“You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.” – Angela Davis

Your final weeks at CC are here, and graduation is just around the corner! The Commencement ceremony for the Class of 2026 is on Sunday, May 17, at 8:30 a.m. at Ed Robson Arena. We are so excited to celebrate with you!

As you dive into your final block and all the excitement that comes with it, we want to make sure you’re set up for a seamless and memorable Commencement experience. Be sure to note the key dates below, and keep an eye on your inbox and the Commencement 2026 webpage so you don’t miss a thing.

Apply to Graduate Deadline is TOMORROW
Graduating seniors must submit their application to graduate by Friday, April 17 to walk in next month’s ceremony. Find the link in your student menu in Banner—it only takes a few minutes to opt in, provide your height for gown sizing, and confirm a few key details. While you’re at it, record your name in Canvas/NameCoach to ensure it’s pronounced correctly on the big day.

Please note: You will not be able to access guest tickets for Commencement or Baccalaureate until your application is complete. Tickets will not be available until after May 1.

Honors Convocation
Tuesday, May 5, 11 a.m., Shove Memorial Chapel
Honors Convocation is our opportunity to honor outstanding students. The annual program includes departmental awards, all-college awards, and awards from the CC Student Government Association. All members of the campus community are welcome to attend, and a livestream of the ceremony will be available online.

Baccalaureate
Saturday, May 16, 3 p.m., Shove Memorial Chapel
Baccalaureate is a centuries-old graduation tradition, providing an opportunity to reflect on this rite of passage, hear from Lori Driscoll ’94, Professor and Chair of Neuroscience & Psychology, and celebrate our incredible students.

Share Your Well Wishes through “Baccalaureate Blessings”
You are invited to share your well wishes and words of celebration for your fellow graduates as part of this special Colorado College tradition. Messages submitted by Monday, May 11 will be displayed on the jumbotron in Ed Robson Arena during Commencement, as well as online. Visit the website for instructions and ideas for how to submit a message.

Students and their invited guests may attend in person (two guests per student). Seniors who have applied to graduate will receive an email with instructions for how to access tickets to the Baccalaureate ceremony through Ticketmaster. A livestream of the ceremony will also be available online.

Departmental Receptions
Academic departments typically host receptions on the Saturday afternoon following Baccalaureate, at various locations on and off campus. Keep an eye on the Commencement website for more details and watch your inbox for an invitation directly from your department.

Sunday, May 17, 8:30 a.m., Ed Robson Arena
Doors open at 7 a.m. for general admission seating.

Post-Commencement President’s Reception
The celebration continues immediately following the ceremony! President Manya Whitaker will host a reception for all graduates and guests on Tava Quad from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. The reception is organized by department—look for signage across the quad to find your spot and spend time with your favorite faculty one more time.

Commencement Ceremony Ticket Information 
Seniors who have applied to graduate will receive an email with instructions for how to access complimentary guest tickets for the Commencement and Baccalaureate ceremonies through Ticketmaster. Once students claim their desired number of tickets—an estimated total of seven tickets per graduate—they will transfer directly to their guests. 

Commencement Photos
GradImages will be on campus during Commencement weekend. Graduates are encouraged to register in advance at gradimages.com/registration in order to view and purchase photos more quickly after graduation.

Graduates will be able to claim one free 5×7 photo, courtesy of President Whitaker.

Livestream Option: For family, friends, and members of the campus community who are not attending in person, a livestream will be available online for Commencement, Honors Convocation, and Baccalaureate events.

Parking—Commencement attendees may park anywhere on campus (no fees or permits apply). The third level of the Ed Robson Arena parking garage is reserved for guests with limited mobility who require parking close to the venue. Accessible parking is available on all levels of the Robson Arena parking garage and in other parking lots on campus as well.  

Golf carts will be available from other parking areas across campus to transport guests to Ed Robson Arena.

Accessibility—Please see the Commencement webpage for information on accessibility and accommodations available within Ed Robson Arena. You may also contact Sara Rotunno, srotunno@coloradocollege.edu or (719) 227-8294, to discuss specific needs or request accommodations.

Clear Bag Policy—Ed Robson Arena has a clear bag policy, which will be enforced during Commencement weekend. Only clear bags and small clutch-sized purses will be allowed at entry. More details on this policy can be found on the Ed Robson Arena website. Clear bags can be purchased at the Book Store just south of the main arena entrance. (Book Store hours on Sunday, May 17: 6:30 a.m.–1 p.m.)

Additional information on parking, accessibility, venue policies, and FAQs can be found on the Commencement website.

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

Stay informed and engaged with the latest HR updates, including: 

We’re giving our People Connections a new name and we want your ideas! Use the link below to suggest a name and tell us why it works. We’ll gather submissions, then invite the community to vote on the top ideas. 

Members of CC ’26 consulting class stand together outside Spencer Center during the academic block in which they partnered with Human Resources on a workplace conflict support project. Photo provided by Debi O’Connor. 

In Block 6, students in BU329 Business Organization & Management, taught by Associate Professor Christina Rader, partnered with HR to explore ways to strengthen employee support around workplace conflict. The class took initiative by grounding their work in scientific research, conducting interviews with CC employees and supervisors, and reviewing peer institutions to better understand which conflict-support tools are most effective. Their work focused on a self-guided, human-centered resource designed to help employees navigate conflict with greater confidence and clarity, including when and how to reach out for support. The project also explored employee needs and opportunities for HR to provide greater support, helping inform improvements to the HR website so employees can more easily find the right resources for workplace concerns. 

One key takeaway was that most employees first try to address conflict by speaking with peers, then supervisors, and typically turn to HR only if the issue persists. The class also found that employees value support that feels practical, clear, and approachable—especially when it comes to next steps and confidentiality. Overall, this project provided HR with a strong starting point for creating resources that are thoughtful, useful, and grounded in both research and real-life experiences. Thank you to the consulting class students, Liam Goodwin ’29, Trevor Flynn ’27, Meli Coats ’28, Gianna Martinez Vazquez ’28, Seth Constance ’28, Kevin Peraza ’28, Austin Yu ’28, and Nick Bell ’28, for the care, collaboration, and meaningful contributions they brought to this project. 

Additionally, another group of students researched and consulted on onboarding. We asked the students to identify opportunities to improve the employee onboarding process, with a focus on engaging new employees and supporting longer-term outcomes such as retention. They identified several themes that can improve the onboarding experience, including fostering early social connections to drive engagement and retention; recognizing the critical role managers play in onboarding success and newcomer adjustment; providing clear task guidance and training new hires as learners to improve performance and retention; and creating onboarding experiences that feel emotionally meaningful to strengthen long-term commitment. Thank you to Naiya Kurnik ’28, Wheeler Padgett ’27, Aidan Prezzano ’28, Elijah Ruderman ’27, Avery Hickman ’27, Ross Cockrell ’28, Grace McDonnell ’27, and Justin Boder ’27 for all of your hard work! 

Uwill is no longer supported or offered as a mental health resource at CC. Employees continue to have access to free, confidential support through the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), provided by GuidanceResources. The EAP offers short-term counseling, work-life support, and additional resources—such as financial counseling and webinars—at no cost. All services are 100% confidential. For more information, please contact HR.

We’re thrilled to continue meaningful discussions through our Performance Conversations. These conversations provide an opportunity to celebrate what is going well, identify areas that may require extra attention, and make adjustments to stay on track. The next cycle opens on Friday, May 1, and closes on Monday, June 8.  

Training to Support You   

To make sure everyone feels confident and prepared for these conversations, we have several online training courses as resources:  

We also plan to offer live training. Look for information in Today@CC! 

We remain committed to making this process meaningful and manageable for all. Thank you for your continued leadership and collaboration.

Join HR for a Bingo challenge designed to encourage small, everyday wellbeing habits. Complete activities, submit your card, and enter into a prize drawing. 

To play, pick up one or both Bingo cards from Gina Lujan at elujan@coloradocollege.edu and complete tasks in five squares in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) between Monday, April 27, and Friday, May 29. Each completed row earns one entry into the prize drawing. You may submit your card each time you complete a new row, or complete the entire card at once for up to five entries per card. Two cards are available for a maximum of 10 entries per employee. To mark your card, simply highlight or cross out the completed squares. Be sure to print your name and email on the card(s), then return completed cards to Gina Lujan by close of business on Friday, May 29. Prizes include items such as an electric scooter, a Yeti cooler, a camping chair, and more. The prize drawing will begin in early June. Prizes over $50 are subject to taxes.

Open Enrollment for benefits will take place Friday, May 1–Sunday, May 31. This is your annual opportunity to review your benefit elections and make any changes for the upcoming plan year. 

Important change this year: Open Enrollment will be an active enrollment for Optional Life Insurance. Unlike past years, if you do not actively elect or reelect Optional Life Insurance during Open Enrollment, your coverage will be terminated. 

Even if you are happy with your current coverage, we strongly encourage you to log in during Open Enrollment to review your options and confirm your elections. Additional details, resources, and reminders will be shared as Open Enrollment approaches. 

You spoke, and we listened. We will be transitioning to a new leave administrator on Wednesday, July 1. We’re excited to partner with Sun Life for all our leave administration (FMLA, Colorado Family, Short-term/Long-term Disability) and life insurance programs. The Hartford will finish out all existing claims, and any new claims made after Wednesday, July 1 will be administered by Sun Life. 

Navigating the sandwich generation: Financial strategies for the caregiving squeeze | Wednesday, April 22 | 11 a.m. ET | Register now.

Visit the HR Updates page to check out past editions of People Connections, along with recent updates from HR.

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

Radio Rahim

Join broadcast journalist Radio Rahim as he comes to campus for the Abbott Lecture, “Three Sided Stories,” on Wednesday, April 29, from 6-8 p.m. in Kathryn Mohrman Theatre. Clear bags are recommended, and light refreshments will be served.

This lecture is formatted as a conversation between Associate Professor Jamal Ratchford and Radio Rahim in ways that center Rahim’s rich life journey and humane fight as a human being and premier boxing journalist of the 21st century. On Til This Day with Radio Rahim, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, guests are introduced to nuanced interpretations on the word “fight” as a humane lens to learn, explain, and humanize the self through dialogue. “Everyone has their own fight, whether they know it or not,” the podcast description reads. “On Til This Day, broadcast journalist Radio Rahim travels through the most compelling life chapters of the greatest thinkers, artists, and fighters of our time”—from Questlove to Michael Che, Sam Jay, Jon Stewart, Rosie Perez, Stan Lathan, and Common. Rahim also gave perhaps the final interview of the late Bob Saget.

This lecture is co-sponsored by the W. Lewis and Helen R. Abbott Memorial Lecture in the Social Sciences; the Journalism Institute; Race, Ethnicity, and Migration Studies; and The Steering Committee for Sport Studies at Colorado College. The W. Lewis and Helen R. Abbott Memorial Lecture is financed by a fund that was established in honor of W. Lewis Abbott, a distinguished scholar, teacher, and social advocate who was professor of economics and sociology at Colorado College from 1920 until his death in 1949.  

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

If you did not complete the All-College Course Evaluation in your current class during the fourth week, please remember to log-in to Banner to complete the evaluation form, which will be accessible to you only until the second Monday of next block when course grades are submitted. Course evaluations are always anonymous, and they are used by faculty when they revise courses in future years.  Evaluations are also seen by committees and the Dean of the Faculty when faculty members are being reviewed for tenure and promotion.

Faculty value student responses and appreciate your participation in this important process.

Enjoy your Block Break!

Sincerely,

Dean of the College and Chief Operating Officer

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

Don’t forget to join your colleagues for the Block 7 In the Loop all-staff meeting on Thursday, April 16, at 8:30 a.m. in Cornerstone Arts Center. The program will begin promptly at 8:30 a.m. Stay afterward for a light breakfast and conversation in Cornerstone Main Space.

Sincerely,

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

The world of cybersecurity and scams is scary, and we’re working working to keep our community protected. Along those lines, you’ll notice a small interface change coming soon. 

We’re replacing the “Report Phishing” button in Outlook with a new “Phish Alert” button. It works the same way you’re used to, but provides more information on the back end and gives us a stronger tool for identifying and responding to scams. 

You may see both buttons on your toolbar for a while, but please use the new “Phish Alert” button with the orange hook going forward. 

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