Axel Klomparens ’26 spent last summer researching the phases of magnets with Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Christopher Monahan. Photo provided by Klomparens.

By Julia Fennell ’21

After learning about research conducted by a professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, Axel Klomparens ’26 was inspired to spend last summer exploring that research with Assistant Professor of Physics Dr. Christopher Monahan.

“Dr. Monahan had a really wonderful approach to research and did a phenomenal job introducing me to the world of research,” says Klomparens, a Physics major.

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The Colorado chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists has awarded scholarships to three Colorado College journalism minors for its annual Top of the Rockies contest. 

Junior Veronica Bianco, from Oregon, who serves as co-editor of the Colorado Collective Outdoor Journal and reports for The Catalyst student newspaper, won a $2,000 scholarship.

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Sodexo is inviting the CC community to take a few minutes to complete the Spring 2026 Custodial Services Survey. Your feedback plays an important role in shaping how custodial services support our campus—from cleanliness and responsiveness to overall experience.

The survey is quick to complete and helps ensure that services continue to meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff. Whether you’ve submitted feedback before or this is your first time, your perspective matters.

Scan the QR code or visit sdx.cc.scs.26 to participate. Please submit your responses by April 27.

Kris Mayotte

Vice President and Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine has announced that Colorado College hockey coach Kris Mayotte has agreed to a 5-year contract extension. The new contract with Mayotte, who has guided CC the past five seasons, extends through the 2030-31 season.

“In my role as the Athletic Director, it is my responsibility to provide stability and vision for the hockey program, and Kris is the right leader to instill those things,” Irvine said. “We have strong momentum, tremendous talent, and are positioned competitively in this new landscape. Kris and his staff have a clear plan, and we support him fully. Our goal has been—and continues to be—to win championships and compete in the best league in the country. Kris’ passion for Colorado College and his knowledge of what it takes to win at the highest level make him the right leader for the Tiger program. We are excited for what’s to come.”

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Commencement is one of the most significant days in a student’s life—a culmination of years of hard work, sacrifice, and growth. It takes a full campus community to bring it to life, and we’re looking for volunteers to help make this year’s celebration truly unforgettable. The ceremony takes place Sunday, May 17, in Robson Arena.

Volunteering is a wonderful opportunity to support our graduates on one of the biggest days of their lives, while connecting with colleagues and friends, and being part of something truly special. To sign up, contact College Events at events@coloradocollege.edu.

Friday, April 10, from 5:30-6:30 p.m. at the FAC (Bar opens at 5 p.m.)

Your yard has so much untapped potential! Imagine stepping outside to pick sun-warmed peaches, berries, or herbs from plants that practically take care of themselves. A food forest is a beautiful, low-maintenance way to create shade, attract wildlife, and grow food. You don’t need to be an experienced gardener to start! With just a few simple design ideas, you can turn any outdoor space into a thriving, edible ecosystem that gives back year after year.

This lecture coincides with the museum exhibition Where I Learned to Look: Art from the Yard, on view from March 6-July 26.

Themed Cocktail: The Garden Party
Lecturer: Kelly Bull, Owner of Kelly Bull  Permaculture Design
Tickets: $24 ($18 for FAC Members), includes your first drink

Get tickets!

Kobe Moore, 16, who is Pawnee out of Oklahoma, uses the arena’s plexiglass to apply face paint before his performance at the NASU Powwow. Photo by Jamie Cotten / Colorado College

Dr. Jessica Hernandez

What can Indigenous knowledge teach us about the future of environmental science? Join us on Thursday, April 23, for the Timothy C. Linnemann Memorial Lecture on the Environment, featuring Dr. Jessica Hernandez. The evening begins with a book signing at 5 p.m. outside of Celeste Theatre, followed by the lecture at 6 p.m. inside Celeste Theatre.

Hernandez’s talk, “Rebuilding Environmental Science Through Indigenous Science: Lessons from Fresh Banana Leaves” examines the themes of Fresh Banana Leaves to show how Indigenous histories and knowledge systems make essential contributions to contemporary environmental science. Through her exploration of land stewardship, ecological reciprocity, and community rooted science, the book demonstrates how Indigenous science offers holistic, place-based frameworks that address environmental challenges in ways Western science alone cannot. Highlighting examples such as forest management, ecological restoration, and climate resilience, the presentation illustrates how Indigenous knowledge strengthens scientific inquiry by centering relationality, interdependence, and long-term observation. By comparing Western scientific approaches with Indigenous ecological practices, we show how collaborative, decolonized research models lead to more ethical, resilient, and sustainable environmental outcomes. Ultimately, this presentation argues that embracing Indigenous science is not supplementary but foundational to building a more just and effective environmental science for the future.

Add to your calendar.

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Thank you to everyone who participated in Baker Tilly’s campuswide survey as part of the Institutional Review. We are grateful to all who took the time to share feedback and perspectives. Baker Tilly received 505 survey responses, which represents 48 percent of all staff and faculty (an excellent response rate!). Your input is an important part of this process and will help inform the College’s understanding of current needs, opportunities, and long-term priorities.

I also want to provide additional context about how the information from this review will be shared with the campus community. As the project moves into its next phase, Baker Tilly will continue analyzing the information gathered through campus engagement, institutional documents and data, and peer benchmarking. This work will inform the development of a full report with key themes and recommendations to be delivered to President Manya Whitaker, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Lori Seager, and me. Based on the specifics of the report, we will involve appropriate Cabinet members and other campus leaders to determine which recommendations we will pursue.

In the fall, we will begin sharing high-level themes from the review with all staff and faculty, both through in-person opportunities and campuswide messages like this one. Because the review draws on confidential input and sensitive operational information, the full report will not be distributed broadly. Instead, we will engage relevant campus groups to help determine the best path forward to achieve the recommendations we choose to move ahead with. This work will unfold over the coming years through an iterative process that will include immediate, short-term, and longer-term actions, with a continued focus on thoughtful implementation and impact mitigation. To support transparency along the way, we will launch a dedicated website as a central hub for updates and progress. As themes develop and next steps become clearer, we will also share responses to common questions and provide additional context where helpful.

Thank you again for your participation and continued engagement in this important work.

Sincerely,

Dean of the College and Chief Operating Officer 

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

Thanks for learning more about Division III Outreach and more of our CC student-athletes! 

Today’s student-athletes represent our Women’s Basketball, Women’s Swim & Dive, Men’s Cross Country and Men’s Lacrosse teams. Read more about their teams recent academic accomplishments:

Sport: Women’s Swimming
Major: Organismal Biology and Ecology
Favorite Class: EV145, where my interest in conservation bio first started
Top CC Academic Moment/Accomplishment: Watching my Intro to Jazz final composition be performed in concert
Special Talents/Skills: I know all the lyrics for Pitbull’s full discography, and I make a mean pasta dough.
Hobbies: Sailing, hiking, camping, playing piano, and Dance Workshop 
Favorite Spot on Campus: Shove Chapel
Proudest Moment at CC: Becoming an Outdoor Education guide 
Community Service Experience: Instructing Little Catz Swim Program and grant writing for Sunrise Environmental Club 

Sport: Cross Country and Track & Field
Major: Computational Physics
Favorite Class: PC361: Techniques of Experimental Physics
Top CC Academic Moment/Accomplishment: My summer research I worked on with Dr. Monahan, got presented in TIFR Mumbai at the 42nd International Symposium on Lattice Field Theory
Special Talents/Skills: In a blind taste test I can pick out the red ones from goldfish colors
Hobbies: Cooking, especially for other people
Favorite Spot on Campus: The walk across Tava Quad on any given day
Proudest Moment at CC: 2024 track workout in a blizzard before the NCAA Regional meet, a bunch of people came out to shovel the track throughout the workout and cheer
Community Service Experience: I helped organize a CC Track & Field trash clean up along Monument Creek

Sport: Women’s Basketball
Major: Neuroscience
Favorite Class: Art of Greece & Rome in Italy
Top CC Academic Moment/Accomplishment: Team being named No. 1 in WCBA Academic Honor Roll for the 2024-2025 season
Special Talents/Skills: Juggling and painting 
Hobbies: Cooking, golfing, hiking, and pickleball 
Favorite Spot on Campus: The view from the patio outside of Preserve
Proudest Moment at CC: Qualifying for the NCAA tournament during the 2024-2025 season
Community Service Experience: Coaching coed boys and girls basketball at a local elementary school

Sport: Men’s Lacrosse
Major: Organismal Biology and Ecology
Favorite Class: Biology of Animals
Top CC Academic Moment/Accomplishment: Getting a pre-veterinary internship this summer in Thailand through UC-Davis, working with elephants and stray animals 
Special Talents/Skills: Playing the guitar 
Hobbies: Skiing, mountain biking and fly fishing 
Favorite Spot on Campus: Washburn Field  
Proudest Moment at CC: Starting at goalie my freshman year and being ranked fourth all-time in CC single-season saves.
Community Service Experience: I have volunteered at a local boys and girls clubs and worked with the Special Olympics to organize a field day for kids with special needs. 

Don’t forget about the Work of the College Series session on Data Governance tomorrow, Thursday, April 9, from 3-4 p.m. in the Timothy Fuller Event Space (Tutt Library, Room 201).

Many of us work with data every day—whether updating records, running reports, processing forms, completing research, or helping students and departments find the information they need. This session will explore how CC is working to ensure that the data we rely on remains accurate, secure, and useful for everyone.

Join Erica Shafer, Data Strategist, to learn more about CC’s new data governance framework, updates on its rollout, and ways you can get involved in strengthening our data practices and culture.

No technical background is required. This session is designed for anyone who works with data at CC.

The Work of the College Series is a year-long program of events with four goals: (1) clarify organizational structures and decision-making processes; (2) offer campus constituencies the opportunity to dialogue with leadership about campus affairs; (3) increase decision-making transparency in hopes of building trust; and (4) build community.

The Work of the College Series consists of:

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903

To support transparency and shared understanding across the college, Staff Council will share a weekly summary of key operational updates discussed at the College Operational Leadership Team (COLT) meeting. Please review this week’s summary. 

If you are interested in learning more about Colorado College’s operational governance framework, including the purpose and current work of Standing and Temporary Operational Groups, please visit the Operational Governance webpage.

Sincerely,

14 E. Cache La Poudre St.
Colorado Springs, CO 80903