In this School of Public Affairs interview, recent graduate and transfer student Jan Arismendy Valderrama '25 shares his journey from Caracas, Venezuela, to CU Denver, where he pursued a Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice with a concentration in Law Enforcement and a minor in Public Administration. He discusses how his background in law enforcement, passion for public service, and drive for leadership in policy reform led him to CU Denver, and how faculty support and flexible programming helped him thrive. He also reflects on favorite professors, landing a full-time role with the CU Boulder Police Department, and advice for future students navigating nontraditional academic paths.
As the recent crisis in Los Angles demonstrates, disaster preparedness and recovery are more salient issues than ever, and they are also more politicized. On January 30, 2025, Congressman Jason Crow (CO-6) joined Center for Community Safety and Resilience (CCSR) and CU Denver’s School of Public Affairs to discuss the unprecedented level of politicization regarding disaster relief funding in Congress.
Jeff Lamontagne is the Executive Director of Dinosaur Ridge, where he has served since 2017. Over the past 22 years, Jeff has led three nonprofit organizations in the Denver Metro area, beginning with Second Wind Fund, which he co-founded in response to a local high school suicide crisis. He also served as Executive Director of Bluff Lake Nature Center and has been involved with five boards during his career.
Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice major Lindsay Abramson shares experience as a student at CU Denver and as an intern with Auraria Police Department.
The Center for Community Safety and Resilience (CCSR) and the School of Public Affairs presented a panel discussion on intimate partner violence on October 22, 2024. The panel addressed many facets of intimate partner violence, including language and definitions related to the term, contributing factors, effective interventions, and ways that people and communities can be involved to prevent the problem and support survivors. The event took place in October because October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, a designation begun by Congress in 1989.
Alison Burke is a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Southern Oregon University, where she has taught since earning her Ph.D. from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2008. Over the past 17 years, in addition to teaching and research, Alison has served on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club of the Rogue Valley and the Resolve Center for Dispute Resolution and Restorative Justice.