CHHS Spotlight: Dean Szypulski’s 2024-25 academic year reflection

As another academic year draws to a close, I want to express my heartfelt appreciation to every member of the College of Health and Human Sciences.  

This year has certainly seen its share of triumphs and tribulation. Uncertainty and changes at a macro-level is felt locally, and I want to honor the very real impact it has on our CHHS community.  

But throughout it all, I remain hopeful about our future – and it’s specifically because of YOU. Your unwavering dedication, resilience, and collaborative spirit have deeply influenced our collective success and reinforced the strength of our College.  

So whether you’re a student, faculty member or staff, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything you do!

Celebrating Our Graduates 

First, congratulations to our graduates! This milestone reflects your hard work and the collective support from faculty, staff, family, and community members.  

Each graduate embodies the transformative potential of education, ready to make meaningful impacts in their respective fields. And though this chapter of your journey comes to a close, like ripples in a pond, the Changemaking you continue to do will reverberate outward to transform our communities for generations to come. 

Now that’s something to be proud of – so celebrate your achievement; you’ve earned it! 

Strengthening Our Community Through Grants and Partnerships 

Thanks to the work of our Grants Team and incredible faculty, we’ve significantly advanced the CHHS mission through impactful grants and partnerships, particularly focused on mental and behavioral health: 

• The Caring for Denver Program has expanded vital mental health services to underserved communities, addressing the critical need for accessible behavioral health support. 

• Our partnership with CDPHE and local community colleges continues to enhance workforce readiness, ensuring seamless transitions for students pursuing health-related careers. 

• The Colorado Access Partnership brought a remarkable $1.4 million investment, aimed at diversifying and expanding Colorado’s healthcare workforce. This gift underscores our commitment to inclusive and accessible healthcare education. 

• Through a generous $1.2 million USDA Grant, Nutrition faculty Cindy Heiss spearheaded an initiative developing culturally responsive leaders who advocate for diversity within the nutrition and dietetics fields, meeting the diverse needs of our communities. 

• The Behavioral Health Administration has funded two initiatives: An innovative apprenticeship pathways in Social Work provides low-cost licensure opportunities to address workforce shortages; while the Day Health Institute has a wide-ranging initiative that, among other things, continues to expand peer-health education in local schools. 

• The Department of Education Health Scholar Program continues delivering crucial educational resources and support to under-resourced communities, despite external challenges.
• The Colorado Health Foundation continued their commitment to transforming health access with a $175,000 gift to the DHI capital fund.

• And of course, our DUHOP, Mental Health Workforce Accelerator Collaborative, and Healthcare Interest Program efforts continue to pave the way for students into the Colorado health-workforce pipeline. 

Interprofessional Education and Innovative Learning Spaces

Formally launching in September, the Gina and Frank Day Interprofessional Skill and Simulation Laboratory – SimLabs for short – has already become a hub for interprofessional education.

An evidence-based approach to education, IPE promotes collaboration across disciplines to mirror real world scenarios. Some of this year’s highlights include building upon our partnership with Denver Health EMT training program with simulated disaster scenarios, and continuing an established Nursing and Speech-Language Hearing Sciences IPE to help with swallowing exercises.

Other efforts include Health Professions’ Amy Dore and Industrial Design’s John Wanberg collaborating for intermediate studio students to design products and accommodations for aging populations, and bringing middle- and high-school students into the facility to showcase future possibilities as part of an effort to SPARK early interest in healthcare futures.

These partnerships illustrate the profound impact interdisciplinary collaboration can have on practical solutions and are the foundation of the patient-centered care critical to addressing Colorado’s healthcare needs.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Day Health Institute Tower is finishing up its design phase and nearing groundbreaking stage this fall, on track for opening in late 2027. This massive initiative, supported by both private and state funding, symbolizes our ongoing dedication to creating innovative educational environments that support interprofessional collaboration and enhance student experiences.

CHHS Soars!

We really had an incredible showing at this year’s Roadrunners Who Soar Awards!

CHHS recipients included:

• Amy Dore, Department of Health Professions, Excellence in Online Teaching

  

• Mari Foster, Department of Social Work, Affiliate Faculty of Excellence Award
• Mallory Gallegos, Department of Social Work, Student Employee Excellence Award
• The Gina and Frank Day Health Institute team, Team Roadrunner Award
• Clare Kost, CHHS Advising, Outstanding Professional Advisor
• K Scherrer, Department of Social Work for their work on the Queer Faculty and Staff Collective Leadership Council, Team Roadrunner Award

Congrats to all our high-flying Roadrunners!

More Highlights from Our Departments

In addition to international outreach and Soaring Awards, each of department has contributed significantly to our College’s collective success.

Some select highlights include:

• SLHS has excelled with ongoing achievements at the Bookhardt Family Language Clinic – including partnerships with the Auraria Early Learning Center and the SPEAK OUT! Parkinson’s therapy program – and through vital advocacy efforts supporting neurodiversity in collaboration with the School of Education.
• Nutrition advanced numerous engaging research and advocacy projects, directly impacting community health outcomes.
• Social Work successfully organized impactful conferences on Mental Health and Palliative Care, highlighting our College’s commitment to critical health issues. K Scherrer also received a 2025 MLK Peace Award!
• Exercise Science hosted another successful Women in Sport Management Conference and the Inaugural Irv Brown Sports Conference, continuing to raise the department’s profile regionally and nationally.
• Criminal Justice and Criminology continued to host opportunities for students to learn and impact local criminal justice reform initiatives, including participating in a successful mock trial alongside Political Science, hosting a Women in Cybersecurity event, and taking part in a Hack the Future workshop with SeedAI.
• Human Services and Counseling continues their track record of workforce-driven education into mental health and addictions counseling, bringing on Jane Flournoy as the Program Director. Graduate student Harvey Bowden also joined department chair Tricia Hudson-Matthew on a research project examining positive outcomes of playing with Tinker Toys, which has been picked up for international presentation and publication.
• Nursing continues to build out workforce development pipelines with area schools and hospital systems, as well as expanding the reach of the long-running BRNCO program thanks in-part to the extension of the state’s Rural Health Initiative. The SimLabs have also received recognition from the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning’s Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice.
• Health Professions was well-represented with accolades! In addition to Roadrunners Who Soar, Michelle Tollefson also snagged the MSU Denver 2025 Student Organization Advisor of the Year in the Outstanding Student and Leadership Awards; the Public Health Case Competition Team also recently brought home the Gold Award at the 2025 National Society for Public Health Education Case Competition.

This is but a snapshot of the volumes of work that has demonstrated exemplary academic and community achievements, enriching student experiences and professional readiness.

Pretty incredible stuff!

Looking Forward

Mark your calendars for CHHS Week, September 8-12! Our annual celebration promises workshops, departmental showcases, networking opportunities, and events designed to highlight our achievements and strengthen our community connections.

And this year’s theme – Building Blocks for a Bright Future – couldn’t be more fitting for the literal and figurative projects on our horizon.

In closing, I encourage everyone to embrace the summer as an opportunity to rest and recharge. Your incredible efforts this past year deserve celebration and reflection. I’m immensely proud of all we’ve accomplished together and excited about the continued impact we will make in the upcoming year.

And in the meantime – don’t hesitate to let us know what’s on your mind!

Warmest wishes for a great summer,

Hope Szypulski, DNP
Dean, College of Health and Human Sciences