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Buffs, finals are nearly over and it’s almost time for summer break. As I reflect on the past academic year, I’m so proud of your work, accomplishments and contributions to our community. On our campus, we have a great tradition of end-of-semester events that I have had the privilege of attending. To highlight a few, Phi Delta Theta, a member of the CU IFC, hosted a wonderful fundraiser for ALS on a beautiful Friday afternoon. It was great to speak with the men of that chapter and hear about their successes. CUSG hosted its second annual sexual assault awareness 5k, and I enjoyed running with students, staff and faculty alike to raise awareness and money for this important issue. And of course, I served food to students at the Late Night Breakfast, which is my favorite way to commemorate the last day of class! To celebrate, I’d like to share some key events and highlights from this year that demonstrate how important students are to our success.

Student-led programs host speaker events, concerts and more

Students in , the Distinguished Speakers Board and the Cultural Events Board are responsible for many notable events that took place this year, including: 

• Talks with singer and actress Rita Moreno, best-selling author and former actress Jennette McCurdy, and actor Kal Penn.
• This year’s Homecoming concert featuring Evan Giia and Chet Porter, and the Spring Show featuring Cordae and N3ptune & Rusty Steve.
• An evening of comedy with John Mulaney.
• Free movies and advance screenings of new releases during the Friday Night Film Series.

If you’re looking for new ways to meet others and gain professional work experience next year, consider joining a student-run program. 

Student employees contribute to our success

Thousands of students work part-time jobs on campus. The work of our student employees directly contributes to the success of our campus community, and we would not be successful without them. 

Each year the university recognizes students who have demonstrated exemplary work, choosing one Student Employee of the Year. Congratulations to Student Employee of the Year Monserrat Estrada Martin, first runner-up Xavier Cisneros and the rest of the 2022-23 Student Employee of the Year nominees.

Many Student Affairs departments are hiring students for the summer and fall 2023. If you’re looking for a part-time job, consider working on campus. 

Students give back through CU in the Community 

CU in the Community is a series of student-led volunteer projects in collaboration with local nonprofit organizations. This year, students volunteered with:

• The : Volunteers worked to beautify the center’s grounds and help maintain a safe space for the wild patients in their care.
• : Volunteers helped with cleaning resident living areas, replenishing food and water, and giving the animals some love and attention.
• : Volunteers made no-sew fleece blankets that were donated to this organization.
• : Volunteers helped build homes in the Ponderosa neighborhood. 
• : Volunteers supported those with limited mobility in a “trail trial” up short trails at NCAR in Boulder, led by Lockwood Foundation trail leaders. 

In addition to giving back to your community, volunteering allows you to meet new people, build professional skills and gain experience for your resume. Connect with the Volunteer Resource Center to find opportunities this summer and next year.

Students donate over 4,000 emergency meal cards to help fight food insecurity

Swipe It Forward donation events allow students with meal swipes to ‘pay it forward’ and support their fellow Buffs. Donated meal swipes become available as emergency meal cards to students in need of extra support. 2,472 meal swipes were donated in fall 2022, and 1,966 swipes were donated in spring 2023—giving us a total of 4,438 donated meal swipes for the academic year. 

New organizations, events with Fraternity and Sorority Life

Three new organizations joined Fraternity and Sorority Life this year, including a Latina-founded sorority and the first historically Black fraternity to return and officially register at CU Boulder. 

I also had the opportunity for the second year in a row to be a judge for Songfest. This event is a themed dance competition between different teams and the grand finale of Greek Week. Additionally, the Multicultural Greek Council hosted Stomp Your Heart Out, a yard show to honor and celebrate stepping and strolling, which was a lot of fun to watch. These high-energy events showcase the talents of our students in fraternities and sororities, and are something I look forward to each spring semester.

Students lead sustainability efforts

This year, CU NightRide added new electric vehicles to its fleet to transition away from fossil fuels. As another student-led program, the changes in the CU NightRide fleet reflect the concerns of students regarding climate change.

Students also participated in the fourth annual President’s Sustainable Solutions Challenge this April. This event allows students to pitch their ideas for sustainable innovations and solutions on campus, with the chance to win a monetary prize. All proposals are considered for implementation review and funding after the competition ends.

These highlights are only a fraction of your accomplishments and contributions to our campus community. You should be proud and have much to celebrate as the academic year comes to a close. 

If you are graduating this week, I wish you the best of luck in the future. Your hard work has paid off and I hope you take some time this week to celebrate your academic achievement. I also hope you’ll stay connected with your Forever Buffs community. 

Have a great summer, and remember—you are Buffs wherever you are!

Devin Cramer
Acting Dean of Students and Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs