schools® designation. Military Friendly® is a service-disabled, veteran-owned small business. Military Friendly® is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Defense or the federal government. Results are produced via a rules-based algorithm.

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Visit Adams State Student Veteran programs for more information.

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The outstanding staff at Sanford Schools did their best to hide the secret from Kristie Duran. The students and staff were called into the auxiliary gym Tuesday for an after-lunch assembly and the school counselor dutifully marched in with the rest, unsuspicious of what was to come.

Until she spotted her mom.

Her children Huntley and Avery in the assembly, no problem. They go to school at Sanford. But there was her mom in the gymnasium, trying to stay undetected on the other end with flowers in hand. That was the giveaway.

Duran, who arrived at Sanford in 2014, was presented with the 91è���� Educator Highlight Award and judging from the response of the gathered student body and teachers and staff at the school, it’s a well-deserved recognition for her.

The award is presented each month by Adams State School of Education Director Curtis Garcia, Ph.D., based on the school receives.

“She is so deserving of this,” said Secondary Principal Mandy Mortensen, who brought the students into the assembly and asked Duran to talk about the things that have changed in her time at the school.

“We went from the Indians to the Mustangs, that was a big change,” she responded.

It was an emotional school assembly as she talked to the students about the essence of being the school counselor.

“I always get sad every year. I grow closer and closer to the seniors and then by the time I love you like my own kids, you guys leave me. That’s really sad. So every year I feel like we go through that, like you guys go to college and I’m still stuck here. Sometimes I speak, sometimes you go off in your mind. The kids change. My office hasn’t changed.”

91��� were asked to shout out a word associated with Duran.

“Greatness. Kindness,” the words rang down.

“What’s one of your secret powers to do the job you do?” she was asked.

“Patience. I don’t know. I’m very patient with you guys for sure. Patience, just the love that I have for these kids, I guess, is my superpower. Just knowing that they’re going to go off and be wonderful people and be successful in the world, that just makes me feel good.”

Her mother sat in the stands and listened.

“When I saw my mom sitting in the corner, I was suspicious. I told the seniors we had a presentation after lunch to talk about rules. I had no idea. But I love you all. I hope you guys know that,” she said.

Mom gave her the flowers and photographs were taken. In the end, the school counselor realized the school assembly was for her to show how much Sanford cares.

“Just really surprised and thank you guys for doing this. It makes me feel really special and honored. Sometimes we feel like you’re not making a difference. Kids don’t really care what you’re doing. This makes me feel special.”

If you know an educator like Kristie Duran doing exceptional work in the San Luis Valley, make a nomination for the Adams State Educator Highlight Award. Here is the .

PAST EHA WINNERS

Presley Garcia, Monte Vista special education teacher
Nick Dionisio, Alamosa High English teacher
Aaron Miltenberger, Boys & Girls Club executive director
Anna Bishop, Center High School CLD teacher
Phyllis Vigil, Sierra Grande first-grade teacher
AlexAndria Moore-Guenter, Moffat Schools secondary counselor
Omar Gonzalez, Alamosa Elementary visual art and music teacher
Leanna Brazel, Alamosa Elementary kindergarten teacher
Freddy Lawrence, Alamosa Elementary custodian
Joe Guenther, South Conejos School District
Katie Turner, Del Norte math teacher
Edwin Mondragon, Monte Vista High School agriculture teacher
Aaron Williams, GOAL High School English teacher
Miriam Baines, Alamosa High School biology and math teacher
Rachel Kellum, Moffat Schools art teacher
Darlene Pinales, Sargent School District, food service staff member
Upward Bound summer faculty, 91���
Erika Henderson, chemistry teacher Alamosa High School
Jay Sarason, aviation teacher, Sargent High School
Domingo Estrada, director, Semillas de la Tierra
Lisa Lucero, preschool teacher, Moffat School District
Scott Honeycutt, ASD’s transportation director and chief safety officer
Annette Sisneros, fifth-grade teacher, Alamosa Elementary
Taylor Hubbard, K-12 art teacher, Centennial School District
Lauren McKinney, science teacher, Sangre de Cristo Schools
Amanda Stagner, business teacher, Alamosa High School
Laura Hegey, third-grade teacher, Alamosa Elementary
College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) staff, 91���
Student Support Services, 91���
Kelly Reynolds, second-grade teacher, Sanford Elementary
Pat Naranjo, literacy and math lab instructor, Centauri Middle School
Nikol Kelley, language arts teacher, Centauri Middle School
Elona Medina, technology and media teacher, Alamosa High School
Elena Sopala, first-grade teacher, Alamosa Elementary School
Cheri Jones, MTSS coordinator, Ortega Middle School
Bonnie Schweizer, fourth-grade teacher, Alamosa Elementary School

ABOUT THE EDUCATOR HIGHLIGHT AWARD:

This monthly award recognizes 91��� School of Education alumni, prominent local teachers, and other educators working within or hailing from the San Luis Valley. In so doing, 91��� hopes to build familiarity with the community as a serious destination for future educators. .

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In February, Prison Education Program Adjunct Professor of Philosophy Justin Gallant presented “Architechture of temporal violence in carceral systems” for the Transformative Justice Conference out of Utah (). He also gave a speech and presented a lived storyteller award to Instructor of Distant Education Lucas Alan Dietsche.
Justin Gallant will be published in the Poetries in English magazine on October 1, for “Seeing the Unseeable: Nietzche Shelling and Foucault on the first image of a black hole. ” And on September 7, Adjunct Professor Gallant will present “Post-Reality and the flux of temporal fantasms” at “Temporalities in AI” seminar talk series from Cambridge University, UK.

Assistant Professor of Geosciences and Director of the Edward M. Ryan Geology Museum Chayan Lahiri, Ph.D., presented at the Crane Festival (March 8) titled “Ancient Lake Alamosa.”

The Title III STEM HSI grant team attended the 18th Annual Association of Hispanic Serving Institutions Educators (AHSIE) conference in Boston, MA, on March 8-11. Project Director of the El Centro Sierra Blanca Grant Ken Marquez, Activity Coordinator of the HSI STEM Grant/El Centro Grant Sarah Noller, and Title III HSI STEM Grant Co-Researcher Aaron Montoya, Ph.D., presented their grant research project, Peer Mentoring and Servingness in STEM First-Year Seminar classes, to members of the association. The presentation was a continued effort to disseminate the research study findings and data. Dr. Montoya and Rena Kirkland, Ph.D., professor of psychology, served as the researchers for this project.

Professor of Kinesiology and Exercise Science Graduate Program Coordinator Tracey L. Robinson, Ph.D., had a research article, , published related to the Larry Holder Exercise and Cancer Survivorship program.

In March, Professor of Music Matthew Schildt’s, Ph.D., piece, Nocturnal Passage for flute and piano was performed at the College Music Society conference at Virginia State University. In April Dr. Schildt’s piece Gathering Stars for percussion ensemble will receive its premiere performance at the College Music Society conference at Southern Illinois University.

Emeritus

Emeritus Professor of Chemistry Marty Jones, Ph.D., is featured on the . Proceeds from the sale will benefit the Alamosa Public Radio Station KRZA.

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COSI ASAP received a prestigious award from Arnold Ventures, a philanthropic organization dedicated to improving the lives of all Americans through evidence-based policy solutions. Arnold Ventures’ funding is matched by the State of Colorado and institutional funds.

Adams State President David Tandberg, Ph.D., said the goals of ASAP perfectly align with the mission of the University. “With the generous support of Arnold Ventures, through the CDHE, Adams State will have additional resources to support our students throughout their academic career and successfully complete their college degree.”

In early 2025, President Tandberg met with Arnold Ventures to discuss a potential partnership and establish a connection, as both organizations are dedicated to increasing education access and academic success for any student pursuing an undergraduate degree. These early conversations ultimately led to the opportunity to receive this grant.

Modeled after the City of University of New York (CUNY) ASAP, the COSI ASAP initiative mobilizes state, institutional, and private donor funds to replicate a comprehensive, evidence-based degree completion program that integrates proactive advising, structured academic momentum supports, and financial assistance to address barriers to completion.

The total award amount of $2.6 million, including Adams State’s 50 percent match of the COSI ASAP grant, will fund the program from July 2026 through June 2030.

Adams State has managed Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative (COSI) grants since the Initiative began in 2015. COSI ASAP will build on the successes of these past state-supported programs. Additional resources in advising, tutoring, financial aid, career, and counseling services that will be provided through ASAP will help support improved degree attainment and graduation rates.

Adams State COSI Grants Director Trudy Chávez said it is a privilege to continue offering intentional programming and financial assistance to the COSI cohort with a more structured approach. The upcoming season will bring many advantages to her department. “I am looking forward to the lasting impact this funding will have on the lives of the students we serve. By investing in these individuals today, we are strengthening our community’s workforce of the future. We are ensuring our students are not only graduating but are prepared to lead, obtain a fulfilling career, care for and serve in their communities and contribute to the economy.”

President Tandberg said: “Receiving financial support through Arnold Ventures also sends a clear message to students in need of additional services that they are worthy of investment and that Arnold Ventures, Adams State, and the State of Colorado believe they are capable of realizing their academic and future professional goals. It also buoys the spirits of our faculty and staff, reminding them that our mission is valued, and their work is significant.”

About the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative

The Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative was created with the Colorado Department of Higher Education to increase the attainment of postsecondary credentials and degrees for underserved students in Colorado. The project addresses this challenge in two ways: accessibility and affordability. To increase accessibility, COSI funds programs that will help prepare students for postsecondary education, as well as support them through completion. To increase affordability, COSI provides matching funds for community scholarships.

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Through the initiative, Adams State will receive $100,000 over two years, along with tailored technical assistance and cohort-based support from national higher education intermediaries to expand and strengthen career-connected learning opportunities.

High-impact practices such as internships, undergraduate research, service learning, capstone projects, and student employment are widely associated with increased student engagement, deeper learning, and higher completion rates. This initiative focuses on intentionally connecting those experiences to career pathways and labor market demand so that students graduate prepared to demonstrate the skills employers need.

“At Adams State, we are committed to ensuring that every student graduates not only with a degree, but with meaningful experiences that connect learning to career opportunity,” said Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs Nick Saenz, Ph.D.

Director of the Center for Teaching, Innovation, and Research Artemis Preeshl, Ed.D., said: “Participation in this national initiative will help us expand access to high-quality, career-connected learning and strengthen outcomes for our students.”

As part of the initiative, Adams State plans to expand internships in key industries, embed career-connected projects into required coursework, improve employer partnerships, enhance skills mapping into academic programs, and initiate team internships and faculty externships. The effort will reduce equity gaps among first-generation, transfer, rural, and any other students who need additional support.

Lumina launched From Campus to Career to help institutions scale career-connected high-impact practices that strengthen the value of a bachelor’s degree.

“Too many students complete meaningful academic experiences without clear pathways to translate those experiences into career opportunities,” said Jasmine Haywood, strategy director for credentials of value at Lumina. “If a credential is going to hold value in the labor market, students must graduate with the ability to demonstrate the skills and competencies employers need. Career-connected high-impact practices are one of the most powerful tools we have to make that connection visible and real.”

The 16 selected institutions represent a diverse cross-section of higher education, including regional public universities, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and large research universities. Together, they will serve as national models for integrating academic learning with career preparation.

“In an era of rising skepticism about the value of college, strengthening the connection between learning and work is essential,” said Debra Humphreys, vice president of strategic engagement at Lumina. “When students can clearly see and show how their education prepares them for meaningful careers, the value of a credential becomes tangible.”

The initiative is implemented in partnership with Excelencia in Education, the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), and the Center for Innovation in Postsecondary Education (CIPE), which will support participating institutions through technical assistance and cross-campus learning opportunities.

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The program includes an exciting group of presenters who will address this year’s river and reservoir outlook, the history and current operations of the Closed Basin Project and the valley’s irrigation subdistricts, collaborative river restoration projects, and the growth of the region’s recreation and tourism economy. The lunch hour will provide symposium attendees an opportunity to address a number of water management scenarios through a fun and interactive drought resiliency game developed by the University of Colorado Boulder’s Center for Education, Engagement and Evaluation.

Colorado-based journalist, Ben Goldfarb, will be the keynote speaker. Goldfarb’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atlantic, The Washington Post, Orion Magazine, and National Geographic. His books include Eager: The Surprising Secret Life of Beavers and Why They Matter (2018) and Crossings: How Road Ecology is Shaping Our Planet (2023).

“For many river restoration practitioners, beavers are the missing link in improving riparian systems,” said Director of the Adams State Salazar Center Paul Formisano, Ph.D. “Goldfarb’s book on the eradication and reintroduction of North American beaver is a fascinating read about one of nature’s most controversial species. I’m thrilled to have him speak at the Symposium and share his insights about these incredible river engineers and the other wildlife that inspire his writing and travels across the continent.”

The symposium is free of charge, and Spanish translation and online streaming will be available. To register for the event and to see the conference schedule, visit these and registration links. Please direct Symposium questions to salazarriograndecenter@adams.edu.

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91è���� is proud to present “Art at Altitude,” a student art show that brings the creativity and talent of the Visual Arts Department to a new venue. The exhibition will open with a public reception from 5 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the San Luis Valley Regional Airport, located in Alamosa.

“Art at Altitude” showcases original works created by Adams State students and reflects the university’s deep commitment to the arts as a vital part of education and community life. By hosting the show at the regional airport, Adams State and its community partners are bringing campus creativity directly to the traveling public, residents, and visitors of the San Luis Valley, making art accessible to all.

Visual Art Department Chair Annaliesa Connor-Meissner, M.F.A., is excited for the opportunity. “Our students pour their hearts into their work and bringing that work into the community is exactly what art should do. ‘Art at Altitude’ gives our students a real-world stage and invites the entire San Luis Valley to experience the creativity happening right here at Adams State. We couldn’t be more proud of what they’ve created.”

The exhibition is the result of a collaborative effort between the Adams State Visual Arts Department and the San Luis Valley Regional Airport and represents a shared vision for enriching the cultural fabric of southern Colorado. Student artwork will be on display throughout the airport terminal, transforming the space into a gallery that celebrates local talent and the university’s enduring connection to the region.

“The San Luis Valley Regional Airport is more than a transportation hub – it’s a gateway to our community and a reflection of who we are,” said Sirah Masters, Airport Manager, San Luis Valley Regional Airport. “Welcoming Adams State student artists into this space allows us to celebrate local creativity with every traveler and visitor who walks through our doors. We’re honored to be a part of this.”

“Art at Altitude” represents more than a gallery showing – it is an expression of the university’s role as a true anchor institution for southern Colorado. The partnership with the airport reflects a shared commitment to community engagement that goes beyond the campus.

“As an Airport Advisory Board member, I’ve seen firsthand that our airport is a true community asset,” said Vice President of Advancement Jake Rissler. “Showcasing the extraordinary talent of our student artists at the airport is an exciting partnership. This is Adams State showing up for the Valley we call home, and our Valley home showing up for Adams State.”

The opening reception is free and open to the public. Community members, families, and art enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and celebrate the outstanding work of Adams State’s student artists.

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