What is the real story?
The real story of Metro State unfolds in the people who teach or study here. Meet several students, faculty and graduates who have something to say about their experience at Metro State:
Explore by keyword or skip to bios.
Kylee Hanavan
Keywords: athletic talent, early childhood development
“You should have seen my GPA before. It was horrible. As long as I got a C, I was fine. That used to be my mentality. Metro State made me want to put effort into it and excel at my program.”
Kylee Hanavan Senior social work major Hometown: Northglenn, CO
Well before her pending graduation in spring 2008, Kylee Hanavan made her mark at Metro State. In turn, the College made its mark on Hanavan by providing not only the playing field for her athletic success but also a personalized academic experience that inspired her to greater achievement.
Like nearly 5,000 Metro States students each year, Hanavan transferred to the College. After spending a couple years at a junior college in Nebraska, she came with loads of athletic talent but needed a place to shine.
Shine she did. Hanavan played on two of the College’s national champion soccer teams. She earned many awards, including the 2006 NCAA Woman Athlete of the Year. Athletic Director Joan McDermott says, “We’re extremely proud of Kylee and the contributions she has made to Metro State. Her leadership and dedication to the soccer program will certainly be remembered.”
But, Hanavan, who calls Northglenn home, discovered another passion during her time at Metro State. Originally a psychology major, she explored early childhood development, and then says, “I noticed myself migrating toward the children with more mental health and personal problems. That’s when I found the social work program and knew that I could work directly with children who have been abused and neglected.”
The social work department felt like home, with close contact with faculty and other students. They inspired her to study more, to work harder. “You should have seen my GPA before,” she says. “It was horrible. As long as I got a C, I was fine. That used to be my mentality. Metro State made me want to put effort into it and excel at my program. And, I know that people are like, ‘Whatever, dude!’ But, I love it.”
Currently, Hanavan spends 16 hours each week interning with the Jefferson County Department of Human Services. She looks forward to a soccer team trip to Europe in May 2008, but she’s mostly focused on her future career. With leadership skills honed on the soccer field, Hanavan is itching to make a difference in the lives of children. Jeffco requires a year-long internship, then a year staffing an intake call center, then, Hanavan explains, she can apply for a job as a case worker. And, with all her soccer accolades in place, being a case worker is her new goal.
Samuel Varillas
Keywords: flying, club soccer
“I really love to hang out with people who are not from the same place.” Samuel Varillas Freshman aviation major Hometown: Albuquerque, NM
Samuel Varillas admits being a little confused, “like many high school students,” when it came time to choose a college.
After a counselor at Alameda High School in Lakewood suggested Metro State, however, Varillas fell in love with our aviation program. It felt like a perfect match for a guy who wants to get his private pilot’s license and work in business management.
“Metro State has that special something,” says Varillas, who grew up in Mexico for 11 years, then lived in Texas and New Mexico before finishing high school in Colorado. “Everyone is really friendly and wants to help you.”
The high-tech tools used in Metro State’s cutting-edge aviation program didn’t hurt. “The simulators on campus are outstanding,” he says. “I fell in love with them. It’s like flying, but you’re on the ground. It’s like playing a video game inside a real airplane cockpit.”
Varillas plays club soccer, where he’s made many friends, including some of Middle Eastern descent. “I really love to hang out with people who are not from the same place,” he explains.
The comfort he feels on campus translates to the classroom. Naturally shy, Varillas says one professor in particular helped him learn to speak up. “You never have to worry about what other students think,” he adds, “because they are all your friends.”
Brianna Boeschenstein
Key words: justice, New York City, environmental causes
“When you go to the clubs, you’ll see a lot of your classmates.”
Brianna Boeschenstein
Transfer student, majoring in journalism and public relations
Hometown: Grand Junction, CO
Brianna Boeschenstein grew up in Grand Junction, but she lived in New York City for a while during high school. It’s there she realized the potential of the urban setting. The opportunities and excitement made an impression.
So, when it came time for college, she knew the typical undergraduate campus would not do. She jokes that living on campus feels a bit too much like sleep-away camp or like living where you work. Living near, but not on, campus, Boeschenstein enjoys the nightlife options of the city as well. “When you go to the clubs,” she says, “you’ll see a lot of your classmates.”
Boeschenstein transferred in, like many Metro State students. She used her time at Arapahoe Community College to get her footing before transferring to Metro State, where she’s a member of the Black Student Alliance and has volunteered for the Colorado Public Interest Group on social, justice and environmental causes.
Boeschenstein, 22, a journalism and public relations major, heads into her final year of college in 2007-2008. Looking at her Metro State education, she marvels at the real-world experience of her professors and what it means to her education. “Pretty much all of my journalism teachers are journalists themselves or editors at The Denver Post or the Rocky Mountain News. Any assignment they give us is what they do every day.”
She’s grateful for one professor in particular who gave each student a detailed resume critique. “It was really useful,” she says. “It taught us how to make them good for the future.”
Madison Holloway
Keywords: glee-like, networking
“I work hard to get students to share their experiences,” he says. “They have so much to offer each other.”
Madison Holloway, Ph.D.
Professor of management
Metro State Distinguished Service Award Winner
Madison Holloway, Ph.D., works in the management department, where he teaches human resources, organizational behavior, workplace diversity, legal and labor relations and some effective teaming courses. He speaks with almost glee-like enthusiasm about the rigorous nature of the business majors at Metro State. Students work hard, he says. They master critical time management skills, and they help each other succeed.
The winner of Metro State’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award, in 2002 as well as a national Gold Key Award in 2005, Holloway brings both real-world experience and theoretical knowledge to the classroom.
He got drafted and sent to Vietnam. He worked for Dunn & Bradstreet. He worked for Aetna Life and Casualty. While waiting to earn residency status in California for in-state tuition, he even worked at IBM.
And, yet, he knows that his experience doesn’t equal what Metro State’s students collectively embody. “I work hard to get students to share their experiences,” he says. “They have so much to offer each other.”
They may not know the fancy words for what they know, but they know the concepts and the ideas. And, they know how those issues play out in real workplaces and real organizations.
Students also can teach each other what various jobs and various industries are really like, which can help others make good career choices and build useful connections. “The networking possibilities are phenomenal,” he says.
Lisa Abendroth
Key words: design culture, evolved
“Students see the opportunity to be proactively a part of our design culture. We’ve become very visually evolved.”
Lisa Abendroth
Associate professor of art
Communication design coordinator
The Art Directors Club of Denver named Metro State’s Lisa Abendroth, associate professor of art, Outstanding Educator of the Year in 2003.
Currently, she is busy as curator for two international design exhibits. Both are called “Substance: Diverse Practices from the Periphery.” Metro State’s Center for the Visual Arts will host pieces by professional artists. And, the Emanuel Gallery on campus will host a similar exhibit of student work.
The prominence of design in modern American culture attracts students to this discipline Abendroth loves. “Students are innately aware of design,” she explains. “We literally design our lives. We customize every aspect of what we do through technology. Students see the opportunity to be proactively a part of our design culture. We’ve become very visually evolved.”
Think about all the images and ideas people share online—MySpace, YouTube. Think about the different perspectives people bring to such expression.
Sure, there’s a healthy dose of high-tech fun in Abendroth’s courses, but she’s dedicated to teaching designers who can think on their feet, research design options and historical perspectives and gauge a variety of clients’ needs to deliver communication designs that actually communicate (and not just look hot).
After she came to Metro State in 2000, Abendroth was instrumental in overhauling the curriculum. This is not the same design education people got even five years ago. At Metro State, it’s a true 21st Century experience that delivers all the relevant information students need to succeed—no matter who they are or where they come from.
“Students feel like they have a home here,” Abendroth says. “Considering the diversity I see in my classroom and the number of commuting students, that’s pretty significant.”
Janos Fustos
Key words: tinker, Hungary
“I want to make sure students know me and know that they can approach me with different issues.”
Janos Fustos, Ph.D.
Professor of computer information systems
Janos Fustos, Ph.D., jokes that he teaches “all the fun stuff” As a professor of computer information systems, Fustos works with students on web page development, web site administration and all manner of server maintenance and security.
He actually enjoys the pressure of a constantly changing industry, calling it “fascinating.”
Computers serve as the nervous system of any business or organization today. Computer science professionals are like the neurologists, the brain surgeons of the modern workplace. “And,” Fustos teases, “that’s not a bad job.”
Fustos allows his students to tinker with vulnerable operating systems. He shows them how to shore up weaknesses. They even run their own server farms to get hands-on practice with various systems.
Thanks to really small class sizes, Fustos says gets on a first-name basis with all his students in a matter of days. “That’s a huge task for any professor,” he admits.
But Fustos is dedicated to building those relationships. “I want to make sure students know me and know that they can approach me with different issues,” he says.
A native of Hungary, Fustos also appreciates the diversity of culture, age and experience among Metro State students. “What I see here is a great diversity, a great climate,” he says. “It’s a truly unique teaching and learning environment.”
Joe Quatrochi
Key words: big-picture, internships
“Invariably, the places I take students are staffed or managed by Metro State graduates. People consistently tell me they want more of our interns because they are so well prepared.”
Joe Quatrochi, Ph.D.
Professor of human performance and sport
Coordinator of adult fitness and exercise major
Metro State Distinguished Service Award Winner, 2001
Joe Quatrochi earned his Ph.D. in health promotion. That’s what the industry calls the use of legislative, public or workplace initiatives that promote wellness through societal change. This is big-picture stuff. And, Quatrochi, the 2001 winner of Metro State’s Distinguished Service Award, wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Through the education and training we provide at Metro State,” he says. “I can have a major impact on health promotion initiatives, wellness initiatives and health behaviors for hundreds, if not thousands of people. Even though I’m not meeting with them individually, I’m training these folks—all of whom will have hundreds if not thousands of clients throughout their careers … that’s really why I’m here.”
His enthusiasm combined with the rigorous and practical nature of human performance and sport program attracts top students and nearly endless work opportunities for both students and grads. “Invariably, the places I take students are staffed or managed by Metro State graduates,” he says. “People consistently tell me they want more of our interns because they are so well prepared.”
Denver is saturated with health and fitness facilities, including workplace wellness, hospital cardiac rehab centers and private gyms dedicated to people undergoing cancer treatment as well as traditional health clubs. In fact, a recent survey said the city boasted more facilities per capita than any other city the country.
That means there’s plenty of learning experiences to be had, and there are always jobs. And local employers know to call Quatrochi. He says, “I have more than 100 agencies in my database for internships, part-time or even full-time work. So far this year, I’ve already filled three manila folders with openings I’ve shared with students.”
Lisa Ortiz
Key words: empty slate, Mandarin
“There is no way you can take an empty slate and paint the Mona Lisa in one semester. But, what you can do is teach people how to teach themselves so that they can handle anything on the job.” Lisa Ortiz, M.A.
Assistant professor multimedia communication
Metro State graduate, 1997
Lisa Ortiz, M.A., embodies everything that’s right about Metro State. She came here at the age of 28, after realizing perhaps she didn’t know everything—like she thought she did at 18. She earned such high grades that she then attended the University of Denver on scholarship to earn her master’s degree in digital media studies. She worked full-time throughout her entire higher education—for AOL, for Media One. Then, she came back to Metro State to teach in the same department where she earned her first degree, technical communication.
Assistant Professor Ortiz now comes to campus each day with her husband, who is also a professor here, and her two small children, who attend preschool on campus.
In preparation for a trip in summer 2007 to establish relationships with sister schools in China, she and other Metro State delegates learned Mandarin Chinese.
It’ll be Ortiz’s second trip to China; her oldest daughter was born there.
While the entire family can’t make the trip this time, Ortiz says, “We’re working on learning Spanish and Mandarin together—all four of us.”
This drive, this passion inspires her students. In a profession where the technology is constantly changing, Ortiz says it’s critical that students learn to take responsibility for their own learning, to solve their own challenges and to build their own life masterpiece.
“There is no way you can take an empty slate and paint the Mona Lisa in one semester,” she explains. “But, what you can do is teach people how to teach themselves so that they can handle anything on the job.”
Antwon Owens
Key words: personal relationship“Metro State put me in to the field and gave me first-hand experience.” Antwon Owens 2007 graduate in music education Hometown: Denver, CO
Antwon Owens is a jazz musician and a Lincoln High School graduate. He knew almost immediately that typical college towns wouldn’t provide the opportunities Denver could. And, since jazz clubs and Metro State are right downtown, his decision to enroll was easy.
Owens benefited from internships at local music stores too. “Metro State put me in to the field and gave me first-hand experience,” he says.
After his graduation in May 2007 with a degree in music education, Owens plans to tour the country and perform for a while. That’s how professionals hone their craft.
A drummer, he’s already traveled to several states with some of his professors to play gigs and learn the ropes. “That’s where you learn exactly what the business is like,” he says. “School can’t really teach you that. And, I think that’s true for any major. You need to learn what the job is like. The real world is not like a typical classroom.”
Metro State faculty members know that, and it’s one reason they work so hard to bring relevant, individualized education to each student —no matter their field of study.
Owens worked for the Office of Admissions as well. He spent time at area high schools helping students just like him transition to college. Those conversations often centered on the personal attention available at Metro State.
“Some of my friends who went to other colleges and universities, and they weren’t really able to sit down and talk with their teachers and have a personal relationship with them,” he explains. As if to emphasize his point, Owens wants to be sure to give a huge shout out to Metro State professors Ron Miles and Fred Hess. “They’ve made a big difference for me,” he says.
Alejandro Rivas
Key words: joy, symphony"We just did Mozart’s Requiem with 180 voices and 80 musicians on stage together. I cannot tell you how much the students loved the opportunity to perform this masterpiece.” Alejandro Rivas Assistant professor of music Conductor of the Metro State Symphony Orchestra
Alejandro Rivas began playing the cello as a very young boy. He says that coming from a family of musicians, with conductors, musicians, composers in his day-to-day life, “The abnormal thing would have been not to play anything.”
Rivas often travels the world accepting invitations to be a guest conductor for many top symphony orchestras. In summer 2007, he returned to his native Venezuela for several concerts. Such honors, he jokes, are the only ones younger conductors get. Other praise, it seems, only goes to those who very old or dead.
As an assistant professor of music and the conductor of Metro State’s Symphony Orchestra, Rivas wants students to experience the joy of performing pieces being studied. To perform a masterpiece live, with a group of friends, brings great satisfaction.
“We just did Mozart’s Requiem with 180 voices and 80 musicians on stage together,” he says. “I cannot tell you how much the students loved the opportunity to perform this masterpiece. It sounded like a professional concert.”
Rivas and the rest of the music department faculty plan each year’s performances with this sense of community and excitement in mind. “Our goal is to make this the best program in town,” he says.
Plus, Rivas loves teaching in downtown Denver, where students can walk to symphony, opera and ballet productions at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts. “When artists come to Denver, they stay downtown,” he adds. “So, it’s easy for us to bring them to campus because we’re just a few blocks from their hotels.”