Top Story
May 13, 2009
Metropolitan State University of Denver
Creative beginnings on tap for grads
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Tara Moberly has landed and internship at the Denver Business Journal. |
For the ninth consecutive year, the spring graduating class for Metropolitan State College of Denver is expected to be the largest ever, with more than 1,400 candidates. Commencement will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 17, at the Colorado Convention Center.
Rob Reuteman, former Rocky Mountain News business editor and columnist, will deliver the commencement address. The award-winning journalist, who currently serves as vice president of the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, will address a class of students who are entering an unstable workforce and economy.
Among the graduates is a music education major who plans to become an elementary school teacher, an anthropology major who wants to become a photojournalist, and journalism major who is not afraid to forge into the changing landscape of news media. “I’m concerned because of the economy, but I’m confident I’ll find a job at a daily newspaper,” says journalism major Tara Moberly.
The former news editor of the College’s student newspaper, The Metropolitan, spent the spring semester in Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s office working in the communications department planning events and is looking forward to her paid internship with the Denver Business Journal this summer. The 26-year-old is heading into the workforce understanding how to plan events and how to cover them. The combination could help her to be more marketable in the communications field.
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Cacey Stradley is merging anthropology and photojournalism. |
Cacey Stradley, 23, is leaning on a different formula to find her own niche in journalism. The anthropology major, who has a minor in photojournalism, plans to do research. She has interned at KBDI Channel 12 capturing images of live media casts. In addition, she has spent time in Mexico to take field notes to satisfy her anthropology requirements. “I’ve always been interested in photography, but more interested in the larger issues. One of my professors says ‘photography is visual anthropology.’ ”
Other graduates include another anthropology student Jack Omstead, who is also receiving a degree in history. Expected to graduate with a 3.98 GPA, the 23-year-old has been selected as Metro State’s President’s Award winner and will deliver a speech to his fellow graduates at commencement. He recently learned that he was accepted into Teach For America, and will be assigned to teach special education at Manual High School in Denver. The organization is a
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Jack Omstead, the President's Award winner for exemplary grades and community service. |
national corps of outstanding recent college graduates and professionals of all academic majors and career interests who commit two years to teach in urban and rural public.
Omstead isn’t the only student who aspires to make a difference in the classroom. For professional musician and Metro State music education major Jimmi Nasi, a career in perfect harmony would include evening performances with his band as well as classroom settings during the day with elementary and middle school students. After a 20-year pause from college to pursue a successful music career, Nasi is looking forward to walking across the stage to pick up his first college degree, and then returning to the classroom to share what he has learned.
“I’ve been exposed to lots of levels of success,” says Nasi, who has been student teaching in Denver for the last semester and hopes to return to the classroom for a full-time position in the fall. “The classroom is really a good fit for me. Maybe I’m a big kid.”
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Jimmi Nasi plans to balance his professional music career and elementary school teaching. |
Nearly 20 years ago, Nasi was a music management major at University of Colorado Denver, but left early to follow his dream of being a professional musician. He found success as a working musician. In his 20-year music career, he has traveled the country, and lived and worked in New York and Los Angeles. He has recorded an album for Elektra Records. While in Los Angeles, he landed behind-the-scene work for the animated sitcom South Park.
The gift of time
Some students may have the support of their current employer as they search for a job in their field. For example, journalism major Mercedes Jackson does administrative work for a company that is keeping her employed for at least one year to give her time to search for her ideal job. The 23-year-old is grateful for the opportunity. “Before, I didn’t know what I was going to do.”
About the class
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Journalism grad Mercedes Jackson is looking for the right job in her field. |
Of the 1,400 candidates, 61 percent are female and 39 percent male. The vast majority, more than 70 percent, are in their twenties. The oldest candidate is 73. Seven of the candidates represent the youngest at just 20 years old.
Latinos make up 10 percent of the total, and candidates of color 20 percent. Sixty-eight percent of the candidates started at Metro State as transfer students, and 26 percent entered directly from high school.
The top 10 majors are criminal justice and criminology, biology, management, psychology, English, accounting, behavioral science, history, nursing and social work. Nearly 13 percent are seeking teacher licensure.
There will be a live Webcast of the event. For more details, go to http://www.mscd.edu/commencement/event/.
