The Apprentice Challenge | Metropolitan State College of Denver

Denver – Lithuanian native and political science student Giedre Stasiunaite, 21, stood as the final winner at “The Boardroom” Finale Event for the Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State on May 1.

The semester-long program at Metropolitan State College of Denver, spearheaded by the Alumni Association and Office of Alumni Relations, followed 10 Metro State juniors through four challenges as they competed for a full-tuition scholarship at Metro State and a one-year paid internship with a local company for their senior year.

“I am thrilled to be the first Apprentice at Metro State,” says Stasiunaite, who is fluent in English, Russian and Lithuanian, and has a minor in modern languages, studying Spanish, German and Chinese. “Winning the competition feels great right now. But the best part was getting to know my fellow students and all of the leaders we worked with. I feel like we really helped the community and made a big difference everywhere we went.”

Since January 2008, the student teams have developed and implemented four service projects, while being mentored by professionals in the local business and nonprofit community. Their projects have surrounded healthy menus in downtown restaurants, the homeless, urban education and “going green.”

Her internship will be with the Colorado “I Have a Dream” Foundation, which is currently celebrating 20 years of helping disadvantaged children reach high school graduation. The details of her duties will be confirmed as she nears her fall start date. “What a gift for this small organization,” says Mary Hanewall, executive director. “She is a perfect fit for the diverse populations we work with.”

Being a point of inspiration for youth is not new for Stasiunaite. For the past four summers, Stasiunaite has volunteered to work with adopted children from Russia in a Russian Heritage Camp held near Snow Mountain Ranch in Colorado. In 2007, she was named vice president of the Metro State chapter of the Golden Key International Honor Society. In this role, she encourages other students to reach academic excellence, and also to understand the importance of team work and daily interaction with other students.

“Giedre is an example of the caliber of student that attends Metro State,” says Cherrelyn Napue, assistant vice president of Alumni Relations and executive director of the Alumni Association. “All of the students represented the college well in their activities in the community, underscoring Metro State’s civic engagement in the local and global community.”

In addition to her activities surrounding the Challenge, Stasiunaite has also been involved in the International Scholar Laureate Program. Through this program, she was selected to attend the University Presidential Inaugural Conference in Washington, D.C. from January 17-21, 2009.

The Runner-up: Noah Steingraeber, a marketing major, earned a $1,500 scholarship for his second-place finish. “This experience helped me see just how far I can go. I now have a lot of experience that other students just don’t have. I’m so far ahead of the game because I haven’t been just sitting in a classroom--I’ve been out there working on a whole other level.”

For more information about the Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State, visit http://www.mscd.edu/apprenticechallenge.

To schedule an interview with Giedre Stasiunaite, please contact Angelia McGowan at 303-556-5133 or angeliam@mscd.edu.

-30-

02/28/08
Students blog about their experiences in semester-long "Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State"

12/04/07
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES “APPRENTICE CHALLLENGE @ METRO STATE” 10 student participants announced at kick-off reception

A pre-med student. A veteran of the U.S. Navy. A world-ranked air hockey player. They are among 10 students vying to be named the “Apprentice” in the Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State, an exciting and educational twist to a favorite reality TV show.

On Tuesday, Dec. 4, the students were officially announced in a kick-off reception on the 32nd floor of the Molson Coors Brewing Company in downtown Denver. Developed by the Metropolitan State College of Denver Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Relations, the Challenge will follow a team of Metro State juniors as they compete for a full-tuition scholarship at Metro State and a one-year paid internship with a local company for their senior year.

“This challenge underscores Metro State’s role as an urban land grant college, involved in meeting the needs of businesses and of the community by solving problems and creating strategies for future growth and sustainability,” says Metro State President Stephen Jordan. “The projects our students are undertaking represent an entrepreneurial, outside-the-box approach.”

The participants will compete January – April, with the culminating boardroom finale experience on May 1, 2008. Each month student teams will develop and implement community-based projects, while being mentored by professionals in the local business and nonprofit community. Project sponsors include Kaiser Permanente, UMB Bank, CH2M HILL and the Alliance for Sustainable Colorado.

“The Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State will empower students to excel and achieve success through experiences that are relevant, high quality and diverse,” says Cherrelyn Napue, assistant vice president of alumni relations. “The student name the Apprentice will win the top award, but all of the participants will take away invaluable experiences and friendships.”

After the culmination of each project, the team who successfully completes the task and meets the objectives outlined by the project sponsor will be rewarded for their efforts. Rewards may include private home or business tours, a plane or helicopter trip to an undisclosed location, a VIP event to an exclusive event and/or access to a local celebrity.

For more information about the Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State, please contact Angelia McGowan, assistant director of communications, at 303-556-5133 or angeliam@mscd.edu.

MEET THE STUDENT PARTICIPANTS

Below is a list of the student participants and why they believe they should be named the “Apprentice.” All are juniors at Metropolitan State College of Denver. There are six women and four men. Their age range is 21-31 years old. In-depth bios are available online at www.mscd.edu/~alumni/apprenticechallenge.

Kaleigh Braun, a marketing major, believes she should be named the Apprentice because “I am flexible when faced with new and innovative ideas, but still maintain my confidence and strong work ethic. I believe all of these attributes will build my character and my character is what will win me this competition.”

Cindy Cervantes, a business management major, believes she should be named the Apprentice because “it will help me become a better leader and gain more experience in the business world. If I don’t get to be the Apprentice, having the opportunity to be a part of the challenge is a great blessing in itself.”

David Foos, a finance major, believes he should be named the Apprentice because “my military experience has provided me with the discipline and life lessons to achieve my objectives and goals. I am capable of handling challenges that are put in front of me, whether mental or physical, and I will work my hardest to come out on top.”

Ashley Gilchrist, an English and Secondary Education major with a Spanish minor, believes she should be named the Apprentice because “what I learn from this experience will be put back into the community. I plan to be a teacher in the Denver Public School system, so what I learn will be transferred to my students.”

Benjamin Gillespie, a Modern Languages (Spanish) major with an anthropology minor, believes he should be named the Apprentice because “I am ambitious and driven to completing what is needed, completely, qualitatively and efficiently.”

Heidi Harrold, a biology major with a chemistry minor, believes she should be named the Apprentice because “I’m a creative problem-solver who believes that there is always a solution to every problem. I’m the type of person who will not stop searching until that solution is found.”

Erin Kasch, a speech communications major with a public relations minor, believes she should be named the Apprentice because “I consider myself to be well-rounded, sincere and optimistic. I believe all of these are qualities of a leader, which is exactly what I am ready to be!”

Giedre Stasiunaite, a political science major, believes she should be named the Apprentice because “I have a strong desire to be successful in my future career, which motivates me to achieve the best results in my projects. Based on my past accomplishments, I think I have proven that I could ultimately be the Apprentice.”

Noah Steingraeber, a marketing major, believes he should be named the Apprentice because “with my determination, focus, tenacity, and drive there is no reason why I should not win this competition. Someone just better be hungrier than I am, because my hunger is insatiable!”

Christopher (Chris) Wilcox, a computer information systems major, believes he should be named the Apprentice because “the person who works hardest and performs the best under the pressure that this competition will entail, deserves to win. I fully intend on being that person.”

PROJECT PROFILES

The Metropolitan State College of Denver Alumni Association and the Office of Alumni Relations is partnering with the following organizations on challenges for Apprentice teams during designated time periods from January – April 2008. These projects address real issues that affect the metro Denver and Colorado community.

THE KAISER PERMANENTE SMART MEAL CHALLENGE: Apprentice teams will identify and work with restaurants within a certain geographic area to create menu items that meet certain nutritional guidelines for healthiness. Importance to Denver/Colorado community: The Smart Meal program is a restaurant initiative developed by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and is supported by LiveWell Colorado, a statewide initiative aimed at reducing overweight and obesity rates and related chronic diseases. The Smart Meal program has established nutritional requirements designed for restaurant meals to showcase entrees that are lower in fat, calories and sodium, and include foods such as whole grains and fruits. Project Sponsor: Kaiser Permanente, LiveWell Colorado and the Colorado Health Foundation. Challenge Dates: Jan. 11-Feb. 1, 2008.

THE UMB HOMELESS CHALLENGE: Apprentice teams will assist local grassroots nonprofit organizations working to help homeless families access affordable housing and other services they need to return to self-sufficiency. Importance to Denver/Colorado community: In 2005, Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper and the Commission to End Homelessness created Denver’s Road Home, a 10-year plan to end homelessness in the City & County of Denver. Since implementation, Denver has seen an 11 percent reduction in overall homelessness and a 36 percent decrease in chronic homelessness. There are more than 3,900 homeless people living in Denver. This is a sobering statistic, especially when 60 percent of the homeless are families with children. Project Sponsor: UMB Bank. Challenge Dates: Feb. 8 – 29, 2008.

THE CH2M HILL DREAMERS MATH AND SCIENCE CHALLENGE: Apprentice teams will work to develop math and science projects and introduce future career opportunities to middle school students in selected Denver Public Schools. Importance to Denver/Colorado community: The Colorado I Have a Dream Foundation strives to assist children (called Dreamers) from low-income communities to achieve their education and career goals by providing mentoring, academic assistance, life-skills development, enrichment and tuition assistance for higher education from 3rd to 12th grade. Project Sponsor: CH2M HILL. Challenge Dates: March 7 – 28, 2008.

THE ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE COLORADO - BUSINESS ECO AUDIT: Apprentice teams will partner with local businesses toward improving sustainability in the areas of waste, energy and water efficiency. Importance to Denver/Colorado community: The Alliance Center is home to more than two dozen nonprofit organizations which have missions that include education and policies in Colorado that promote social, economic and environmental sustainability. The long-term goal of the Alliance is to create a national center where sustainability advocates from around the nation will have a place to meet, exchange ideas, learn and plan. Project Sponsor: Alliance for Sustainable Colorado. Challenge Dates: April 4- 25, 2008.

-30-

METROPOLITAN STATE COLLEGE of DENVER

For Immediate Release

Contact: Catherine Lucas, assistant vice president for communications, 303-556-5131

Metro State launches "The Apprentice Challenge"

(Denver, Colo.-August 16, 2007) Metropolitan State College of Denver has announced the creation of The Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State, an exciting twist to a favorite reality TV show. A team of Metro State juniors will get a hands-on opportunity to work with successful business leaders on projects that impact the local community. Selected students will compete each month to develop and implement community-based projects, while being mentored by icons in the local business and nonprofit communities. The Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State will empower students to excel and achieve success through experiences that are relevant, high quality and diverse.

Spearheaded by the Metro State Alumni Association and Office of Alumni Relations, The Apprentice Challenge @ Metro State, was developed to motivate students to learn the real-world skills that may help shape their future success while engaging Metro State alumni, local businesses and nonprofit organizations.

"The projects these students will undertake are designed not only to help develop their business acumen but to also successfully implement community-outreach programs for local businesses,” said Cherrelyn Napue, assistant vice president of alumni relations. “We know our students will achieve success through academic experiences that are relevant, high quality and diverse. We foresee the apprentice challenge as another positive tool in their career growth.”

Students at the junior level may apply to participate in the program. Applications will be reviewed by a committee and those selected will compete for a one-year paid internship at a local company and receive full tuition for their senior year at Metro State.

Applications for Metro State students with junior standing will be available August 29, 2007 at http://www.mscd.edu/apprenticechallenge.

-30-

Metro State is a fully-accredited, four-year institution, serving more than 21,000 students. It has the second-largest undergraduate enrollment in Colorado and is one of the largest four-year public colleges in the nation. Metro State enrolls the highest number of students of color among four-year colleges in the state. It boasts 60,000 alumni, 80 percent of whom stay in Colorado after graduation.

Copyright Metropolitan State College of Denver | Privacy Statement
Auraria Campus: Speer Blvd. and Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80217 | 303.556.2400