Student-athletes and staff members teamed up Sunday to give the Auraria Campus a fresh start for the fall semester.
Organized by Metropolitan State University of Denver’s Athletics Department, the beautification event focused on building morale while cultivating a sense of community.
“It kind of uplifts us,” said Amanda Byrnes, a sophomore majoring in Biology who is a center on the women’s basketball team. “It gives us a clean slate to start off a new year.”
A community effort
Todd Thurman, director of Athletics at MSU Denver, envisioned the event as a practical and symbolic gesture intended to polish the campus on the eve of a new semester while reinforcing the student-athletes’ role in the broader community. While the campus has janitorial and gardening staff members, Thurman said the campus is so large that additional help is beneficial.
“We want (student-athletes) to understand that we have an opportunity here to serve the people around us,” Thurman said.
When Thurman came to MSU Denver four years ago, he aspired to increase the department’s culture of collective community service. He encourages his entire department to embrace community service as a core value and worked with associate athletic directors to organize the beautification event, which included about 150 student-athletes and staff members.
Working together on and off the field
Maya Ries, a senior majoring in Communications Design, said Sunday’s activity exemplified a sense of teamwork that’s part of her day-to-day experience as a member of MSU Denver’s track-and-field team.
“I don’t get a lot of time to do community service,” Ries said. “Things like this make me feel like I’m doing something or making a difference, whether it’s big or small.”
Landon Braun, a sophomore majoring in Real Estate while playing on the MSU Denver men’s basketball team, concurred that the event was a good way to bond with teammates while leaving the campus looking its best.
“It’s the least I could do,” Braun said. “Cleaning up the community and the campus is good for everybody.”
After two hours, student-athletes and staff members left the 150-acre grounds in excellent shape for the beginning of the fall semester.
“It was a great experience,” said Malik Tucker, an assistant coach on the men’s basketball team. “It gave everyone a chance to work together to improve the campus. They enjoyed being outside and making a difference.”
Looking ahead
MSU Denver athlete, Maya Ries helps other students clean up campus before the start of the Fall semester on August 18, 2024. MSU Denver Photo by Alyson McClaranConsidering its success, Thurman said the event could become an annual tradition that strengthens bonds between different sports teams while promoting a sense of unity within the Athletics program.
“This could become an annual event for our department,” Thurman said. “It is a great way to kick off a new year and to show our appreciation for all the effort that is put into our campus by (the Auraria Higher Education Center).”
The event also may serve as something of a recruitment tool, showcasing MSU Denver as a well-maintained, attractive place for prospective students.
“When you take student–athletes or any students on tours of your campus, you want to put your best foot forward,” Thurman said. “You want them to see a beautiful place that could be their home for the next four years.”
