In this episode, Sarah and Caitlyn are joined by Jessica Boynton, Assistant Dean of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, and Amber Rux, M.A., Assistant Director of Student Affairs, both at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law. We talk about what supporting students in  

About Our Guests: 

Since 2015, Jessica Boynton has been serving law students as the Assistant Dean of Student Affairs at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law.  Prior to that, Jessica spent four years supporting undergraduate students at Colorado State University - Pueblo (in southern Colorado) as the Director of Student Judicial Affairs.  Before finding higher education, Jessica practiced law at Banner & Bower, PC in Pueblo, Colorado and at Davis Graham & Stubbs, LLP in Denver, Colorado. Jessica grew up in Denver, and then ventured to upstate New York where she earned her bachelor's degree at Cornell University in Communications in 2002, and later earned her JD at the University of Denver, Sturm College of Law in 2008.  Jessica Boynton is licensed as an attorney in the state of Colorado.   

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Amber Rux is an experienced higher education professional at the University of Denver’s Sturm College of Law, where she has worked since 2017. She began her career at DU supporting the Law School’s Clinical Programs while completing her M.A. in Higher Education at DU’s Morgridge College of Education. Since joining the Office of Student Affairs in 2020, Amber has led large-scale student events and initiatives, coordinated disability support services, advised student organizations, and managed day-to-day operational functions. She holds a B.A. from Illinois State University and is deeply committed to student-centered operations, strategic project management, and inclusive, accessible programming in higher education. 

Some links to things we talked about: 

Office of Student Affairs at the Sturm College of Law  

National Association of Law Student Affairs Professionals (NALSAP) – professional development organization for professionals 

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? Come join us! If you’re  ready to start the conversation use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast. Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work everyone. See you next time! 

In this episode of Mile Higher Ed, Sarah and Caitlyn talk to Dr. Jim DeLung, Dean of Academic Success in Career and Technical Education at the Community College of Aurora. We discuss innovations in higher education, what constitutes career and technical ed, and those things that inspire us in challenging times. 

About our guest: 

Dr. Jim DeLung serves as the Dean for Community College of Aurora’s Office of Career & Technical Education. Since joining the Colorado Community College System in 2007, DeLung has worked at four system colleges, as well as at the system office. By serving in a diverse set of roles in academic affairs, IT, student affairs, and workforce development, DeLung has developed a comprehensive understanding of how Colorado’s community colleges may best advance their students’ upward economic mobility. 

Links to what we talked about: 

The Bachelor of Applied Science in Behavioral Health – The new bachelor’s degree offered by the Community College of Aurora in Behavioral Health with a focus on Addiction Recovery 

CCRC Dual Enrollment Data Dashboard – The Community College Research Center released a report and data outlining matriculation and completion outcomes for students having earned college credit while in high school. 

Career Connected Campus Designation from the Colorado Department of Higher Education  

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? Come join us! If you’re  ready to start the conversation use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast. Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work, everyone. See you next time! 

In this Season 3 premiere of Mile Higher Ed, Sarah and Caitlyn speak to Frank Winchester, Assistant Director of Student Rights and Responsibilities here at the University of Denver and current student in the EdD program. We talk about Frank’s journey, how he uses his EdD coursework in his practice, and the importance of connecting authentically with and serving today’s students. 

About our guest: 

Frank Winchester was born in New York City and has dedicated his career to empowering students and fostering inclusive environments. He earned his Bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies and a Master’s degree in Education from CU-Denver, where he developed a deep commitment to equity and student advocacy. 

Currently serving as Assistant Director for Student Rights and Responsibilities, Frank works to ensure that students have the support and resources they need to navigate college successfully. His passion lies in leading initiatives that amplify student voices, promote fairness, and create pathways for personal and academic growth. Frank strives to be a trusted advocate and leader, helping students overcome challenges and thrive in their educational journey. 

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? Come join us! If you’re  ready to start the conversation use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast. Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work everyone. See you next time! 

In this episode of Mile Higher Ed, we revisit the very first episode of the podcast we recorded! Caitlyn interviews Sarah about her article “Using Intersectionality to Reimagine Title IX Adjudication Policy” was recently published in a special issue of the Journal of Women and Gender and Higher Education. 

About our guest: Dra. Sarah Hurtado has been with DU Higher Education since 2018. She first started in a visiting role, and loved it so much she decided to stay. She is now Associate Professor of Higher Education in the Department. Her research focuses on addressing sexual violence among college students and how institutions contribute to the perpetration of this issue with a specific focus on the role and responsibility of faculty members.  

Dra. Hurtado received her PhD in higher education at Indiana University Bloomington where she served as a Project Associate for the Center for Postsecondary Research. Specifically, she worked with the National Survey of Student Engagement Institute for Effective Educational Practice. In her role, she worked with institutions to better utilize their NSSE data to inform practice. Prior to that, she worked as a Coordinator of Student Development at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo for three years. She received her Masters from Indiana University Bloomington and her Bachelors from the University of Redlands. 

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? You could start as early as January 2026. Ready to start the conversation? Use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast.  

Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work everyone. See you next time! 

While Sarah and Caitlyn work on Season 3 of the podcast, we are revisiting this season 1 episode where we talked to Dr. Michele Tyson, Clinical Associate Professor of Higher Education and Director of Faculty Advising at the University of Denver. We talked about the legacy of women’s colleges and women’s leadership programs in higher education. Michele had recently co-authored a chapter in the book Rooted and Radiant: Women’s Narratives of Leadership. 

About our guest: Dr. Michele Tyson is clinical associate professor in the Higher Education program at the University of Denver and has worked in the field of higher education for 25+ years, with experience in student affairs, enrollment management, and student services. Her professional and research interests fall into two areas.  One is related to the preparation and development of student affairs and higher education leaders. The other is in understanding institutions as organizations and environments in which students make humanizing decisions about engagement with identity and becoming.  

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? You could start as early as January 2026.  Ready to start the conversation? Use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast. Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work everyone. See you next time! 

Sarah and Caitlyn are still hard at work on Season 3 of the podcast. In the meantime, we’re revisiting this season 1 episode with Dr. Cecilia Orphan, Associate Professor of Higher Education at the University of Denver, and Director of Partnerships for the Alliance for Research on Regional Colleges (ARRC). We talked about Regional Public Universities and Rural-Serving Institutions and why these sectors of higher education are important. 

About our guest: Dr. Cecilia M. Orphan is a working class, first-generation college graduate who received maximum Pell grants to attend college. As a child, she experienced homelessness and was a welfare recipient. She is personally familiar with the transformative nature of need based financial aid and colleges designed to expand access after attending Linn Benton Community College, a Rural-Serving Institution (RSI), and Portland State University, a Regional Public University (RPU). Simply put, attending these colleges changed her life. She has devoted my career to expanding understanding of and appreciation for RPUs and RSIs so that other students might enjoy the same opportunities she had, and so that higher education’s contributions to equity and democracy are strengthened.  Dr. Orphan is committed to bringing broader exposure and understanding to RPUs and RSIs and improve research, funding, policy, and media coverage of these sectors. 

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? You could start as early as January 2026.  Ready to start the conversation? Use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast. Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work everyone. See you next time! 

This week we are revisiting our season 1 episode where we talked to Dr. Chris Nelson, Associate Professor and now Chair of the Higher Education Department at the University of Denver. She kindly joined us while on her sabbatical to talk with us about her co-authored piece called “(Re)wiring Settler Colonial Practices in Higher Education: Creating Indigenous-Centered Futures Through Considerations of Power, the Social Place, and Space” in the Higher Education Handbook of Theory and Research.  

About our guest: Dr. Chris A. Nelson is from the K’awaika (Laguna Pueblo) and Diné (Navajo) tribal communities. She is an associate professor and department chair for the Higher Education Department. Her scholarship utilizes a blending of critical theory and Indigenous relationality theory to explore the purpose and function of higher education. Harnessing her 20+ years of being a higher education professional and faculty member, she explores how the system of US higher education organizes and operates to better understand how institutions can live out their commitments to supporting Indigenous visibility and presence. 

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? You could start as early as January 2026.  Ready to start the conversation? Use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast. Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work, everyone. See you next time! 

While Sarah and Caitlyn work on Season 3 of the podcast, we are revisiting this season 1 episode where we talked to Dr. Laura Sponsler, Clinical Associate Professor of Higher Education and now Director of Faculty Development for the Office of Faculty Affairs. We talked about Teaching & Professional Faculty, also called Non-Tenure-Track Faculty, based on an article Dr. Sponsler had recently published. 

About our guest: 

Dr. Laura Sponsler is a Clinical Associate Professor of Higher Education at the University of Denver, as well as the Director of Faculty Development for the Office of Faculty Affairs. Her work broadly examines the democratic purposes of higher education, in particular how institutions provide space for voice, participation, and inclusive practices, and how these ideals are institutionalized. Dr. Sponsler’s research agenda focuses on the following areas: civic engagement; inclusive teaching, learning, and assessment; organizational change, organizational learning, and faculty development; and the experiences of non-tenure track faculty and their participation in higher education. 

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? You could start as early as January 2026.  Ready to start the conversation? Use this link to request information. Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast. Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work everyone. See you next time!

Would you like to contribute to the Professor William E. Cross Jr, PhD Memorial Scholarship? Click here. 

Want more information about the University of Denver’s master’s and doctoral programs? Click here.  

Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Follow us on Instagram: @milehigheredpodcast 

Follow MCE on Instagram: @morgridgeatdu  

Thanks for listening to Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

See you next time! 

In this special bonus episode of Mile Higher Ed, Sarah and Caitlyn talk to Megan Jarrad from the Morgridge College of Education’s Office of Admissions. She answers questions about how to apply for a higher ed degree program, how to approach financial aid, and what prospective higher ed students need to know. 

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? You could start as early as January 2026.  

Ready to start the conversation? Use this link to request information.  

Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

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Thanks for listening to this episode of Mile Higher Ed. Mile Higher Ed is produced within the Morgridge College of Education at the University of Denver by Dr. Sarah Hurtado and Caitlyn Potter Glaser.  Our theme music is “Summer” by Liborio Conti.  

Are you interested in a master’s or doctoral degree in higher education? You could start as early as January 2026.  

Ready to start the conversation? Use this link to request information.  

Ready to apply? Complete the admissions application here. 

Follow our podcast on Instagram at milehigheredpodcast.  

Follow Morgridge College of Education at MorgridgeatDU.  

Keep up the good work everyone. See you next time!