Winter Commencement, Dec. 14. Photo by Jamie Cotten

By Alexa Gromko

Twenty-seven students walked into Shove Memorial Chapel on Sunday, December 14, 2025, a group small in number but large in presence, to celebrate the end of their college chapter and the beginning of life outside these walls. Though the setting was more intimate than the larger ceremony in May, they received the accolades and recognition they deserved, with friends and family cheering them on.

They heard powerful messages of courage from Commencement speaker Neena Grover, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and RNA Biochemist, and from President Manya Whitaker, whose words inspired and uplifted even as students embark on a world filled with uncertainty.

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Students from the National Geographic Career Catalyst Block with Explorer Bob Ballard, who re-discovered the Titanic. Photo provided by Ryan Bañagale

By Alexa Gromko

They couldn’t be more different in their course of study, career trajectory, or background, but 15 sophomores, juniors, and seniors all shared one common link: the desire to spend a Career Catalyst Block at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Following in the footsteps of the inaugural off-campus Career Catalyst Half Block at Mattel Corporation in January 2024, the focus for Block 2 in October 2025 was on a world-renowned nonprofit, whose CEO is former CC President Jill Tiefenthaler.

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Dustin Fife has been the College Librarian since 2022 and a library director for over 15 years. His research interests include the intersection of leadership and equity in higher education. Fife is the co-author of “A Starter’s Guide for Academic Library Leaders” and was named a Library Journal Mover & Shaker in 2016.

If you’d like to view all of the Block Talks, you can find them on the Presidential Inauguration website.

Film still of como se quiere un lugar pa que los niños quieran su tierra (how to love a place so the children will love their land) (2023) by Laura Sofía Pérez. Courtesy the artist.

A widely held belief about Puerto Rico’s Indigenous people is that they no longer exist, having been decimated by disease, warfare, and colonization brought by European settlers. Yet histories, stories, and practices continue to endure, carried by people and the land itself. Part of the Contemporary Film, Video, and Sound Series, this piece by Laura Sofía Pérez presents evocative stills from Puerto Rico’s interior. The film moves between black-and-white and color footage; between tight close-ups of plants and petroglyphs and wide views of the mountainous topography; between continuous movement and still images that advance to the distinct rhythm of a slide carousel.

Don’t miss this film, running until Feb. 7 in the Lane West Gallery in the FAC.

Lin Okonek, Project Management and Outreach Coordinator for ITS, sells their art and hand-crafted candles at the CC Arts & Crafts fair, Dec. 5 and 6. Photo by Jamie Cotten

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

Thank you to everyone who has reached out with questions and feedback regarding the recent Adobe Sign request. We appreciate the thoughtful engagement and want to provide additional context, clarify intent, and share a small update based on questions that have been asked.

We would like to thank the many employees who have already completed this request. If you have already signed, no further action is required.

As part of our ongoing commitment to maintaining a professional, safe, and responsible workplace, all staff have been asked to complete two standard acknowledgements:

This request was sent via Adobe Sign as part of a phased rollout. In this initial round, the request was sent to all staff who were in active positions at Colorado College at the time of distribution. Future onboarding processes will include these acknowledgements for new employees.

The purpose of these acknowledgements is to confirm that you have reviewed College policies and understand your responsibilities as an employee. They do not introduce new requirements or expectations. Rather, they document existing legal, regulatory, and institutional obligations that already apply to all employees in the course of their work here at CC.

We want to acknowledge that we have listened carefully to feedback from the community. In response, we are updating the title of the Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to “Acknowledgement of Confidentiality Requirements” to better reflect its purpose and provide clarity. This change is intended to make the language more transparent while maintaining the existing commitments regarding the protection of confidential information.

If you signed the document prior to its renaming and would like to provide a new signature reflecting the updated title “Acknowledgement of Confidentiality Requirements,” please reach out to Human Resources at hr@coloradocollege.edu, and we will be happy to assist.

The Employee Handbook is intended to be a reference tool to support you in your role, covering expectations and resources for all CC employees and links to relevant policies. You are not expected to memorize the handbook. We ask simply that you become familiar with its contents and know how to locate relevant information if questions arise.

Colorado College is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of our students, employees, and community members. The Acknowledgement of Confidentiality Requirements reflects your commitment to appropriately secure and handle confidential information accessed through your employment.

Importantly, this agreement does not prevent employees from speaking openly, raising concerns, or reporting misconduct. Nothing in the agreement limits or interferes with your ability to:

The agreement is designed to protect non-public information, such as student records, personnel matters, internal deliberations, and other sensitive institutional data. It:

Because confidentiality expectations vary by role and department, the agreement does not attempt to list every possible type of confidential information. For example, Human Resources, the Registrar’s Office, ITS, Finance, and academic departments handle different kinds of sensitive information.

Employees are encouraged to speak with their supervisors if they have questions about what confidentiality means in their specific work context.

Language in the Acknowledgement of Confidentiality Requirements regarding altering or modifying College documents is intended to prevent unauthorized changes to official records or systems. It does not restrict the routine creation, editing, or maintenance of documents when those activities are part of your job responsibilities.

Completion of the Employee Handbook Attestation and Acknowledgement of Confidentiality Requirements is a standard condition of employment, consistent with common practices in higher education and human resources.

Temporary loss of system access is not intended to be disciplinary. It is an administrative step to ensure required acknowledgements are completed. Access will be restored as soon as the documents are signed.

If you have questions about the documents or how they apply to your role, Human Resources is available and happy to help. Our goal is to ensure these acknowledgements are clear, reasonable, and supportive of you performing your work with confidence.

Thank you for your time, engagement, and continued care for our community.

Sincerely,

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