Paige's Blog

Juana Bordas- Denver's Latina Leader

IF 

You have not heard the name Juana Bordas, I suggest googling it. 

What you'll find is one of Denver's most inspirational leaders that comes from a colorful background. Not only has she been an advocate for women in business, but for young latinas, education and a voice for the unheard in the community.

She is the founder of Mi Casa- a nationally recognized woman's resource center that focuses on family,  education, and rebuilding individual foundation through empowerment.

An activist for latinos and addressing social injustices, Juana has dedicated her life to servant leadership because it is what she loves and lives for.  

Author of "Salsa, Soul & Spirit, recipient of Leadership Legacy Award, inducted into Colorado Women's Hall of Fame, advisor to Harvard's Hispanic Journal, the list continues with Juana's great accomplishments. 

It was an honor to be invited to attend the release party of her newest book, "The Power of Latino Leadership." Juana read several excerpts and each one was just as powerful and inspiring as her presence.

Check out Tattered Cover in Denver for her newest book or Amazon.com 

 

DU's - Living & Learning Communities (LLC's)

Heart set on coming to DU next year?

Still haven't quite made up your mind? 

Well-

If you are planning on living on campus next year- consider looking into DU's Living & Learning Communities. YOU decide which appeals to you most and apply to be apart of these awesome groups. Currently, DU has 7 communities to choose from:

CREATIVITY & ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Convert creativity into a viable business.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Build sustainability at home and around the world.

INTERNATIONAL

Gain a global understanding with local relevance.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

Gain tools to work for justice and create social change.

WELLNESS

        Adopt healthy approaches to life, spirituality and community

Pioneer Leadership Program

        Develop leadership skills of the future

Honors Program

        Intensify your coursework with research and in-depth study

Above descriptions from DU website: http://www.du.edu/livinglearning/

These great communities automatically bring people together who share interests, passions and are the foundation for innovation and involvement on campus. If you are the type of person that thrives off of shared inspiration, learning, personal development and resources to help bring all of these aspects together- perhaps an LLC is just what you are looking for.

My personal experience has been with PLP (Pioneer Leadership Program) and it has been an incredible experience. Even as a senior- I am still intricately connected with not only my peers, but with my advisors, younger classes and even PLP alumni!  

These groups on campus work at connecting students with communities in Denver that are working on sustainability projects, community service, social justice issues and other pertinent issues in community. 

LLC's are a great way to get connected, stay connected, and explore your passions.

Check this website out for more information on how to apply, activities and events. Remember- don't hestiate to contact DU to speak with any student involved in an LLC of interest. 

http://www.du.edu/livinglearning/

Cheers!

College Visit Season- Crunch Time!

 

You've already taken all the national exams you need, you've completed the application, you've narrowed down schools, you've probably already received acceptance letters... Now what? You really focus on the whole "visiting colleges" process and try to ask the questions that will help you make the most informed decision. Right?

Is it exciting?  Absolutely.

Is it weird to think that the next stage of your life will revolve around this _____ campus for 4 years? Yes.

Do you feel more mature, but don't know exactly why? - Maybe- (You should).

Are your questions more about social life than how many academic majors the college offers and what year the library was built? Most Likely.

Does it bring stress & anxiety?  To mom and dad- yes. AKA student feels it 10 times worse.

You may or may not agree with the my answers to the above questions. However, one thing I know for sure is that no one forgets their college applications, the visits (sometimes repetitive) or the big day that we decide which college is the best fit and will become home to millions of experiences that you can not predict.

Fortunately- 

DU is not only bustling with April showers, May flowers and Spring time fever- but also with more than 2,000 students coming to visit campus this week. As a student, I'm proud to share my college home with future students and it never fails to bring back the nostalgia of beginning this journey that is already coming to an end for me. 

 

Best of luck!

Colorado Ski Season Ends

 

Sadly-

Colorado's majestic snow season must come to an end. It is the end of March and the tree's leaf buds are budding, flowers are being planted and skiers are getting their last weekend in on the slopes. 

I'm a Colorado Native and this year has been my VERY first time ever on the slopes. I had made it a goal my first year of college to head to the mountains to see what the big deal was- could going down a hill on some random boards really be that fun?

Well- 

It turns out it's a BLAST. Literally it is adrenaline pumping flying down a hill, challenging maintaining balance, and incredible being surrounded by the most incredible peaks. Pristine snow, twinkling blue sky, great company (with friends or family) and a camarederie with fellow skiers and snowboarders that is undescribable. 

Did I become a double diamond black skier in two days of skiing? Absolutely not. BUT- there's room for improvement and more than one reason to venture out again next year. 

End of Spring Snow!

Estes Park with beautiful Colorado blue skies

Breath taking Rocky Mountain National Park

Long's Peak in the background

Children playing in the snow

Mountain Goats

Thank you Pioneers!

photo taken from DenverPioneers.com

The DU Pioneer men's basketball team had a great run this season. The Pios season was lead by junior, Chris Udofia, all the way to a number 3 seed in the NIT tournament in College Park, Maryland. Unfortunately, a disappointing loss to number 2 seed Maryland ended the season with a record of 22-10. 

Just want to say thank you to senior, Chase Hallam, for four years of academic and athletic inspiration and dedication to our Denver Pioneers. A role model for many and we wish you luck in your career endeavors!

Also- to our head coach, Joe Scott, for being the heart of the team and leading with integrity.

The Pioneers are left with a young and talented team to come back strong next year. 

Huge shout out to all of the Pio fans and students who showed support throughout the season and attended the home games! 

Looking forward to the Lacrosse season-

GO PIONEERS!!!

Click on below link for full recap of Denver vs. Maryland game 

http://www.denverpioneers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=18600&ATCLID=206861563

Consider Yourself a Leader?

Leadership is an interesting concept to study. 

There is a constant stream of information pertaining to the topic of leadership, historic leaders, current leaders, and strategies to become a future leader. 

Reading articles about leadership has allowed me to better understand myself and how to function in teams. College is often about working in teams and the better you become at it, the more success you will experience- guaranteed. It is an invaluable life skill that I now greatly appreciate.  Read on for some FORBES tip on leadership. 

 

Check out Forbes Magazines top 15 things leaders do automatically, every single day. 

1) Make others feel safe to speak up

2) Make decisions- leaders try to maintain momentum 

3) Communicate Expectations

4) Challenge People to Think- don’t let your team become complacent. Know their strengths and challenge the people around you.

5) Be Accountable to Others

6) Lead by Example

7) Measure and Reward Performance

8) Provide Continuous Feedback

9) Properly Allocate & Deploy Talent- know your team's strengths 

10) Ask Questions, Seek Council

11) Problem Solve, Avoid Procrastination

12) Positive Energy and Attitude

13) Be a Great Teacher

14) Invest in Relationships

15) Genuinely Enjoy Responsibilities

To read further details in the article, follow the link below:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/glennllopis/2013/02/18/the-most-successful-leaders-do-15-things-automatically-every-day/

 

Think Internship

Internship- Noun

Intern- Proper Noun- Student

Interning- Verb- Present Tense

 

 

The word internship is a vocabulary word that all college students contemplate. 

Unfortunately there are quite a few stereotypes that go along with "Internship"

For example:

• Unpaid
• Coffee Runner
• Cabinet Keeper
• Keyboard Specialist
• Grunt Work
• Resume Cushion 
• Irrelevant

 However- 

I do think that many, including myself, would make  a strong argument that internships can be anything BUT those boring words stated above in BLUE. 

I have held an internship since my first year of college. I have worked for a non-profit, consulting company, fashion line design company, and have even traveled abroad for an international internship. 

All of them have been instrumental in my college education because I was able to apply them to topics that I was learning simultaneously. Do I have a "cushioned" resume, I mean, it looks full.... Was I doing the grunt work for some? Hmmm. Not necessarily--- as I was constantly learning new processes, working with senior level management, and creating some of my own tasks.

All of a person's experiences are going to be what they themselves make of them. Instead of looking at it as "grunt work"--- perhaps look at it as an innovative project that could more than likely use some upgrading, streamlining, or just an overhaul.

 

OH- AND--- not all of my internships have been unpaid- matter of fact-

ALL of them HAVE BEEN PAID. 

Did I luck out? No- I just worked hard on finding a good fit and proving that I was worthy of a $1 or $2. 

 

There's Never a Dead End

"Many times in life, we will find ourselves at a dead end. Far from being a sign of failure, these dead ends are in fact a developmental necessity."    -Timothy Butler.   I have found that there is never a dead end in life. When it looks like you see one coming, it is only necessary to turn left or right.  If there is no left or right, this means that you are forced to create a path - even if it is slightly off road. These types of decisions in life have made me think the most critically. Have made me a better problem solver. Have helped me to develop actual life skills. No one really wants to come to a dead end--- dead ends signify being stagnant. No growth. No opportunities. No development or innovation. We all should be RUNNING from anything that resembles a dead end.  I think that the most successful people are the people that never conclude a dead end. Why? They change or create a  direction and are  always thinking forward. Positively. They think on their feet.  It is essential to have obstacles, ruts and speedbumps, but as my mother reminded me yesterday-- hardships, difficulties, frustrations-- happen to make me a stronger person.  Without adversity or hard decision making, there is no growth or personal development. My most creative projects, essays, business decisions, life decisions-- have all stemmed from when I was quickly approaching a dead end and needed to think FAST to get out of it.   Just some thoughts as graduation approaches and that feeling of panic begins to...

Transitioning from being ABROAD

Currently,

I'm still in Argentina- but sadly I only have one week left.

After a 6 month internship adventure, I will be returning home for the holidays, and back to DU to begin my last Winter Quarter.

Do I want to go? No.

Am I ready to go? No.

Do I know that this is part of the process? Yes.

Do I have FANTASTIC things to look forward to at DU? Absolutely.

Therefore- of course saying goodbye to all of my friends and co-workers I have made here is going to be difficult- but at the same time, if I didn't feel any sadness at all- I would have been better off not coming at all.

Because almost 80% of DU students travel and study abroad during their college career, it's comforting to know that almost anyone I talk to on campus will be able to relate to my experience. Even if theirs was in Australia, Thailand, Chile or Germany- campus is filled with international experiences and friends. 

Things to look forward to:

• Moving back in with my roommates/ best friends
• Winter Quarter classes begin & I have two classes with two of my favorite professors
• Seeing the brand new Penrose Library after construction
• Winter Carnival in February- all of DU heads to the mountains for skiing, sledding, concerts & more
• Working--- With a company I have been with since my first year of college (began as an intern)
• Enjoying the last 6 classes of DU UNDERGRADUATE CAREER
• Enjoying the beautiful Colorado Rockies & the Lively City of Denver :-)

 

As much I have enjoyed being abroad, I know that I have incredible people to connect with at home- friends, family, mentors, professors.

I have a whole adventure I still need to embark on- LIFE

Inside the office-<3 Sismo!

Outside the office- <3 Sismo!