Page Guide

Page 1

Student Spotlight

Page 2

Architecture Spotlight

Feed The Need

Page 3

Denver Free Days

5 Stress Relieving Foods

Page 4

Wrapping Up Semester

Kudos Section

Page 5

Director’s Corner

Page 6

Diversity Event

Poem

College Memes

Page 7

Society of TRiO Students

End of Semester Event

Job Announcement

Page 8

Workshop Calendar

THE PILLAR

A MONTHLY JOURNAL OF THE TRiO SSS COMMUNITY

“Helping Students Realize Their Full Potential”

April 2016

The TRiO SSS Office is delighted to spotlight Maria Sanchez Mar-

tinez in this month’s newsletter. She graduates this semester with a

major in Creative Writing and a minor in Ethnic Studies. Maria en-

tered the program in summer 2012 and has been an active member

ever since. Maria is an avid reader and writer. In addition, she en-

joys watching television shows, movies, and documentaries, which

further inspires her writing. Maria enjoys exploring new things in

other languages, because she is intrigued with how different cul-

tures see the world and learning about their unique cultural tradi-

tions. Maria loves music in English, Spanish, Japanese, and Kore-

an. She is open to anything that is pleasing to her ears and will lis-

ten to it, ranging from pop to indie to metal. Overall, college has

been a great learning experience for Maria, not only in the class-

room but outside of it. She was able to learn and improve many of her abilities, such as time man-

agement, multitasking, and organizational skills. Working to provide for herself and having full-time

classes has made her more alert to solving problems efficiently. College made her a great student,

but also a great person. Maria’s short term goals are to graduate this spring and begin an entry level

position in her field. Maria’s long term goal is to be able to write on her own terms without work or

any other thing, being a restriction. She realizes that this goal will take time, but she is confident that

she will accomplish it. One of Maria’s most memorable moments was when she realized that Crea-

tive Writing was what she wanted to study. When she changed majors, she felt a huge relief and

happiness for making that decision. Maria credits TRiO with providing her the assistance and sup-

port she needed throughout her years at CU Denver. She was able to learn how to manage herself

better as a student and prioritize things more efficiently. Maria states, “Knowing I had a team of sup-

port available if I needed help was such a huge weight off my shoulders.” Maria’s advice to other

TRiO participants is “to utilize TRiO as much as possible, any and

all questions and concerns are completely valid and you shouldn’t

be afraid of asking them. The TRiO team is there for you.”

Congratulations to you Maria, and we wish you the best in your

future endeavors!

Maria’s favorite quote:

“Prefiero morir de pie que vivir de rodillas.” ~ Emiliano Zapata

(translation: It is better to die on your feet than to live on your

knees.)

Student Spotlight—Maria Sanchez Martinez

Page 1 The Pillar

The CU Food Pantry has been providing free food for students in need of assistance since 2011 and operates on a donation only basis without funding from student-fees. The Feed the Need event will directly benefit students who visit the food pantry on a weekly basis. Beginning in the Fall 2016 semester, the CU Denver Food Pantry has decided to focus on foods that are nutritionally significant (Ex: Quinoa vs. Macaroni and Cheese). However, they will gladly ac-cept any donations that you donate to the Food Pantry! They are focusing more on quality than quantity.

In the good spirit of gathering food items for the CU Food Pantry, there is a competition to reward and recognize the university department that has collected the most food items, as determined by a point system found below. The TRiO SSS program has registered as TEAM TRIO, and you will be able to drop off food items in the Feed the Need box, located in the front of the office.

Point System: 3 points: Dry goods (Pasta, spaghetti, etc), Fruit Bags (Assorted varieties)

2 Points: Protein (Tuna, chicken, etc) Dessert Mixes

1 Point: Soup Cans Vegetable Cans and Hygiene items

1/2 point: Snacks

Submitted by: Henry Ornelas

Fun and Facts: Architecture Major

Being a female architecture student is definitely noticeable on this campus. The majority of architecture students are males, but there are a lot of women too. The learning environment is really awesome here. There is a full floor of studios with open classrooms so students can check out each other’s work and give feedback. Also it is a great opportunity to learn from higher level studios. In stu-dio every individual has his/her own creativity, intelligence and way to work with projects that is unique. Some teachers say that teaching architecture can be very hard because its’s based on concepts and designing ideas, and they can’t

teach how to think or how to design. It is really hard for the instructor to say do this and that in a certain way, be-cause there is no right or wrong way to complete the project as long as the purpose of the assignment is being delivered. In my point of view, I truly believe designing is a skill that gets developed through research, practice and feedback. This degree is certainly a degree that is based on passion for what needs to be done and patience, because it can seemingly take forever to get a project done. I always think that if you do something you love and hate at the same time, then it is the right degree to choose. Most of the time, when people know that a close friend or a family member is studying architecture, the first thing they say is “You’re going to build my house!” As exciting as it sounds, and it truly is exciting, reality is another matter. As the time passes and the

student earns the degree and is finally able to design a house, 50% of the people back out because they realize it is really expensive to build a house even with a personalized discount by that close friend or family member. Back to the architecture program, overall it is a very competitive environment, students are al-ways challenging themselves to try new ideas and create awesome projects to impress everyone. For that reason, the architecture building is open 24/7. There are many rooms that have screen projectors or flat TV’s for presentations. Sometimes these rooms become movie theaters, or are used to play Xbox and PSP. As an architecture student, I would say I have a very unpredictable schedule and demanding college life, but in the end, what I am gaining from this program, is worth it.

Submitted By: Jocelyn Mujica-Martinez

Page 2 The Pillar

CU Denver’s “Feed The Need”

Denver Museum of Miniatures, Dolls, and Toys Community Day www.theminitimemachine.org/ Sunday, Apr 3, 2016 1880 Gaylord St, Denver, CO 80206 $1 suggested donation.

Denver Botanic Garden-Sunday April 3th. www.botanicgardens.org/FreeDays Botanic Park featuring hundreds of native plants & blooms, plus a kids' garden & art exhibits.1007 York St, Denver, CO 80206

Denver Art Museum-Saturday April 2nd. www.denverartmuseum.org/Free-Day You're also invited to celebrate creativity and Latin cultura at CelebrARTE on Free First Saturdays with bilingual activities for toda la familia.

Denver Museum of Nature and Science-Saturday, Apr 23, 2016 http://www.dmns.org/ 2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80205

5 Stress Relieving Foods

Denver Free Days

From: http:www.prevention.com/mind-body/emotional-health/13-healthy-foods-that-reduce-stress-and-depression/berries

Submitted By: Amy Abdelrahman

Chamomile tea: This gentle herb can relax muscles and have a calming influence on

nervous irritability and anxiety.

Avocados: We need B vitamins for healthy nerves and brain cells, and feelings of anxiety

may be rooted in a B vitamin deficiency. Avocados are rich in stress-relieving B vitamins.

Cashews: One ounce of cashews packs 11% of the daily recommended value of zinc, an

essential mineral that may help reduce anxiety.

Blueberries: Containing antioxidants and vitamin C blueberries are great stress-busters.

When we’re stressed, our bodies need vitamin C and antioxidants to help repair and protect

cells.

Salmon: The mega-3 fatty acids in salmon have anti-inflammatory properties

that may help counteract the negative effects of stress hormones

Page 3 The Pillar

Derek Hall received an impressive score in his Abstract Math of 93%, a 96% score in

his MATLAB course, and a 99% in his Calculus III course. Keep up the good work

Derek!

William Mundo was accepted to the 2016 masters of science public health cohort. Good job William!

Adrian Villa is currently completing an internship with the political science department at the Colorado

State Capital. Way to go Adrian!

Ashley Rodriguez received an A on her physiology exam. Kudos to you Ashley!

Jennifer Villalobos was accepted into the masters of science degree in Health

Services Research , Policy, and Administration at the University of Minnesota.

Good job Jennifer!

The celebration... you cannot practice it or anything. It's a moment when the

excitement of your goal makes you react to the moment. ~ Peter Bondra

Submitted By: Dina Elfadli

Kudos Section

Hello everyone,

I hope you guys have been doing well academically and physically this semester!

Hopefully everyone had a refreshing spring break with time to relax or catch up

on some studying. Hang in there, I believe there is only about 6 weeks left! Can

you guys believe it? I know I can’t. Congrats to everyone especially to those who

are graduating this year and those who completed their first year of college! If

you are concerned about your grades or anything please feel free to contact your coordinator or peer mentor. In

addition, reach out to the resources at the Learning Resource Center such as tutoring, open lab or supplemental

instruction. It is never too late! I recall a time when I was struggling in a class and I received tutoring when

there were only a few weeks left. Every little bit of help comes a long way! While everyone is busy with classes,

work, and extracurricular activities, don’t forget to slow down and find time to do things you really enjoy. With

that said, I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes:

“First I was dying to finish high school and start college. Then I was dying to finish college and start working. Then I was dying to marry and have children. Then I was dying for my children to grow old enough for school so I could return to work. And then I was dying to retire. And now, I am dying – and suddenly I realize that I forgot to live.” ~ Unknown

Submitted By: Kevin Li

Wrapping up the Semester

This section is dedicated to creating an encouraging environment by

highlighting the many achievements accomplishments, and awards

that the TRiO SSS students have received. Congratulations to all of

the following TRiO Students!

Page 4 The Pillar

Hello TRiO students,

I know that some of you had the opportunity to participate in an Alternative Break over Spring Break and I have heard back from a few of you that you had a wonderful and productive time. We are very fortunate on this campus to have programs like Alternative Break that are inexpensive and allow our students to go out of state and be of service to people in other communities. It feels good knowing so many of our TRiO SSS participants have taken advantage of these opportunities and are contributing back to society in that way. Kudos to all of you who have participated in an Alternative Break Program, and kudos to those of you who haven’t yet, but plan to before you graduate. If you did not have a chance to participate in an Alternative Break program, I am hopeful your Spring Break was restful and fun. We in the TRiO SSS Office are looking forward to hearing more about what you did over break. For those of who stayed home, we want to know more about how it went for you when the blizzard hit our city. A couple of us in the office have some fine tales to talk about getting stuck on the roads that wonderfully blizzardy Wednesday.

We are getting ready for our spring visit to the AMC and we have a large number of you already signed up for that visit. This semester we will have the opportunity to hear from the Medical School, Physician Assistant, and the Public Health Programs about opportunities in the health sciences. We will again have a panel presentation with students across all health fields at the AMC. Please sign up in the TRiO SSS Office for the April 22, 2016 visit to the AMC. It is a full-day Friday event. We will meet at 8:00 am at the CU Denver campus in front of the Lawrence Street building where we will take the bus to the AMC. We should arrive back on campus by 4:00 pm. Lunch will be provided by the Office of Inclusion and Diversity.

May 6, 2016 is our scheduled Graduation/Certification Celebration in the Tivoli 440 from 12:30 – 2:30 pm. We will again partner with the Learning Resources Center. There will be entertainment, plenty of good food and some inspir-ing words to hear at this wonderful event. We hope you will join us for that, especially those of you graduating this spring and summer semesters. Woo Hoo! You are graduating, Congratulations! We are so happy for our graduating seniors, you made it and now new doors of opportunity will be opening up for you. In the TRiO SSS office, we will be saying good-bye to William Mundo, Mielat Asrat, Jocelyn Mujica-Martinez and Thi Nguyen, who have been peer mentors and office staff for at least a year. We will miss them as we know all of you who were mentored by these wonderful students will miss them as well. Come to the celebration so you can say your goodbyes to these wonderful young people and all our other wonderful graduating seniors.

If any of you TRiO SSS participants are interested in working for TRiO SSS, we will have positions opening up for fall 2016, or even possibly summer 2016 if you will be enrolled over the summer. We have peer mentor and office staff applications available in the office. You must have work-study to be considered for a position. For the peer mentor posi-tion, you must have completed at least 60 credit hours and maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA. For the office support posi-tion, you must have been enrolled in TRiO SSS for at least one semester and have at least a 2.75 GPA.

As we get closer to the end of the spring semester, I hope you all are still motivated to work hard at completing your semester with the best grades possible. If you need tutoring, be sure to utilize the Learning Resources Center, the MERC Lab, the Writing Center and the TRiO SSS office. Also, be sure you are on track to complete the requirements for the TRiO SSS Book Scholarship. For those of you who have not yet completed a financial literacy session, we have the in-class option still available or you can complete a session on-line through Money 101. I will send out another invitation very soon to students who are not yet registered in Money 101. You must accept the email invitation I send you to join the UCD_TRiO_SSS_ 2015-16 group. Once you get that invitation, click, join the group. I will get an email from Money 101that you have requested to join the group. I will then send you an email that you are now a member of the group and I

will send you instructions for completing a session. I also suggest you attend your last meetings with program staff and your last workshop for the semester, in April if you are working towards the book scholarship requirements and please remember that at the latest, all students must meet full requirements by May 6, 2016 to be considered for the scholarship to be awarded in fall 2016.

Take care! - Teresa De Herrera

Director’s Corner

Page 5 The Pillar

3rd Annual Diversity Networking Event

The 3rd Annual Diversity Networking Event (DNE) was held on Tuesday, March 15th and it

was a complete success. The overall goal of the event was to help students recognize that their

cultural heritage is an asset in their professional journey. Students, staff, faculty, and the com-

munity were all invited to participate in the networking event. The event consisted of a key

note speaker, panelist, and a round table of professionals from a variety of backgrounds in-

cluding medicine, academia, engineering, business, law, and many other more professions.

Students had an opportunity to network with community and campus members in a relaxed

atmosphere. This also gave students an opportunity to hear inspiring stories from our diverse

professionals. By attending, students gained a better understanding of the value of diversity in

the workforce and the additional skills employers’ desire. Overall, students received advice on

how to maximize their college experience and leverage their cultural assets.

Submitted By: William Mundo

College Memes

Submitted By: Thi Nguyen

Poem: “Laughter Is A Gift”

Page 6 The Pillar

Laughter is a gift

It doesn't mean your fit

But it will soften any tension

It could be considered stress prevention.

Find a reason to laugh

Just look at funny giraffes

Watch a funny show

A transformation you will go.

Read a silly book

And laugh so others will look

Or watch some children play

They always find a yea!

The most wasted of all days

Is one where laughter is delayed.

When life gets you down

Please don't frown.

So take this wonderful gift

And don't ever be miffed

Laughter makes living

For us to be giving

Written By: Catherine Pulsifer

We are pleased to announce that the TRiO SSS office is currently hiring student staff. There are a total of four

positions available, two peer mentoring and two office assistants. Interested candidates may visit the TRiO of-

fice and request an application. Business and STEM majors are encouraged to apply. The required documents

for applying to the positions will include the application, an application statement, résumé, copy of current

course schedule, college transcripts, and a reference list. Descriptions of duties, responsibilities, eligibility re-

quirements, and pay will be on the application. We look forward to receiving your application!

Must have work-study

Society of TRiO Students Club

The Society of TRIO Student’s (STS) Club hosted a St.

Patrick’s Day bake sale on 3/17/2016 in front of the

TRIO Student Support Services office. The STS Club

members donated drinks, decorations, desserts and

fruit for the bake sale, and they volunteered to man the

table. The St. Patrick’s Day bake sale was successful.

Thank you for those of you who brought food and

decorations. The STS Club would also like to thank

those who volunteered to man the table the day of the

event.

Past March Event

Graduation Certification Celebration

Page 7 The Pillar

Society of TRIO Student’s (STS) Club is participating in a hygiene

drive for the month of April. The STS Club will have a hygiene box by

the sign-in computer in the TRIO Student Support Services office,

located in SC, Suite 2011. The STS Club would like to ask its members

to donate hygiene item(s), such as toothbrushes, tooth paste, hand san-

itizer, floss, non-alcohol mouthwash, shaving cream, face wash, soap,

body wash, shampoo, conditioner, cotton swabs, feminine products,

first aid supplies, lip balm, lotion, deodorant, wet wipes and other hygiene items. The items that are collected will

be donated to the Women’s Resource Center. Each item that is donated puts you in a drawing for a prize.

Submitted By: Mielat Asrat

Upcoming April Event

TRiO SSS Job Announcement

The Learning Resources Center (LRC), TRiO SSS, and Society of TRiO Students would like to cordially invite you to

the Spring 2016 Graduation Certification Celebration to recognize the accomplishments and achievements of gradu-

ating TRiO participants and LRC tutors. Enjoy meeting other students, free food, and join in the celebration!

Date: May 6, 2016

Time: 12:30 pm—2:30 pm

Location: Tivoli 440

We hope to see you there!

1Learning Resources Center: RSVP at: http://www.ucdenver.edu/life/services/LRC/StudySkillsRegistration/Pages/form.aspx 2Financial Aid and Scholarship Office: No RSVP required 3Office of Global Education/Study Abroad: No RSVP required 4Career Center: RSVP at the Career Center at 303.556.2250 or by stopping in person at Tivoli 267 5Writing Center: RSVP at Hyperlinks Provided 6Counseling Center: RSVP at http://www.ucdenver.edu/life/services/counseling-center/appointments/counselingcenter/Pages/Groupsform.aspx 7Pre-Health: No RSVP required 8Financial Literacy Sessions: No RSVP required 9TRiO SSS campus visit to Anschutz Medical Campus: Registration in the TRiO Office

April Workshop Calendar

Page 8 The Pillar

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri

1 April Fool’s Day! Music comes from an icicle as it melts, to live again as spring water ~Henry Williamson

4

1Critical Thinking Skills

SC, Suite 2018

12:30 pm—1:30 pm

Concentration

SC, Suite 2000

3:30 pm—4:30 pm

5

8Brown Bag Breakfast

With Dr. Ferguson

SC, Suite 2000

8:30 am—9:30 am

1Critical Thinking Skills

SC, Suite 2018

2:00 pm—3:00 pm

6 8Financial Literacy:

Build and Maintain

Your Credit

SC, Suite 1401

12:00 pm—1:00 pm

2Financial Aid Verification

SC, Suite 2000

2:00 pm—3:00 pm

6Stress Less

Tivoli 454

5:00 pm—7:00 pm

7 8Financial Literacy:

Budgeting

SC, Suite 2000

10:00 am—11:00 am

5Writing a Curriculum

Vitae (C.V.)

NC 4014

11:00 am—1:00 pm https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cu-

denver-writing-a-curriculum-

vitae-cv-040716-tickets-

21019275218

8

11

Procrastination

SC, Suite 2000

11:00 am—12:00 pm

1Time Management

SC, Suite 2018

2:00 pm—3:00 pm

12

Job Search Tips

SC, Suite 2000

12:30 pm—1:30 pm

1Time Management

SC, Suite 2018

12:30 pm—1:30 pm

13 8Financial Literacy:

Filing Your Taxes

SC, Suite 1401

12:00 pm—1:00 pm

4Stress & Choosing

A Major

Tivoli 267

2:00 pm—3:15 pm

6Getting What You

Want in Relationships

Tivoli 454

5:00 pm—7:00 pm

14 3Study Abroad 101

SC, Suite 4018

3:30 pm—4:30 pm

8Financial Literacy:

Psychology of Money

SC, Suite 2000

10:00 am—11:00 am

15

18

1General Study Skills

SC, Suite 2018

2:00 pm—3:00 pm

Stress Management

SC, Suite 2000

3:00 pm—4:00 pm

19

Research Basics

SC, Suite 2000

11:30 am—12:30 pm

1Test Taking Skills

SC, Suite 2018

12:30 pm—1:30 pm

20 8Financial Literacy:

Investment Mistakes:

The Who, What, and How

SC, Suite 1401

12:00 pm—1:00 pm

6Peace of Mind

Tivoli 454

5:00 pm—7:00 pm

21

Graduate School

Preparation

SC, Suite 2000

3:30 pm—4:30 pm

22 9AMC Visit

8:00 am—2:00 pm

(RSVP in TRiO Office by

April 20th 5:00 pm)

25 4Foundations of

Job Searching

Tivoli 267

12:30 pm—1:45 pm

2Financial Aid Verification

SC, Suite 2000

3:30 pm—4:30 pm

4Job Search For Non-

Traditional Students

Tivoli 267

5:00 pm—6:15 pm

26

Studying Abroad for

Non-Traditional Students

SC, Suite 2000

1:00 pm—2:00 pm

4Advanced Resume

Writing

Tivoli 267

2:00 pm—3:00 pm

27 8Financial Literacy:

Student Loans: Know

Your Repayment Options

SC, Suite 1401

12:00 pm—1:00 pm

4Effective Networking

Tivoli 267

3:30 pm—4:45 pm

6Managing Your Mood

Tivoli 454

5:00 pm—7:00 pm

28

Test Strategies

SC, Suite 2000

10:30 am—11:30 am

4StrengthsQuest (SQ)

Interviewing

Tivoli 267

3:30 pm—4:45 pm

(RSVP required)

29