Posts tagged students
CU-BOULDER STUDENT NATHAN ROBERSON CHOSEN FOR PBS’S STUDENT FREEDOM RIDE
Apr 7th
University of Colorado Boulder senior Nathan Roberson has been selected from a national candidate pool to participate in the “2011 Student Freedom Ride,” organized by the Public Broadcasting Service show “American Experience.”
The ride will present an experiential learning opportunity for the participating college students in conjunction with the broadcast of “Freedom Riders” and the 50th anniversary of the original May 1961 Freedom Rides.
Roberson (pronounced RAH-ber-son) is an international affairs major with interests in ethics and voter enfranchisement.
The 40 Student Freedom Riders were chosen from nearly 1,000 applicants and represent a diverse cross-section of America. Participating students hail from 33 states and the District of Columbia, along with others who grew up in China, Tajikistan and Haiti.
Students from a broad range of schools are represented — from state universities to community and junior colleges, from religiously affiliated schools to the Ivy League. Students were selected on the basis of their essays on their reasons for wanting to participate, their thoughts on the role of social media and technology in civic engagement today, and their extracurricular activities.
Over a 10-day journey from May 6 through May 16, the ride will be a moving classroom in which the students will retrace the route of the original Freedom Rides. Accompanied by filmmaker Stanley Nelson, original Freedom Riders and others, the ride will engage students in this important era in our country’s history, as they learn about the extraordinary commitment and courage of the individuals who took part in the Freedom Rides.
Roberson will miss his May 6 commencement ceremony to participate in the PBS event.
“At ‘American Experience,’ we think history is fascinating, but more importantly, we know it informs almost every social and political decision made today,” said “American Experience’’ executive producer Mark Samels. “We saw that in Egypt, where protesters looked to the American civil rights movement for instruction and inspiration.
“Fifty years after the original Freedom Rides, young people all over the world are once again having their voices heard. They’re using new and very different tools to do that, but drawing on lessons from history to inform how they use those tools. It’s those lessons from 1961 and how they are informing civic engagement today that we look forward to exploring on this ride.”
“Freedom Riders” will be broadcast on PBS on Monday, May 16, at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
A website, twitter stream and Facebook page will be chronicling the riders experiences, as well as cataloging in-depth information about the original Freedom Riders.
Deadline approaching for scholarships available to multicultural students
Apr 7th
Boulder County, Colo. – Scholarships ranging from $500-$1,000 each are available to low-income students through Boulder County’s Community Action Programs.
Applications are due by Friday, April 15 and are available at www.bouldercounty.org/government/pages/multiculturalawards.aspx.
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
• Minimum one year residency in Boulder County
• Currently attending university, community college or technical school as a full-time undergraduate or graduate student
• Low to moderate income level
Scholarships are made possible through proceeds from the Community Action Programs’ annual Multicultural Awards Banquet. Preference is given to students actively involved in a student or community organization.
Prior scholarship recipients are not eligible to apply again and scholarships are not available to students graduating from high school this spring or summer.
Students of color are strongly encouraged to apply. Please contact Sheila Goetz at 303-441-3976 or sgoetz@bouldercounty.org for more information.
FORMER PRESIDENT OF MEXICO VICENTE FOX TO SPEAK AT CU’S MACKY AUDITORIUM
Mar 28th
Vicente Fox, former president of Mexico, will speak at the University of Colorado Boulder’s Macky Auditorium on Wednesday, April 13, at 7:30 p.m. He is coming to campus at the invitation of the Distinguished Speakers Board, a student organization at CU-Boulder.
Fox will present “Surveying the Geo-Political Landscape” and speak on his perspective on the state of the world. He will touch on the relationship between the United States and Latin America, the role of the United Nations and the promises of globalization, both fulfilled and unfulfilled. There also will be a question and answer session.
Tickets are $1 for students with a valid BuffOne Card. Community tickets are $15 for general admission and $30 for priority seating, and are being sold through Ticketswest.com and local King Soopers locations.
Doors will open at 6:45 p.m. No backpacks or skateboards are allowed inside the building.
“We believe Mr. Fox gives an important voice on the current geopolitical climate,” said Distinguished Speakers Board Chair Punam Chatterjee. “He can provide a new understanding of current economic and social challenges as well as provide his perspective on global leadership. We also believe he will connect with many students, as well as the community, because of his expertise in many fields and because of current events.”
Fox was the president of Mexico from 2000 to 2006. When elected he ended the rule of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. During his term in office he succeeded in controlling inflation and interest rates, and in achieving the lowest unemployment rate in Latin America. He studied business administration at the Universidad Iberoamericana and afterward pursued a Top Management Diploma at the Harvard Business School.
Fox has four adopted children. He was born in Mexico City in 1942 and grew up on San Cristobal Ranch in the municipality of San Francisco del Rincon, in Guanajuato state. Post-presidency he wrote an autobiography, “Revolution of Hope: The Life, Faith and Dreams of a Mexican President,” and travels for public speaking engagements.
“Fox’s experiences as a businessman, educator, politician and leader in a foreign country are attractive to the CU community, which appreciates diverse perspectives,” said Distinguished Speakers Board Public Relations Director Taylor Coughlin.
The Distinguished Speakers Board mission is “to bring speakers of the highest caliber, who will intellectually stimulate the student body and the surrounding community. Ultimately, we hope to inspire people by bringing some of the world’s greatest minds to the University of Colorado Boulder.”
The board is a student-run organization and part of the CU student government. Previous speakers brought to CU-Boulder by the board have included Queen Noor, Thomas Friedman, B.B. King, the Rev. Desmond Tutu, Howard Dean and Karl Rove.
