Senior Verena Fuentes is flourishing in the signer/songwriter program in the Music & Entertainment Industry Studies department. "I love about this school that more than a competition, it feels like teamwork so that we can all succeed," says Fuentes.
Student Autumn Cierra says photography helped her "develop an understanding about the way the world works and how we as humans interact with it." Graduating this spring with her BFA, Autumn has already launched her own business.
As CAM's Finance & Operations Manager, Anthony Wilson is frequently the first point of contact for faculty members looking to provide a scholarship opportunity or finance a special project. Although he doesn't create art himself, Anthony delights in being able to smooth the way for students and faculty members "changing the world" through their art.
"CAM allowed me to be incredibly flexible with what I wanted to do...I found out I loved photography because of CAM’s encouragement to experiment," Sebastien Chiu ('20) says. A Film & Television major, Chiu eventually found his professional calling as a freelance consultant who focuses on publicity and community management in the high-end consumer audio industry.
"The visual arts have a way of reflecting the human condition while communicating indescribable sensations, ideas and states of experience that would otherwise be impossible to convey," says CAM alum Scottie Burgess '16.
"After developing my skills in career coaching and advising, when the opportunity presented itself to combine that skillset with arts, music, film and scholarship, there was no doubt in my mind that this was the job for me," Amy Foss says of her position as CAM's Life Design and Career Coach Advisor.
As an academic advisor, Diccon Conant is a strong supporter of students' careers. He could even be called a patron of the arts: "Over the years I have admired (and sometimes purchased!) art created by students I have advised. I have loaded their music onto my phone, posted their paintings on my wall, visited exhibitions, concerts, and film showings, and even worn a t-shirt that a student designed."
"When you are an artist, it is a calling and quite simply, it is difficult, if not impossible, to pursue anything else," advisor Karin Hunter-Byrd says. Hunter-Byrd pursues her own calling in the arts and higher education through her role as an advisor in CAM.
Production design professor Nathan Thompson says each set is "a new puzzle to solve with new challenges required by the story and the director's vision." Thompson shares how he uses these challenges to spur creativity in our five question interview.
Denise Larson began her career in academia teaching English as a second language. Now she helps CAM students navigate the waters of study abroad programs, among other things.
"Working with analog materials forces students to slow down and be more conscious of their choices," Prof. of Photography Carol Golemboski says when speaking of the merits of film and the darkroom.
"I am always surprised at the efforts our students go through to make it through their degree programs," Professor Sam McGuire says of the students he encounters in the Music & Entertainment Industry Studies program.
As the Program Manager for the Music & Entertainment Industry Studies (MEIS) department in the College of Arts & Media (CAM) at CU Denver, Christie would like aspiring musicians to know this: The business side of the music industry is just as important as the talent.
Digital design professor Michelle Carpenter originally came to Colorado on her way to Los Angeles to try her luck in the music scene. She visited friends in Boulder and fell in love with the area, the rock climbing, and the Colorado lifestyle.
"After having worked in different cultures, I feel cross-cultural experiences broaden the lens through which we view the world around us. It informs our storytelling and our philosophy as filmmakers and educators," filmmaker and senior instructor Roma Sur says.
Molly Farrell White went from film school at CU Denver straight into professional camera work. White credits the collaborative nature of CAM with helping her prepare for the fast-paced environment of real-world filmmaking.
Todd Reid was only 11 when he performed his first real gig on the Mississippi riverboat Delta Queen. Since that time, Reid has been involved in local music scenes from Cincinnati to New York City to Denver. A senior instructor in CAM, Reid specializes in percussion, jazz, and electronic music.
Lily Williams is an author, illustrator, and storyteller whose work covers topics from conservation, to menstrual equity, to mental health. As a lecturer at CU Denver, Williams encourages students to find their own creative voices.
Professor Andrew Bateman caught the filmmaking bug while studying at Metro State College in Denver. His professional and academic pursuits took him across the U.S. and back again, where he began teaching in CAM in 2016.