2024 Outstanding Graduates

When Abigail Goldberg graduated with her undergraduate degree in anthropology, she was set to pursue a career in death investigating. An unexpected job during the COVID-19 pandemic, however, changed her whole career course and launched her into teaching. During the pandemic, Goldberg started a job teaching seventh and eighth grade...

As an accomplished teacher, emerging educational historian and rigorous scholar, PhD graduate Derek LeFebre demonstrates exemplary passion and commitment to his work. A Colorado native raised in Aurora, Colorado, LeFebre taught history, science and Spanish in Greeley for over 10 years before starting his doctoral studies. He chose to complete...

A veteran educator with nearly a decade of experience practicing as an elementary school teacher and administrator in New York City, Elizabeth Tetu is well acquainted with the common themes that affect teachers in their first years of teaching. “Feelings of overwhelm and failure, a sense of having been inadequately...

After working for the CU Boulder Office of Information Technology for six years, Marcus Williams decided to switch careers and enroll in the one-year intensive MA+ Secondary Humanities Teacher Licensure program to become a teacher. “As a teacher, Marcus is guided by unwavering commitments to justice and to organizing culturally...

Born and raised in Aurora, Colorado, Hasan Elsayed had a love of math and science from an early age. Now as a math and science teacher, he gets to live his dream of empowering students to pursue their aspirations and achieve success. Despite initially planning to pursue physics and graduate...

Throughout her academic journey at the CU Boulder School of Education, Bethany Morton has demonstrated an unwavering dedication to creating inclusive and supportive learning environments for her students, particularly children from marginalized backgrounds. A fourth-grade teacher at Colfax Elementary School, Morton has been selected as this year's outstanding STEM Education...

From heliest memories, Emma Hoeschler knew she wanted to be a teacher. “I've always been passionate about working with children, but it took me quite a while to decide what type of teacher I wanted to be,” she said. Hoeschler's teaching focus only began to manifest itself after a pivotal...

Yazmine Lynette Patiño is passionate about supporting first-generation college students as one herself. “I’m the first in my family to receive a bachelor's and now a master's degree, both of which I could not have accomplished without the unwavering support of my family” she said. “Graduating from CU Boulder represents...

With her own unique understanding of being a first-generation student herself, Norma Marquez is a staunch advocate for the many benefits that post-secondary education can provide. Drawing upon her roots as a second-generation American growing up in rural Texas, Marquez recalls the sacrifices, obstacles and challenges her parents and family...

Growing up with numerous teachers in her family, Taylor Renquist always knew she wanted to attend CU Boulder and become a teacher to make an impact on students. After double majoring in Spanish and Mathematics at CU Boulder, she came back for a one-year intensive in the MA+ Mathematics Teacher...