Have you recently celebrated a wedding, baby, new job, promotion, or honor? Been published, moved into a new home, or welcomed a grandchild? Share your news with the CSU alumni family by submitting a class note. Approved class notes will be published here and in Colorado State University Magazine.
1960s
Margie Smith (B.S., ’69) recently published the novel The Right Thing, an emotional family saga spanning almost a century. The well-received novel paints a vivid picture of the shifting relationships between three women through the decades amidst shifting cultural and societal norms.
1970s
Dr. Bonnie McGee (M.Ed., ’74) has been selected to represent Texas A&M University AgriLife on the Council for Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET), a national grassroots organization created by the Department of Agriculture. Dr. McGee is professor and agency director emerita at Texas A&M University.
Janet L. Poole, PhD (B.S., ’75), professor and program director at the University of New Mexico, was installed at the 51st President of the Association of Rheumatology Professionals, a division of the American College of Rheumatology. In this role, Dr. Poole also serves on the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors for the College. She has been a member of the ARP for many years and honored with the Distinguished Lecturer Award, the Master Clinician Award, and the Distinguished Educator Award.
Stephen W. Smith (M.S., ’75; Ph.D., ’11) received the 2020 Innovator Award from the Irrigation Association. The IA’s Innovator Award honors individuals who have made significant, tangible contributions to the irrigation industry within the past five years. Smith is being recognized for his work and vision related to the creation and development of the Irrigation Innovation Consortium located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The IIC is a collaboration of public and private partnerships working together to accelerate the development and adoption of water-efficient irrigation technologies and practices.
Kent J. Lang (B.S., ’76) was recently hired by Bowman Consulting as Principal, Mining Group Leader. Kent brings 40-plus years of mining expertise which will help drive success for mining operations in Arizona and throughout the Southwest. He will be responsible for quality control, hiring, marketing, and overseeing the overall mining operations.
1990s
Amy Parsons (B.A., ’95), executive vice chancellor for the Colorado State University System since 2015, will leave the System at the end of September to become CEO of Mozzafiato LLC. Parsons, who previously served as deputy general counsel and vice president for university operations at CSU’s Fort Collins campus, helped lead some of the System’s most high-profile projects over the last 16 years. She managed planning and construction of the new Canvas stadium in Fort Collins, spearheaded creation of the Todos Santos campus in Baja California Sur, Mexico, and is overseeing the development of the new CSU Spur campus at the National Western Center in Denver. Before CSU, she practiced law at Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, and Schreck, specializing in commercial litigation.
As executive vice chancellor, Parsons has overseen strategy and initiatives across the three CSU System institutions (CSU Fort Collins, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global) and across Colorado. In 2017, the Denver Business Journal named her one of its 12 Outstanding Women in Business, honoring her innovation, entrepreneurship, professional accomplishment, and community leadership. She has been active in the Denver community including service on boards such as Metro Denver Economic Development Corporation, Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, Big Green, and the National Western Center Authority Board, and as a volunteer with Cleo Parker Robinson Dance.
Becky Jensen (B.S., ’93) wrote the essay “Follow the Hula Girl,” which is the lead story in the award-winning anthology Rise: An Anthology of Change. Winner of the 2020 Colorado Book Award, Rise is a collection of prose and poetry from 38 writers who explore the concepts of accepting and adapting to change, using it to fuel personal growth and renewal.
Craig Jonas (M.S., ’93) is the founder and CEO of Denver-Based CoPeace PBC (copeace.com), a diversified holding company that invests in companies with a core mission to make a positive impact and to address social and environmental problems in the world.
Michael J. McNeal, Ph. D. (B.A., ’95) co-edited the recently published book European/Supra-European: Cultural Encounters in Nietzsche’s Philosophy, a collection of essays that examines Friedrich Nietzsche’s views of Europe and the world beyond it. Published In both English and German. Additionally, Dr. McNeal’s first book, US Approaches to the Arab Uprisings (co-editor and author, 2017), has just been released in paperback.
2000s
Kristin (Taylor) Buscher (B.A., ’03) received her doctorate of education in educational leadership from the College of Saint Mary. Her dissertation concerns experiences of faculty serving on assessment committees and the impact of these committees on building cultures of assessment.
2010s
Justine Dyer Ruff (B.A., ’11) has recently published her first novel, Take My Whole Life Too, a well-reviewed debut about a complex tale of troubled romance and coming to terms with the past. Ruff plans to continue writing and publishing more of her work including poetry, short stories, novellas, and novels. From Southern Colorado, she currently lives in Southwest Washington with her husband Jesse, children Jeanette and Jameson, and multiple beloved animals.
Dalton Pontarelli (B.S., ’15) is an assistant sports performance coach at Duke University.
Kareem Rosser (B.A., ’16) is looking forward to the publication of his book, Crossing the Line: A Fearless Team of Brothers and the Sport that Changed Their Lives Forever next February (Macmillan, February 2021). The African American polo star recounts the unlikely path to opportunity he and his brothers found in the “sport of kings” while growing up in inner-city Philadelphia. Rosser became captain of the first Black high school team to win the national polo championship; he then attended CSU, where he led the University polo team to the national collegiate championship. Now starting a career in finance, Rosser has become a high-profile ambassador for young polo players of color; he has been widely featured in news media and in Ralph Lauren fashion campaigns. Rosser was honored as the 2019 Graduate of the Last Decade by the CSU Alumni Association. Read a full profile at magazine.source.colostate.edu/2010s-pony-up.
In Memorium
1950s
Virginia Kelso (B.S., ’50)
Harriet Leafgren (B.S., ’52)
Boyd Grant (B.S., ’57; MED, ’62)
1960s
Y.G. Tsuei, Ph.D. (M.S., ’60; Ph.D., ’63)
Stanley Hardwick (B.S., ’63)
William Will, D.V.M. (D.V.M., ’63)
Alfred Wohlpart, Ph.D. (B.S., ’63)
Dr. Brent Joy (M.S., ’65; Ph.D., ’67)
1970s
Roger Reinking, Ph.D. (Ph.D., ’74)
Diane Davy (B.S., ’75)
Clayton Roundtree (B.S., ’75)
Stephen Senter (B.A., ’76)
1990s
Linda Odum (B.S., ’91)
2000s
Sandra Godbey (B.S., ’00; MED, ’02)
2010s
Ashley A. Miller (B.S., ’12)
Djibril “Jibby” Diol (B.S., ’18)
Brendan Unitt (B.S., ’19)
Friends
Ronald Bollig
Donald Bowen
Gerry Callahan, Ph.D.
Ida Delehoy
Joan Johnson
Dwayne Koch
Mary McCaig
Charles McJilton
Mona Nielsen
Brian Snow
Wayne Teel
