Alumni Profile

A Century of CU Spirit from CU Twin Peggy Coppom

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:33:00 +0000

A Century of CU Spirit from CU Twin Peggy Coppom Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:33

Maria Kuntz

Peggy Coppom in her �山�� home.

When I arrived at Peggy Fitzgerald Coppom’s (A&S ex’46) home, I was immediately greeted by Eddie Olivari (MPubAd’78), a friend who drives her to and from church daily. He explained that her phone interview with The Today Show was running a little long, but he invited me in, offered me a Coke and showed me the ins and outs of her 1940s pink-and-chrome Frigidaire electric stove.

Peggy is perhaps the most unlikely of modern-day superfans. She doesn’t wear face paint and costumes or seek the attention of cameras and Instagram. When Peggy and her identical twin, Betty Fitzgerald Hoover (A&S ex’46), who died in 2020, began cheering on the Buffs in the 1940s, they were just out to have a good time.

“Growing up on Colorado’s eastern plains, moving to �山�� for high school equated to the big city. At the time, high school games and city dances were the common ways to socialize,” said Peggy.

The twins met their future husbands at Longmont High School, where their love of football and basketball took root.

“We liked basketball and football because that’s what we had in high school. We didn’t have anything else,” Peggy said. “And then we said, well, let’s go. We better go.”

When they enrolled at �山��, they found a new love: CU athletics. In addition to football and basketball, Peggy and Betty started following more sports, including volleyball and tennis.

For some years, raising children took them away from their beloved stands. But that break was short-lived.

“Well, Betty and I used to say — and I still do — we pray and play,” she said. “Prayer is first. Play is second.”

Peggy recounted, “My older son Jack (PE’67) played baseball at �山�� and was an All Big Eight Player his junior year. So we went to all the baseball games in those days.”

In time, the sisters began faithfully attending football and basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, baseball, lacrosse and track, and they became a staple in the bleachers — easily spotted in their custom athletic gold sweatshirts.

Pray and Play

While Peggy is most famous for her Buffalo fandom, there are two constants in her life: church and CU athletics. Raised Catholic, Peggy started attending daily mass in the 1950s.

“Well, Betty and I used to say — and I still do — we pray and play,” she said. “Prayer is first. Play is second.”

Peggy and Betty were known to pray for CU Buffs players, and the list is always growing. Even if Peggy forgets someone’s name, she puts them on the list because “He knows who they are,” she said, pointing upward. Prayer anchors Peggy, and she places it first because it helps her “have good faith, keep a positive attitude and be happy.”

Peggy represents more than CU fandom — she embodies goodness and loyalty. During our visit, I asked her friend Mike Richardson — who is from Estes Park, Colorado, and stopped by with a black-and-gold holiday wreath for Peggy — how they met.

“I was just drawn to her,” he said. “When my kids were little, I’d see the twins at all of the games, and so I finally went up and introduced myself and my kids.”

In November, a packed Folsom Field sang “Happy Birthday” to Peggy on her 100th birthday.

“I just stood there and cried because that’s the way it made me feel — very, very humble,” she said. “I don’t feel like I’ve done anything except be a good fan to CU. [Betty and I] went to so many sporting things. I can’t deny that we have been good fans. We have been.”

But don’t think for a minute that she lacks fire.

When we talked about winning and losing, she said: “If no one wanted the other team to win, it wouldn’t be any fun. It’s a big competition. When the opposing team’s fans come to the game and cheer loudly, those are the games that we get excited about.”

Peggy Gets Her Bowl

“Be loyal. No matter if they win or lose in the end, it’ll make you feel better to be loyal to your school because everyone can’t be a winner every time. And sometimes your loyalty is more important when you lose than when you win.”

The “CU Twins” and their famed school spirit were legendary in �山�� before Coach Prime’s arrival, but Peggy credits him with making her internationally famous.

Reflecting on the press conferences, interviews, photo ops and her own name, image and likeness (NIL) deal, she said, “I was thinking the other day, ‘You know, God, I wonder if your part in this was to help me not miss Betty so much. You’re giving me all these things to do now.’” For the past two years, the �山�� community has filled her life when she needed it most.

When Peggy and I met, the bowl game Coach Prime promised her at the beginning of the season was 17 days away. She would fly first class to Texas for the Dec. 28 Alamo Bowl.

Her advice to other CU fans: “Be loyal. No matter if they win or lose in the end, it’ll make you feel better to be loyal to your school because everyone can’t be a winner every time. And sometimes your loyalty is more important when you lose than when you win.”

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Photo by Glenn Asakawa

Peggy Coppom, a lifelong supporter of CU athletics, celebrated her 100th birthday and reflected on her loyalty to the Buffs.

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Thinking Huts Is Printing a Brighter Future

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:24:56 +0000

Thinking Huts Is Printing a Brighter Future Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:24

Kelsey Yandura

In 2015, “3D printing” still conjured up images of the absurd, the novel or the futuristic — think custom tabletop game pieces, small replacement parts, decorative novelties and even 3D-printed chocolate.

But Maggie Grout (Mgmt’21) has never been one to think small. At just 15 years old, three years before she enrolled as a Buff, Grout walked up to her dad and asked a life-changing question: “What if we 3D-printed a school?”

The answer, in the form of Grout’s nonprofit Thinking Huts, would ripple out to impact not only her own future, but the futures of families and communities across the globe.

Welcome to Bougainvillea

In 2022, seven years after Grout’s initial idea sparked, Bougainvillea was born — a 700-square foot, 3D-printed school in south central Madagascar and Thinking Huts’ first officially completed project.

According to data from UNESCO and the United Nations, sub-Saharan Africa faces the highest education exclusion rates in the world. In Madagascar, the crisis is acute: three-fourths of secondary-age children don’t attend school due to issues like overcrowding and dangerous commutes. One-third won’t complete primary education, and 97 percent of 10-year-olds who finish primary school cannot read simple sentences.

Thinking Huts hopes to change that. Bougainvillea is small but mighty, holding up to 30 students and serving as a beacon of hope for the local community and proof of Thinking Huts’ potential to address the global education opportunity gap.

And while the grunt work of planning and preparing spanned the better part of a decade, the execution was swift — using an industrial-scale 3D printer and a cement mixture, an on-site team printed the modular wall components in just 18 hours. These units were designed to fit together seamlessly, forming a puzzle-like assembly to complete the structure. The roof, doors and windows, handcrafted by local artisans and builders, were added on several weeks later.

Grout recalls: “When I was looking at the walls being printed, I kept thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, this is crazy. It’s finally happening.’”

Patience Pays Off

Thinking Huts was forged at the intersection of two different causes: education and sustainability. For Grout, they are intimately connected.

“We know that in order for us to continue to increase access to education in these communities, we have to have a focus on sustainable building metrics,” said Kristen Harrington, director of development at Thinking Huts. “A lot of organizations focus on speed. But if you’re looking at how to build more holistic communities and better equip families and address the poverty cycle, you have to take the whole picture into account.”

While this kind of long-term, intersectional problem-solving does not lend itself to the immediate gratification of a “quick fix” — each decision requires careful thought, planning and foresight — Grout said the result is lasting.

“It’s not an overnight thing,” said Grout. “We’re trying to set up the next few generations to succeed and go further than us, rather than thinking of the short term. It’s a long haul type of journey.”

A Relational Approach

For Thinking Huts, this kind of holistic approach means focusing on building strong, equitable, sustainable relationships in their partner communities.

“Relationship building is a slow drip,” Harrington said. “It’s an opportunity for us to really assess what’s going to be able to create sustainability in these structures for generations.”

In order to create this sense of longevity, Thinking Huts spends time building trust with community leaders and students, taking their needs and skills into account and assessing how to collaborate with local workers, builders, artisans and technicians. For Bougainvillea, this meant partnering with area manufacturers in the construction process, handing off 3D operational skills that can be applied to future construction projects.

Grout said this relationship-first ethos has roots in her years at �山��, where she said the people she met were the most impactful, including her mentorship with Mike Leeds (Fin’74).

“I think even now I’m realizing how critical it is to have a network of people around you,” she said. “The relationships I developed are the biggest things that I took away from school.”

CEO with a Story

Grout said her passion for educational opportunities has been a lifelong journey. Born and abandoned in a rural village in China, she was adopted by American parents at 18 months old and grew up in the U.S.

“I think I’ve already always been more aware of how people’s lives are different from mine,” said Grout. “I had big visions from a young age, just knowing my life could have followed a very different path. That’s what drew me more to understanding the importance of education.”

The result is a work ethic and leadership style that Harrington said extends beyond her years and has garnered international attention from major media outlets like Forbes and Good Morning America. In fall 2024, Grout was featured as one of Time magazine’s featured “Next Generation Leaders.”

“Maggie has this true grit and determination,” said Harrington. “She doesn’t want any child to feel like they don’t have the access that she had because she was adopted. So now she can bring opportunity to children in the pockets of the world that often don’t see innovation.”

Honeycomb on the Horizon

For Grout and her team of 10, Bougainvillea is just the beginning. Next up is the Honeycomb Campus. Named for its design of adjoining hexagonal bases, this multi-building project will serve three remote villages on the west coast of Madagascar. The project is set to include solar power and Wi-Fi access and will impact more than 200 students ages four to 16, starting in summer 2025.

When asked about her approach to the future and how she’d encourage other innovators in philanthropy and sustainability, Grout emphasized a sense of hope.

“I know that what we do now will have a major impact later on,” she said. “I am trying to aspire for a legacy of change, even if it takes time.”

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Photos courtesy Thinking Huts

Thinking Huts, founded by Maggie Grout, uses 3D printing technology to build sustainable schools in underserved communities.

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From College Roommates to National Business Co-Founders

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:55:22 +0000

From College Roommates to National Business Co-Founders Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 13:55

Sophia McKeown

In 2023, Eddy Connors (Bus’21) and Luke Siegert (FilmSt’22) went from college roommates and fraternity brothers to startup co-founders when they launched Goodie Bag, a marketplace for surplus food. The app aims to reduce food waste by offering “perfectly good unsold food” from local businesses at a significant discount. Since its inception, Goodie Bag has expanded nationally to over 200 partnering shops, including OZO Coffee, Charleston Bagels and Blend Juice Bar. Connors, who serves as CEO, talks about the company here.

Eddy Connors, middle left, and Luke Siegert, far left, started Goodie Bag in 2023.

You came up with Goodie Bag during a CU entrepreneurship course. How did it come about?

From the get-go, we wanted to muster up an idea that would both make positive social change and generate profit. There was an opportunity to prevent good food from going to waste by connecting it to people at lower prices. That business idea ended up winning the “Startup Summer” pitch competition.

How did you and Luke go from college roommates to business partners?

As roommates, we would always talk about different business ideas, different industries that needed to be shaken up. We both knew there was so much opportunity to create better outcomes for people and our planet, and that excited us.

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced in scaling the business?

In the beginning, our biggest challenge was figuring out the technology of our app since Luke and I were not engineers ourselves. We also faced some team challenges that required difficult conversations early and often as we took the company from a school project to a full-time business. Team is everything.

With over 200 partner shops and 45,000 meals saved from going to waste, what are your next big goals for Goodie Bag?

Our greatest goal is to ensure no good food goes to waste. That’s the vision that guides us. As for what’s next, we want to increase our presence in existing markets by partnering with more shops in cities like Denver, �山�� and Fort Collins.

Reflecting on your journey from CU student to CEO, what advice would you give current students interested in launching their own businesses?

Do it! In all seriousness though, just remember that inaction is always the wrong answer. Know that you’re going to have failures along the way, but as long as you’re able to learn and adapt, it’ll be a worthwhile experience.

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Photo courtesy Goodie Bag

Eddy Connors and Luke Siegert transformed their college project into Goodie Bag, a successful startup that connects local businesses with consumers to reduce food waste.

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Authentic Storytelling in Higher Education

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:49:51 +0000

Authentic Storytelling in Higher Education Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 13:49

Kelsey Yandura

A principal at TVP Communications, a boutique public relations agency specializing in higher education (higher ed), Teresa Valerio Parrot (Comm, EPOBio’97; MPubAd’03) is known as the agency’s “president whisperer” for her ability to help senior administrators translate their expertise into sharable insights (think: blogs, podcasts and other media formats). Valerio Parrot also co-hosts the Trusted Voices podcast and is the founding co-editor and a contributor to the blog “Call to Action.”

What are some of the biggest issues higher ed is facing?

Higher education is critiqued for being too elite, expensive and out of touch — but these criticisms boil down to an education being too far separated from someone else’s current experience, reality or memory. When I talk to people about their own experiences of college, I almost exclusively hear stories about how a degree positively changed someone’s life.

If you could communicate one thing to institutions, what would it be?

I would encourage institutions to own their excellence and stop trying to be like everyone else. Each institution has its own sparkle, and they often lose what makes them unique when they try to be like everyone else. Mimicry is where institutions go to die.

You’ve been called a ‘higher ed truth teller.’ What does that mean?

It is easy for leaders to surround themselves with those who tell them what they want to hear. I tell presidents and boards what the moment requires and what it demands from a leadership response — which means telling the truth. It’s never the easy route, but it’s the appreciated approach.

Why does higher ed matter today?

Higher education provides opportunities. Degrees and institutions make a difference in graduates’ lives, create economic impact in their communities and directly benefit society through research.

How did your time studying and working at CU shape your career?

I majored in just about everything CU had to offer before settling on communications and public relations, and I’m so thankful this is where I landed. This field has allowed me to travel the world, specialize in higher education and launch my own business. Through the university, I have been fortunate enough to learn from and have access to phenomenal leaders, mentors and communicators who invested in me as a professional and human being. I’m forever grateful to CU and the Presidents Leadership Class for seeing my potential and investing in me as a professional.

Sko Buffs!

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Photo courtesy TVP Communications

Teresa Valerio Parrot, a principal at TVP Communications, helps higher education leaders communicate their unique stories and expertise.

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81-Year-Old Earns PhD from �山��

Julia Maclean — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 19:40:59 +0000

81-Year-Old Earns PhD from �山�� Julia Maclean Mon, 03/10/2025 - 13:40

Christie Sounart

At the age of 81, Alan Cohen (PhDHist’24) defended his dissertation and received his doctorate in history from �山��. His work focused on the early years of commercial jet aviation and the Boeing 707. Before returning to school, Cohen spent many years working in government and running a Denver-based scrap metal business, Iron & Metals, Inc.

Talk about your career.

I received my undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkeley, then went to graduate school for economics at Yale. Afterward, I got a job working with USAID in South America and spent nine years in Guatemala and Colombia before becoming an economic consultant on natural resource issues in Washington, D.C. Later, I took over as manager at the family scrap metal business in Denver. When I approached retirement myself, my son took it over from me.

What was your experience pursuing a PhD?

Economic history interested me, particularly in the American West. When living in Colorado, I met CU professors Ann Carlos and Patty Limerick and took their courses as an auditor and eventually decided to take the courses for credit. I figured I would learn more by actually doing the work. I took the first course about 15 years ago. It took me six years to do all of the coursework before I passed the oral exam. My wife and I moved to Palm Springs because she was sick, and that slowed my research down. When she died, I moved back to Denver to be near my two sons. After another long break during COVID, I finally finished my dissertation in about two years.

What was it like going to school in your 70s?

Going back to graduate school was a wonderful experience — learning from younger people and this generation of teachers. One of my biggest takeaways has been political: I think of myself as progressive, but I’m actually a lot more conservative than some of the younger generation.

Will you take any more classes?

I think I will start another research project. I’m fascinated by Singapore and its modern history, especially how it managed to break away from colonialism successfully.

What else should we know about you?

I started out as a young person learning about the American Civil War, and my interest grew out of that. Also, when I went to Berkeley, it was free — California didn’t charge tuition to in-state students at the time. Right now, I’m helping a couple of other students go to college by paying their tuition. It’s payback for my free education.

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Photo courtesy Alan Cohen

Alan Cohen earned his doctorate in history from �山��, reflecting on his diverse career and passion for research.

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Sights Set on �山��: Why Two CU Alums Moved Back

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:57:54 +0000

Sights Set on �山��: Why Two CU Alums Moved Back Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:57

Karen Reid

When my husband, Charlie Reid (PhDMechEngr’89), and I were grad students at CU, leaving Colorado was definitely not on our to-do list. But after graduation, new job opportunities drew us eastward. Our plan was always to return to �山��, but what started out as an anticipated five-year stint in New Jersey stretched to 10 and continued across multiple states as our careers progressed.

Now, after three decades, we’ve finally moved back. And while we were expanding our horizons, growing professionally and raising a family, �山�� was growing, too. We kept an eye on our town from afar, but now we have the opportunity to see and experience the changes firsthand.

The university’s campus has grown both in size and reputation: CU has doubled down on research, now boasting five Nobel laureates, and has gained international recognition. Students have so many more options for courses, programs and opportunities. The number of buildings, dorms and parking structures has also grown exponentially, and what were once empty fields filled with prairie dogs is now the thriving research hub of East Campus. Other notable changes include the expansion of Folsom Field and the shifting of school colors from sky blue and gold to a more sophisticated palette of gold, black and gray. Even the journalism school (where I studied) has been reincarnated as CMCI.

Things off campus have changed, too. The town of �山�� has put itself on the map. It consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top college towns, is a hotbed for entrepreneurial and innovative endeavors, and is currently in contention to host the Sundance Film Festival.

While change is inevitable, it’s bittersweet to see some of the transformations: Friday Afternoon Club (FAC) events at the Harvest House hotel are no more, Tulagi’s on The Hill is gone, the Kinetic Sculpture Challenge race folded, Crossroads Commons has been razed and reconceived as the 29th Street Mall, and the Pearl Street Mall no longer boasts many of our old haunts.

That being said, the myriad of new restaurants, experiences and shops to explore seem boundless, and old favorites like Peppercorn, Trident Booksellers and Café, and Into the Wind remain. Mike’s Camera is still nearby, and The Sink is as vibrant as ever!

Daily, I meet fascinating people, motivated students and inspiring colleagues. �山�� is bikeable and walkable — and who can deny the spectacular view? Even when things seem unfamiliar, all I need to do is glance at my beloved Flatirons and I am reminded that, while evolution is unstoppable, some things never change. �山�� will always be vibrant, beautiful and, quite simply, home to me.

Karen Reid (Jour’84; MA’90) works for �山�� RIO as a marketing and communications specialist and teaches public speaking as a lecturer in the CMCI communication department.

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Photo courtesy Karen Reid

Karen and Charlie Reid graduated from �山�� and left town over 30 years ago. Here's why they decided to move back.

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Fall 2024

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Anchored in Excellence: From CU to the High Seas

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:52:09 +0000

Anchored in Excellence: From CU to the High Seas Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:52

Erika Hanes

Admiral Stephen T. “Web” Koehler (Phys’86) has dedicated his life to the U.S. Navy. Inspired by his father’s career as a Navy pilot, Koehler began his own career in naval aviation upon graduating from CU, where he was commissioned through the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC). After nearly 40 years as a naval aviator, he assumed command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet in April 2024.

How did your education at �山�� prepare you for a career in the Navy?

My studies in physics made me a more competitive recruit when I joined the CU Navy ROTC. This was especially beneficial when I attended the Navy’s Nuclear Power School later in my career, ultimately enabling me to command a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

What leadership principles do you prioritize when commanding a team, both in combat and in peacetime?

Whether in war or peace, operating well requires every individual to maintain a constant pursuit of excellence and a mastery of their area of expertise. A highly skilled team is able to make the extremely difficult look routine. Cooperation and teamwork are non-negotiable standards in any mission.

Reflecting on your roles in major operations, such as Operation Desert Storm, Southern Watch and Iraqi Freedom, what do you want the next generation of military leaders to know?

Every generation of leaders faces new challenges. Our success, however, depends on compassion, care, standards and true leadership of those who work for and with you. Only with a shared understanding of service and a common purpose will you succeed as a team.

What do you see as the biggest challenges for the U.S. Navy in the coming years?

Since the end of World War II, the U.S. Navy has preserved and promoted a rules-based international order with relative peace and prosperity. In the years ahead, we must continue to strengthen our ability to maintain this peace and prosperity with cutting-edge technologies, the innovation of our warfighters, and enduring coordination with our allies and partners — and we always do so with honor, courage and commitment.

Can you share your favorite memory from your time at �山��?

It is hard to pick a single memory. It varies from hiking and climbing in Chautauqua Park and Eldorado Canyon to the CU football win over Nebraska in the fall of 1986. I still remember that win, because there is nothing like the taste of victory.

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Photo by Christopher Sypert

Admiral Stephen T. “Web” Koehler (Phys’86) shares his journey from CU to the high seas, highlighting the Navy’s enduring values of honor, courage and commitment.

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Fall 2024

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Breaking the News: A Journalist's Perspective

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:50:53 +0000

Breaking the News: A Journalist's Perspective Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:50

Cynthia Barnes

In 2022, Allison Sandza (Jour’09) became the executive producer for the CBS News Streaming Network’s coverage for Washington, D.C. She has also served as a senior producer for Meet the Press, the longest-running show in television history, after stints at PBS and CNN. Born and raised in the capital city, Sandza is committed to reaching an audience that increasingly turns to digital devices for their news.

What led you to journalism?

I grew up in a news household: My parents met in a newsroom before my mom became a lawyer. I grew up with framed newspapers on the walls. So, to say politics and news is in my blood is probably an understatement. It is what I was meant to do.

How do you see streaming platforms evolving for political news coverage, especially in this election cycle?

We are the live and breaking news arm of CBS News. We rush toward the stories, and in this news cycle — especially this political news cycle — it’s just faster than ever.

How did your time at CU and in �山�� affect what you’re doing now and what’s happened in your career?

In my last semester at CU, I took what ended up being my all-time favorite class: a media ethics course. I still think about that class. Every day, every single day, I think, “Is this fair? Is this sourced enough?”

We try to make sure that we are explaining the context and analysis of the whole picture, all while it’s happening in real time. I learned those nuts and bolts in journalism school at CU.

How do you balance breaking timely political coverage with the desire for, as you said, more nuanced, in-depth reporting on complex issues?

Every day, it’s a conversation and an internal struggle. I do think CBS News is unique in that it’s a place that’s known for taking a beat, for taking context into account with every story. It’s the home of 60 Minutes. It’s the home of in-depth reporting and analysis. So I think we’re very careful — we admit in real time when we still don’t know something. That is really the only way to operate. And I think it’s authentic, which audiences now crave.

Any final thoughts?

It’s a privilege to be able to cover this election, to be able to really write this first draft of history. That’s such a journalism cliché, but I think it’s a cliché for a reason.

Editor’s note: This interview was conducted prior to the November 5 election.

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Photo by Hugo Ross/ CBS

In 2022, Allison Sandza (Jour’09) became the executive producer for the CBS News Streaming Network's coverage for Washington, D.C. Here's why she's committed to reaching an audience that increasingly turns to digital devices for their news.

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Fall 2024

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Mining the Moon: A New Era of Commercial Space Exploration

Anna Tolette — Tue, 12 Nov 2024 20:49:47 +0000

Mining the Moon: A New Era of Commercial Space Exploration Anna Tolette Tue, 11/12/2024 - 13:49

Kelsey Yandura

Elizabeth Frank (PhDGeol’14) is helping pave the way for a new era of space exploration and commerce as the chief scientist at Interlune, a Seattle-based startup aiming to become the first private company to harvest the Moon’s natural resources, namely the stable isotope helium-3.

This useful gas, while rare on Earth, is abundant on the Moon and sought after for its uses in medical imaging, nuclear fusion research, quantum computing and more. For the extraction and transportation of the isotope, Interlune plans to build a lunar harvester that the company would fly via spacecraft to the Moon.

What is the vision in terms of the future of space mining and space commerce?

We are trying to find novel ways to leverage the commercial space sector for planetary exploration. What makes people excited about Interlune is that even though we have this vision that seems kind of sci-fi, we have actual customers on Earth in areas like quantum computing, medical imaging and national security. There is an actual demand.

Your PhD was in planetary geochemistry at CU. What led you to �山��?

There’s an incredible space community in �山�� — a lot of interdisciplinary work among CU departments and organizations like LASP and the Southwest Research Institute. When I was touring CU, I was handed a list of planetary scientists in �山�� that was upwards of 50 people. I thought, “Oh my gosh, there’s just so much going on.”

Your work seems to challenge the idea that industries exist in a silo. Can you talk more about your multidisciplinary approach?

When you’re a PhD student, you are expected to be a specialist. But I don’t actually identify anymore as a specialist. I’m a generalist — I have a PhD in planetary geochemistry, but I’ve also worked in spacecraft engineering, mining consulting, business development and more. To move humanity forward, you need people like me to stitch the specialists’ work together in new and exciting ways.

What topics in the field have been piquing your interest these days?

Ethics and sustainability are really top of mind. The mining industry has a long legacy of harming both people and the environment. I think that we can learn from the mistakes of the past. We want to be intentional and thoughtful about how we use technology and extract space resources for human use.

Any thoughts or advice for recent graduates?

I think PhD students and graduates should know that just because you got your degree in one topic, doesn’t mean you have to stay in that field. You can redirect your career in unexpected and exciting ways. Stay open to opportunities and take them — you never know where they’ll lead you.

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Photo courtesy Elizabeth Frank

Elizabeth Frank (PhDGeol’14) is helping pave the way for a new era of space exploration and commerce as the chief scientist at Interlune, a Seattle-based startup aiming to become the first private company to harvest the Moon’s natural resources.

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How Michael Washington is Uncovering Nature in L.A.

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Jul 2024 06:00:00 +0000

How Michael Washington is Uncovering Nature in L.A. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 07/16/2024 - 00:00

Kiara Demare

A decade after graduating, Michael Washington (Jour’12) longed for the outdoor community he had found at �山��. In 2022, he left his career in the music industry to become founder and CEO of Usal, a community-based program helping Los Angeles residents participate in unique outdoor activities, workshops and trips. Usal hosts about 20 to 30 events per month, including woodturning, astronomy, fly-fishing, foraging, surfing and cooking.

How did you come up with the idea for Usal?

I felt there was a missing link between people who wanted to get into outdoor hobbies and activities, and a place for them to go. A group setting didn’t exist that felt safe, accessible and approachable, while also providing resources and education on how to learn to do those types of outdoor activities and experiences.

Where does the name come from?

It’s a place near and dear to my heart: Usal Beach is a dispersed beach campground at the southern tip of the coast in Northern California that I would go to from time to time. It inspired me a lot, especially when trying to figure out my next career move.

How did your time in �山�� influence Usal’s creation?

Having those four years in �山�� was crucial. I was given the opportunity to explore and be curious — both in a social sense with meeting new people, and also adventuring in the foothills of the mountains. As I grew my career in Los Angeles, I began to lose my connection to nature. Thankfully, I made a point to find it again when I realized how important it was to me.

Where do you see Usal in five years?

The obvious thing I think about is growth. Growth to me is being able to offer what we do to more people and taking what we do here in Los Angeles and bringing that to another location.

Any final thoughts?

Before anything and everything else, this endeavor feels very true to the person I am and the person who I want to continue to be. I think stumbling over the past 10 years — coming out of college and trying to understand what that means — were important steps to feeling competent and learning what interests me, what excites me and what fulfills me. All those steps led me to eventually leave the music industry to start Usal at age 32. It’s finally coming together.

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Photo courtesy Usal Project

A decade after graduating, Michael Washington (Jour’12) longed for the outdoor community he had found at �山��. In 2022, he left his career in the music industry to become founder and CEO of Usal, a community-based program helping Los Angeles residents participate in unique outdoor activities, workshops and trips.

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