Student Success and Retention Satellite
ALL students can stop by the Scholarly Support & Retention Program at the JSSB Tutoring Desk on the 2nd Floor
Visit us in Tivoli 271!
Call us: (303) 615-0423
Email: [email protected]
Follow us on Instagram @RowdysCorner
Spring 2024 Hours
Monday 8:00am-5:00pm
Tuesday 8:00am-5:00pm
Wednesday 8:00am-5:00pm
Thursday 8:00am-5:00pm
Friday 8:00-12:00
Satellites
Satellite locations are hot spots around the campus where students can pick up on-the-go snacks!
Support Rowdy's Corner!
Make a GiftRowdy's Corner Mission & History
Rowdy’s Corner Mission
At Rowdy’s Corner, we create a welcoming space that offers holistic resources for our community. We seek to meet the need of our community with compassion and generosity. We hold space for growth and promote autonomy. We aim to serve every student with dignity and respect. We strive to continuously accommodate our community’s changing needs. As students, we will implement sustainable practices to reduce food waste on the Auraria campus. We will create a healthy, beautiful community where no one is hungry.
Rowdy’s Corner is working to reimagine food support and destigmatize the need for assistance and to help ensure there is Food for All.
Rowdy’s Corner connects with the Student Care Center and is sponsored by Student Engagement and Wellness, the Student Advocacy Council, and the MSU Denver Community. Aligning with these added resources, on and off campus, promotes the overall wellbeing of the students and assists students on every level of need.
Rowdy’s Corner is committed to sourcing products from local and regional businesses and providing nutritious, culturally relevant food for all of MSU Denver students.
Rowdy’s Corner strives to provide a range of food for those with dietary restrictions or allergies. Through our partnerships, we can offer students vegan, vegetarian, Halal, and Kosher options, as well as food from a multitude of cultures.
Rowdy’s Corner History
In the fall of 2007, a Student Government Assembly (SGA) leader, Kyle Haley, drafted a proposal to create the Metropolitan State College of Denver Food Bank. This was due to an increased number of students on campus facing poverty and hunger issues. In general, the student population is often overlooked or ineligible to receive many traditional human services such as food assistance programs. The need for a campus Food Bank became more evident as the economy declined. Therefore, the idea was developed to open a Food Bank on campus where students could go to receive free food items every week. At the time, there were very few colleges and universities in the country that were known to have Food Banks to serve students.
In the beginning stages, the program was under the supervision of the SGA with some help from the Office of Student Activities. The Food Bank opened in spring of 2008 with a student coordinator distributing food and coordinating donations out of a small (4 x 6 ft) closet. Unfortunately, the first attempt at the Food Bank was unsuccessful due to the lack of awareness on campus of its services and it soon became evident that more support was needed to start and sustain this program. Thus, the Food Bank was temporarily discontinued for restructuring. With this new knowledge, the Office of Student Life (now Student Engagement & Wellness) then took on the responsibility of restructuring the Food Bank with continued help and funding from the SGA. The Metro State Food Bank reopened in fall 2008 with two student coordinators to handle the challenges of a new program in a new location in the Tivoli Student Union.
The MSU Denver Food Bank was renamed to the Roadrunner Food Pantry in the summer of 2018. The location was also moved to Tivoli 262, which drastically expanded the space and visibility for our students. A student from Met Media designed a window cling that now protects our student’s privacy while they shop in the pantry. In the 2018/2019 year, the Dean of Students Office allocated a small amount of money that now allows us to buy a wider variety of options for our students. In Fall 2019, the Student Care Center was created and the RRFP became a part of this central hub for student support. During the pandemic, staff had to get creative and do their best to get students food. In Spring 2021, the Roadrunner Food Pantry partnered with local organizations to expand the options and increase the quality of offerings.
During the 2021-22 academic school year, we more than doubled the number of students that utilize our space. To continue to meet the needs of our community, in July 2022, we secured a lease to a new space. Rowdy’s Corner (formerly RRFP) opened November 29th, 2022 in Tivoli 271!
Meet Our Partners!
More Resouces
The Share Meals app notifies students about free food on campus!
Help reduce hunger and waste on campus by sharing info about leftover food from events! Download the free app to get started.
Check out our Cooking Classes
Join us for hands on learning and the opportunity to prepare and take home nutritious meals!
Campus, Local, and Community Resources
Mobile Food Market Events (SECORCares)
MSU Denver has partnered with SECORCares and ENT Credit Union to host a FREE mobile food market on campus!
The location of the mobile student market is near the front of the Jordon Student Resource Center in the parking area by the Engineering and Aerospace Science building.
The address is 1449 7th Street, Denver, CO 80204. Look for the red Dazbog Coffee shop! Mobile markets are not held over holidays or the summer months as there are much fewer students on campus.
SECORCares mobile truck is parked at a different location on campus. Near the St Cajetan’s Center off Lawrence Way. Additional details on where to park and maps will be shared for reference for both locations!
SPRING 2024 DATES:
FEBRUARY
- Monday 26th 10:00AM – 2:00PM
MARCH
- Thursday 28th 10:00AM – 2:00PM
APRIL
- Wednesday 17th 10:00AM – 2:00PM
- Monday 29th 10:00AM – 2:00PM
Case managers can assist all currently enrolled MSU Denver students who are interested in applying for food assistance programs (SNAP), or in exploring additional campus and community services. Please contact the Student Care Center to discuss your needs by calling 303-615-0006, emailing [email protected], or filing a CARE Referral so that a case manager can follow up with you.
Additional Food Resources
Although the Roadrunner Food Pantry is eager to help every student, we recognize that we cannot meet an individual or family’s complete nutritional needs. If you are in need of food assistance beyond what is available at the Roadrunner Food Pantry, we are happy to help you with a referral through any of the following:
Find a Food Pantry near you using: https://www.foodpantries.org/st/colorado
Metro Caring is a local food pantry that supplies anyone in need with food resources, including fresh produce and a variety of non-perishable items. Metro Caring is centrally located at the intersection of E. 18th Avenue and Downing Street and is along two major bus routes: #12 and #20. Appointments are required. Call (303) 860-7200 to make an appointment to get assistance from Metro Caring.
Hunger Free Colorado also offers a variety of food-related resources. In particular, their Hunger Free Hotline is a one-stop resource for food and nutrition information in Colorado. It is a multilingual resource designed to assist you in locating both public and private food assistance programs. All information is kept confidential. Call (855) 855-4626 to connect to the hotline and learn what local programs may be able to assist you.
Food Bank of the Rockies maintains a database of Food Pantries and related food assistance programs throughout the state. Simply click on your location and find local food pantries and programs that may meet your needs.
You can connect with 2-1-1 (web-based resources, virtual live chat, or dial 2-1-1 by phone) for additional food resources in your home county, while Hunger Free Colorado is also maintaining an updated list of local community food pantries and K-12 school-based meal programs. The Student Care Center can also help you identify the closest food pantry to your home. Visit hungerfreecolorado.org/covid-19 or call the Food Resource Hotline (855-855-4626), weekdays from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., where bilingual staff is also available to assist.
Meet the Rowdy's Corner Team!
Richard Miccio
Assistant Director of Educational Services, Marketing & Inclusion
He/Him/His
[email protected]
Angelica Marley
Store Manager
She/Hers/Ella
Alejandro Ramirez
Rowdy's Corner Shift Lead
He/Him/His
Angelina Nguyen
Rowdy's Corner Shift Lead
Francesca Cristantiello
Rowdy's Corner Crew Member
She/her
Jacob Marshall
Rowdy's Corner Shift Lead
He/They
Jarelly Espinoza
Rowdy's Corner Crew Member
She/her/hers
Jaylynn Jones
Rowdy's Corner Crew Member
She/her/hers
Jennifer Adame
Rowdy's Corner Crew Member
She/Her/Hers
Tariq Guidry
Rowdy's Corner Shift Lead
He/Him/His
Sara Vang
Rowdy's Corner Crew Member
She/They
Azure Dittenber
Rowdy's Corner Crew Member
She/Her
About Rowdy's Corner Team
I am a Social Worker by training and have been with MSU Denver at the Health Center at Auraria for 5 years. I was born and raised in California, earned my MSW at Cal State University, Los Angeles and moved to Colorado in 2013. I have served as a clinician in various settings over the years and, in addition to my current administrative role, continue to provide clinical interventions to the campus community out of the Health Center. I love running and experiencing the outdoors anytime of the year. I am a proud spouse and #girldad to three amazing girls.
My name is Alejandro Ramirez, and my pronouns are He/Him. I am currently a freshman with my major being marketing at MSU. I enjoy finding new music and artists, working on and learning about cars, and connecting with the community.
Francesca Cristantiello (she/her) is a journalism major with a minor in environmental studies anticipating to graduate May 2024 and is part of the Rowdy’s Corner social media team. Always having loved animals some of her favorites include dogs, goats and the ever-important honeybee. While the cold winter sees her bundling up next to any available source of warmth (likely with something fresh baking in the oven) during the summer she has been a lifelong camper and enjoys spending time with friends and family outside. These connections to nature in as many aspects of life as possible drive her appetite for photography, sustainability and conservation. She is excited to be a part of the Food for All initiative working to reduce food waste and food insecurity as a member of the Rowdy’s Corner team.
My name is Jarelly Espinoza and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a first-generation studying a Business Intelligence major and a minor in Spanish. I enjoy listening to music, coloring, and going to new places. I am excited to be joining the team and supporting the community at MSU.
My name is Jennifer Adame and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I have a Social Work Major and a minor in Entrepreneurship. I am a first-generation student and a Colorado native. I am very to join the team at Rowdy’s and to be able to help students in our community in such a peaceful environment.
Hello! My name is Sara (she/they) and I am currently a senior here at MSU. I am Gender, Women, & Sexualities Studies major with a minor in Speech, Language, Hearing Sciences. I have a passion for serving others with marginalized identities and advocating for equity & inclusion. In my free time, I enjoy reading books, watching movies/tv shows, and baking. I deeply value the work that Rowdy’s Corner does and am excited to support our efforts here!
Hello!
My name is Angelica, I’m a Nutrition and Human Dietetics Major and minoring in Integrative Healthcare. My scholarly interests have led me to sustainable food access, I am able to fulfill these values through the food pantry and working on a local urban farm. I love being surrounded by different cultures from plants to people and am excited to be a part of this Roadrunner team. Hope to chat soon!
Cheers.
My name is Angelina Nguyen, I am a first-generation Vietnamese woman. I am a senior studying Psychology with a minor in Pre-health. I dog sit and dog walk on the side when I am not a crew member at Rowdy’s Corner. I play the ukulele and sing for fun and love music. During the winters I am always snowboarding on the weekends.
Hello, my name is Jacob Marshall (he/they). I am a first-generation student studying Political Science and GWS. I’m very active on campus, including being the Vice President of Chess Club. In my free time I like to read, travel, and make art. I’m proud to be a part of the Rowdy’s Corner team to work towards eliminating food insecurity on campus.
Hi!
My name is JJ and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a Junior studying Nutrition and Dietetics at MSU. I am passionate about exploring the connection between community and health, along with nutrition and happiness. When I am not on campus, you can find me playing volleyball or eating at local restaurants! I am happy to be a Rowdy’s Corner crew member and thankful for the opportunity to be a part of my community!
My name is Tariq Guidry. I am an Entrepreneurship major, minoring in Climate Change here at MSU Denver. I have a passion for business, gardening, and ways to reverse climate change. I am glad to be apart of the Rowdy Corner team as I can bring my knowledge and passion for growing food to support the students of MSU Denver.
Hi I’m Azure (She/her/hers) and I’m currently a sophomore here at MSU. I’m a transfer student from UNCO in Greeley so feel free ask about the ghost stories!I’m a Special Education major here. I’m excited to have my own classroom someday! I enjoy listening to music and hanging out with my friends.I like working at Rowdy’s because giving to the community and helping fight food insecurity can really make a day for someone.
Commonly Asked Questions about Rowdy's Corner
The Roadrunner Food Pantry is located on the second floor of the Tivoli Student Union in Room 271.
If you are a currently registered MSU Denver student, yes! The only requirement to receive food from Rowdy’s Corner is a valid MSU Denver student ID (must present your ID during each visit to the food pantry).
As long as you are registered for classes at MSU, you are already signed up and able to use Rowdy’s Corner!
Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or at 303-615-0006 with questions and to get connected to resources!
Rowdy’s Corner works on a point-based system. Each item is assigned a point value. For example, a can of food that is 15 oz. or less generally has a point value of one (1). Larger items that may include more than one serving size, such as a bag of dried pasta or cereal, may be more points. Signs posted in Rowdy’s Corner indicate the point values of different items and Rowdy’s Corner Team is happy to help you determine the value. Generally students may have up to 15 points worth of food per week, with two (2) additional personal care items and five (5) fridge/freezer items. Please note the Rowdy’s Corner is stocked on a donation basis, so food options will vary.
Rowdy’s Corner Point System
Stop by Rowdy’s Corner in Tivoli 271 or contact us at [email protected] or at 303-615-0423 with questions and to get connected to resources!
Follow us on Instagram @rowdyscorner
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