Posts tagged CU-Boulder
Buff Classic “epic” bike ride aiming higher
Aug 27th
higher for CU-Boulder scholarships Sept. 8
If the distance and difficulty of Colorado’s many organized bicycling events is any indication, a flat, 100-mile bicycle ride is not, for many riders, quite tough enough.
That’s one reason the 11th annual Buffalo Bicycle Classic’s longest route will go farther and climb higher than any of the event’s courses so far. The “Buff Epic” will span 110 miles and ascend a total of 6,250 feet. It retraces much of the most mountainous section of Stage 6 of the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge.
The Elevations Credit Union Buffalo Bicycle Classic is scheduled for Sept. 8 and is expected to draw more than 2,000 participants. The event raises scholarship funds for high-performing University of Colorado Boulder students who qualify for financial aid.
The epic century ride will start on campus, ascend Boulder Canyon to Nederland, follow the Peak to Peak Highway past Ward, descend St. Vrain Canyon to Lyons, head north to Carter Lake and turn south to return to Boulder.
During the Buff Epic, Boulder Canyon’s westbound lane will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. to approximately 9:30 a.m. Male and female riders in five age groups will compete for polka-dotted jerseys, signifying their climbing prowess. They will be judged by their times on the ascent of a 13.5-mile section from the base of Boulder Canyon to Barker Reservoir.
Times will be measured by individual riders’ GPS devices and recorded on Strava.com. While there is the canyon competition, ride organizers emphasize that the Buffalo Bicycle Classic is not a race but a ride for those of all strength and ability levels.
The 2013 Buffalo Bicycle Classic includes its traditional courses that cater to all cycling abilities: These courses include the 70-mile, 50-mile, 35-mile and 14-mile Little Buff family-friendly community ride.
“The Buffalo Bicycle Classic accommodates riders of every ability,” said Todd Gleeson, former dean of the CU-Boulder College of Arts and Sciences and one of the ride’s founders. Gleeson, a professor of integrative physiology, directs CU-Boulder’s new Health Professions Residential Academic Program.
“The Buffalo Bicycle Classic combines two things close to our hearts: access to higher education and the love of bicycling,” Gleeson said. “An event that combines both improves town-gown relations, heightens riders’ physical fitness and, most importantly, lowers one barrier to higher education.”
Since 2003, the Buffalo Bicycle Classic has raised more than $1.8 million for scholarships and funded about 800 scholarships.
Chris Kerns, who graduated cum laude in anthropology from CU-Boulder in 2005, is one of those scholarship recipients. He is now finishing a Ph.D. in archaeology at the University of Southampton, England, and figures he’s one of a relative few scholarship recipients who have completed a Buff Bike Classic century ride.
“Any opportunity to support deserving students in their academic endeavors is absolutely worth it. Great young minds can achieve amazing things as long as they get the support necessary to further their goals,” Kerns said. “The scholarship from the Buffalo Bicycle Classic is one way in which to support and inspire students to succeed and accomplish amazing things.”
Scholarship recipients are selected based on grade-point average and financial need. They cannot apply for the scholarship and don’t know they are being considered until they learn they have won. All net proceeds go toward scholarships, and a portion of the registration fee is tax-deductible.
For more information on the Buffalo Bicycle Classic visit http://www.buffalobicycleclassic.com. To see a 2012 CU Foundation video of scholarship recipients discussing what the scholarship meant to them visit http://youtu.be/Pj1l_ihaA8w.
-CU-
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New financial educator to help CU-Boulder students navigate money matters
Aug 22nd
The CU Money Sense program was created by the Bursar’s Office in 2009 to provide student financial workshops and other educational opportunities including “Money Smart Week,” according to Susie Jacobs, the program’s director.
“This year our program added a new financial educator position to provide our students with one-on-one education sessions,” Jacobs said.
Niomi Williams, the new financial educator, will offer the free one-on-one sessions in order to give CU-Boulder students — and alumni — a financial leg up in what can be a challenging chapter in many young adults’ lives.
“When I was a recent college graduate, I found myself with student loan and credit card debt and not enough income,” Williams said. “I didn’t know how to manage my finances, I was a mess. My goal in this new position is to help students steer clear of money mistakes and lay the foundation for a stable financial future.”
While all individuals’ needs will be different, Williams said students can request a one-on-one session with her to cover basic financial questions such as how to organize and budget money, a challenging task for many people. Or they can just come in to talk about other financial issues or questions they may have.
“For many students, college is the first time they have to really manage their money, everything from paying rent to understanding how much their student loan payments will be when they graduate,” she said.
Williams said she won’t be offering investment or tax advice, but she hopes she can help students excel in money management.
“Once I learned how to organize and control my finances, all the pressure and financial stress I had been feeling went away,” she said.
Students who don’t want to sit down with Williams can visit the CU Money Sense website at http://bursar.colorado.edu/cumoneysense. Students also can check out the Facebook and Twitter pages, or follow the CU Money Sense blog, all of which can be accessed on the main website. CU Money Sense also puts on several workshops throughout the school year on financial topics of interest to students, free of charge.
Upcoming CU Money Sense workshops include:
- “Money Matters Information Sessions,” Aug. 21-23, 3-4 p.m. in University Memorial Center room 247.
- “Best Money Apps and Websites for Students,” Aug. 27-28, at 3 p.m. in University Memorial Center room 353.
- “Intro to Money, Banking and Budgeting in Boulder for International Students,” Sept. 18, at noon in University Memorial Center room 425.
-CU-