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UN I V E R S I T Y O F D E N V E R 0 6 . 2 0 1 0

CAMPUS | NEIGHBORHOOD LIFE | RESEARCH ARTS | EVENTS | PEOPLE

Inside
• DU-area burglar
sentenced
• Student violinist
• BrewGrass festival
• L aw commencement
speaker
• A cappella group
• Handbag makers

Dreamstime
Wayne Armstrong

A passion for change

Keeping up with
DU news is easier
t
than ever. Check ou
the new DU Toda y
Regan Linton was one of 18 speakers and performers at “TEDxDU: a
site. The URL is
Celebration of DUing” May 13 at DU’s Newman Center. The DU master’s the same — www.
du.edu/today —
candidate in social work, who has used a wheelchair since a 2002 car injured but the site has a
her spinal cord, is a member of Denver’s Physically Handicapped Actors and whole new look with
more features and
Musical Artists League. “In my life I sometimes feel disappointed that I don’t information. New
have enough time, energy or womanpower to dedicate to all of the amazing features include
is
polls, videos, a “th
causes, passions and initiatives that exist out in the world,” Linton says. “But month in his tor y”
category, and links
[this] event gave me a sense of peace, knowing that each of us can continue to
to read DU blogs
focus our energies on what we do best because there are so many extraordinary and to follow the
l
University on socia
people our there covering the other bases.” More than 900 people attended media sit es .
TEDxDU, an independently organized event licensed by TED, an organization
that arranges for leading thinkers to share “ideas worth spreading.”
DU-area burglar draws maximum 60-year sentence

Dreamstime
Tarius Laquan Simes, dubbed the DU burglar for a series of brazen early-morning burglaries
that targeted students and young people living near campus, was sentenced to 60 years in state
prison May 6 in Denver District Court.
“I have no doubt in my mind that if Mr. Simes hadn’t been caught, he’d still be out committing
burglaries,” Judge Robert McGahey Jr. (JD ’74) said in passing sentence. “If I gave you any less time
than I’m giving you, Mr. Simes, I would depreciate the seriousness and significance of what you did
to the community and to these people.”
The sentence was the maximum under a plea agreement with prosecutors in which Simes
admitted to counts of first-degree burglary, aggravated burglary and second-degree burglary, fore-
going trial for the dozen or so burglaries that investigators believed he committed over more than
a year.
Simes, 13 days short of his 34th birthday, could have received 40 years in exchange for his
admissions, which was the amount his attorney, A. Kate Bouchee, requested. Bouchee maintained
that Simes was driven to commit his crimes by the “impulsive pulls and tugs” of a bipolar disorder
that went untreated. Just peachy
“Mr. Simes has been extremely remorseful of his actions,” Bouchee said, adding that he coop- Kaiser Permanente and DU are
erated with police, admitted sole responsibility and never used a weapon. teaming up to offer a new Farm
But Judge McGahey was having none of that, agreeing with prosecutor Rebekah Melnick (JD Fresh 2 Go program, where employ-
’04) that Simes had stalked his victims, planned his crimes, and terrorized the DU community and ees can sign up to have fresh,
the city as a whole because he felt “thrilled by it.” organic, regionally grown fruits and
“You didn’t just steal laptops and jewelry and telephones and iPods,” McGahey said. “You stole vegetables delivered to you on cam-
safety, you stole comfort, you stole joy. Home means something to people in this country. It is a pus. It’s $15 for a small box, $25 for
place of refuge, a place of safety. You ripped that away from these people. And you terrified them a large box, or $20 for a fruit-only
while you did it.” box. You can place orders online on
Simes, shackled and handcuffed throughout the proceedings, listened without apparent emo-
a week-by-week basis or sign up for
tion to a litany of written statements that spoke of the ongoing trauma suffered by the victims of his
an ongoing subscription. Contact
burglaries, some of whom he had confronted in their beds.
—Richard Chapman
Yong Sin Kim for more information
at yongsin.kim@du.edu.

Communication students are getting Wiki

Wikipedia now has 24 new entries thanks to
[ ]
UN I V E R S I T Y O F D E N V E R

students taking courses in the University of Denver’s

Department of Media, Film and Journalism Studies. w w w. d u . e d u / t o d a y
It was an assignment as part of Assistant Profes- Volume 33, Number 10
sor Christof Demont-Heinrich’s News Writing and
Reporting class and Associate Professor Lynn Scho- Vice Chancellor for University
Communications
field Clark’s Innovation in Media and Communica- Carol Farnsworth
tion class. Editorial Director
“We want our students to be content creators Chelsey Baker-Hauck (BA ’96)
rather than just content consumers,” Clark says. Managing Editor
Clark realized when teaching a media history course that her students often cited Wikipedia as a Kathryn Mayer (BA ’07, MLS ’10)
reference. She wanted the students to understand that they also could be an information source. Art Director
Chelsea Clement, a junior communications major from Michigan, chose to write about a ski Craig Korn, VeggieGraphics
area near her small town of Gobles. Clement says she was excited to complete the project, but Community News is published monthly by the
nervous to have something so public go live. According to Alexa.com, which ranks Web sites in University of Denver, University Communications,
2199 S. University Blvd., Denver, CO 80208-4816.
terms of usage, Wikipedia is the sixth most used site in the world. The University of Denver is an EEO/AA institution.
“I was surprised I could do it, and it was much simpler than I expected,” says Clement,
who is in Demont-Heinrich’s class.
Demont-Heinrich says this is just one more example of how the field of journalism is
Contact Community News at 303-871-4312
changing. or tips@du.edu
“We have to revamp our classes to reflect the changing media environment,” Demont-Hein- To receive an e-mail notice upon the
rich says. “It is increasingly and radically shifting to online journalism.” publication of Community News, contact us
—Kristal Griffith with your name and e-mail address.

2
 Pearl Street BrewGrass
festival kicks off
summertime twin bill
If 10 hours of guitar picking isn’t enough to
leave you grinning, you’ve been out on the back
porch way too long.
Come noontime June 12, tie up Ol’ Blue,
slap on that tattered Red Man cap and wander
down to the 1200 block of South Pearl Street at
Buchtel Boulevard. For five bucks, you can toe-
tap, knee-slap and finger-pop to some of the best
bluegrass tunes this side of West Virginia. Maybe
even buy yourself a beer or two.
It’s BrewGrass time, the annual transforma-
tion of South Pearl’s concrete and curbs into an
eight-band gathering of down-home musical tal-
ent that will do their best to knock your socks off
until well after the cows come home.
Headlining the street festival is Great
American Taxi, an offshoot of celebrated Boulder
band Leftover Salmon that the group’s website
calls “a swinging concoction of swampy blues,
Jeff Haessler

progressive bluegrass, funky New Orleans strut,

Southern boogie, honky-tonk country, gospel
and good ol’ fashioned rock ’n’ roll.”
Student given violin for use during school at Lamont Other bands on the bill include Fort Collins-
based Head for the Hills, the Jim Lauderdale
Royce Lassley calls it a gift from God. Bluegrass Trio, Nation Beat, Hoots and
Lassley, a freshman violin performance major, had been playing an instrument given to Hellmouth, the Grant Gordy Quartet, Oakhurst
him by a previous teacher. and Loose Cannon.
Then his teacher at Lamont, Yumi Hwang-Williams, told him the instrument was holding BrewGrass is sponsored by the Old South
him back. A quality violin, Hwang-Williams explains, “has the right overtone, so students can Pearl Association, which uses proceeds for various
learn to play in tune and produce and project a beautiful sound.” improvement projects. The festival site is about
There was one problem. Lassley didn’t have the money to buy a quality violin. So, he a block west of the Louisiana-Pearl RTD station.
started writing to violin makers in fall 2009. Show your validated light-rail ticket or RTD pass
“I come from a not wealthy background,” Lassley explains. “We never had enough and get $1 off the $5 admission (kids under 12
money to afford an instrument.” are free). Since there’s no RTD garage at the site
And then Charles Rufino, of Rufino Violins, stepped in. A violin maker since 1974, Rufino and parking in the neighborhood is limited, public
says he gets many requests for help from deserving people, but cannot help everyone. Yet, transportation may be the best way of getting to
something about Lassley touched him. the festival, says organizer Nicole Jarman.
He called Hwang-Williams to hear her thoughts and was impressed that a prominent Also, since the street can get hot, patrons
musician had such a connection with her student. He decided Lassley deserved a break and are asked to keep their pets at home, she says.
has loaned Lassley a violin indefinitely. Some shade tents will be available, but since
Hwang-Williams says she can identify with Lassley. He was introduced to the violin in 6th 8,000 or more people are expected over the
grade but wasn’t able to play regularly until 8th grade. Hwang-Williams got a later start playing course of the day, it’s best to wear a hat and
the violin as well, using an instrument provided by a public school in Philadelphia. sunscreen. Chairs and blankets are welcome and
She met Lassley in September 2008 as a resident instructor at Fort Hays State University plenty of food and retail booths will be available
in Hays, Kan. When Lassley showed up a year later to audition for Lamont, she was impressed in addition to 11 craft brewers and wine and
by the improvements he had made. lemonade stands.
The violin loan even includes servicing; Lassley will send the violin back to Rufino each About a month after BrewGrass, its summer
year to make sure the instrument is in good condition. twin will take center stage. Blues & Brews, an
Lassley got his fingers on the instrument during an April 23 presentation at DU’s Hamilton eight-band blues bash featuring headliner Janiva
Recital Hall. Joe Docksey, director of DU’s Lamont School of Music, also took the opportunity Magness, is scheduled for July 10 at the South
to trumpet Rufino’s kindness. Pearl Street location.
“[Rufino] is a wonderful person and [violin] maker,” Docksey said. >>www.oldsouthpearlstreet.com
—Kristal Griffith —Richard Chapman

3
Overcoming obstacles
Law grad shares lessons from personal tragedy

I t’s been less than four years since Frank Bingham experienced the tragedy of a lifetime, losing his entire family in one senseless
moment when a drunk driver sped through the streets of Denver, running down Bingham’s wife and two children.
In those years, Bingham could have given up, succumbed to the shock and grief, but he didn’t. He persevered, leaned on friends when
he needed to, took comfort from the words of strangers and found a way to get out of bed each morning.
Bingham, 44, who already held a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the University of Wyoming, a master’s degree in mathematics
from the University of Northern Colorado and a PhD in education from the University of Denver, began pursuing a law degree at DU
part time in August 2006. In November of that year, he was in downtown

Chase Squires
Denver with his wife, Becca, and their two children, Macie, 4, and Garrison, 2.
A drunk driver, Lawrence Trujillo, ran a red light at 15th and Arapahoe streets
and struck the family. Bingham was injured, but his wife and children were
killed.
His classmates at the college of law rallied around him, sporting red
string bracelets to show solidarity when Bingham returned to school the next
semester.
“It was terribly hard going back, less than two months after it happened.
I know I was still somewhat in shock and in a daze,” says Bingham, who shared
the lessons he learned along his grueling journey when he spoke to his fellow
graduates at the Sturm College of Law Commencement ceremony on May 22.
“In some ways, [law school was] what kind of kept me going and gave me
something to do when I got up in the morning. There were times studying when
focusing in on the professor was definitely a challenge. My attention span was
pretty limited for a while. But I was inspired by other people who sought me
out to share their thoughts or who had experienced similar types of tragedies
and were able to pull their lives together and aspire to surprising heights.”
Bingham says he isn’t sure what’s next for him, what kind of law he’ll
practice, or if he’ll even practice law at all. He may return to his career in
education, which he left to earn his degree. Prior to law school, Bingham had
been a professor at the University of Colorado-Denver and an elementary
school principal.
In recent months, he has traveled extensively, tackling a variety of new
endeavors from learning Spanish to learning how to kite surf. Bingham also
has been working with the city of Denver to erect a large kinetic sculpture by
Bob Pietruszewski in Skyline Park, near the crash site. He established the Frank
Bingham Family Memorial Annual Scholarship Fund to help DU law students interested in practicing law with an eye toward protecting
children and animals.
But while he’s not sure of his future, he does know what he wants to share with his fellow students, many of whom were rocked by
his family’s tragedy. He wrote down some thoughts as an introduction to those who didn’t know him when he was nominated to speak
at Commencement.
“Survival and recovery are now defining features of my personal story. In the 40 months since the accident, I have fought to regain
my physical health, my emotional well-being, and to rebuild a life that will never
Commencement 2010 be the same, but which I believe might encourage others,” he wrote.
“I would like my story to inspire everyone who attends to reflect on the
Graduate ceremony— interconnectedness of life and the vital importance of relationships with
Friday, June 4, family, friends and community. I hope that the hideous crime that took my
4:30 p.m., Magness Arena beloved family will help others to recognize the frailty of life, the uncertainty of
tomorrow, and the danger of misplaced priorities. Yet above all, I want to focus
Undergraduate ceremony— on the resilient nature of the human spirit and confirm the fact that hope and
Saturday, June 5, love can survive.”
9:30 a.m., Magness Arena —Chase Squires

4
Seeds of terror
Student exposes link between terrorism and drug trade
As Gretchen Peters gazed at a vast purple poppy field in Afghanistan, she realized she had
uncovered a little-known facet of the United States’ understanding of terrorism. The poppies were
processed into heroin and opium, and that heroin and opium was the major source of income for
the Taliban and al Qaeda. The ties between drugs and terrorism fascinated Peters, a journalist and
first year master’s student in DU’s Korbel School of International Studies.
After researching the inner workings of terrorist groups, Peters published a book about her
discoveries. Seeds of Terror: How Heroin is Bankrolling the Taliban and Al Qaeda (Thomas Dunn, 2009)
exposes the drug trade in Afghanistan and Pakistan as the financial backbone of those countries’
corrupt leadership. Peters shared her insights on the startling connection between drugs and
organized crime with University of Denver reporter Elizabeth Fritzler.

How did you first learn of the connection between the drug
trade and the Taliban?
I guess you could say I started working on this during my
first trip to Afghanistan in 1996, when I wrote an article for the
Associated Press about how the Taliban cracked down against
hashish smokers but encouraged and taxed the opium trade,
since opium, they said, was sold to “infidels” in the West. After
December 2001, when the Taliban was toppled from power,
the huge narcotics industry, and the way in which it supported
the Taliban, was virtually ignored by the U.S. government and the
media. For me it was the bright shining lie of the Afghan
war — the 13-ton gorilla in the room that no one wanted to
discuss.
How did the heroin trade become such an integral part of
the Taliban’s funding?
The Taliban is not a monolithic organization. There are
many different factions of the insurgency in Afghanistan and
Pakistan, and some appear to get most of their criminal earnings
from extortion and protection rackets and abduction for ransom.
They all portray themselves as holy warriors and depend on the
alms of the local people for support, but I do not think donations
play as big a role as our intelligence community insists.
What are we doing to help reduce the impact of the drug
trade in other countries?
In Afghanistan and Pakistan, the U.S. is contributing billions
of dollars to train and better equip police forces, to train
judges and prosecutors and to help shift Afghan farmers off
of poppy onto licit crops. I am not sure the extent to which
the U.S. government funds public education programs about
opium, but they are certainly prevalent. One sees billboards
and advertisements warning about the dangers of addiction all
around both countries. I think there needs to be more public
education. That seems to be the most effective way in terms
of cost to reduce the number of people using narcotics. Studies
have shown that Afghans and Pakistanis respond to public
messages that remind them that using narcotics is banned by
the Koran, and that there is no cure for addiction. But education
campaigns should be realistic and not resort to fear mongering
and moralizing. In my opinion, that is going to backfire.
Your book outlines a nine-point strategy for cutting drug
money from terrorist groups. What’s the most vital part of
that strategy?
What’s most vital is to recognize that a blend of conditions
and issues led Afghanistan down the path it is on today, and it
will take a blend of interventions to get it on the right track. You
can’t just do one or two points. There will have to be a broad-
based and holistic effort. It will take time, probably about a
decade of sustained effort, not at the current U.S. troop levels,
but certainly a sustained level of intervention. I am concerned
the American public thinks this is all going to be over in 18
months, and that just isn’t the case.
Is there a link between the Taliban gaining power and the
increasing presence of heroin around the globe?
There is certainly a link between the Taliban’s gaining
strength and the growing size of the opium industry in
Afghanistan. But the drug trade globally is controlled by
smuggling networks, and the Taliban, so far, just taxes and
protects the trade inside Afghanistan and to a small extent
Pakistan. There do seem to be exploding addiction rates in
countries around Afghanistan: Pakistan, Iran, Russia and central
Asian nations.
Knowing that the drug trade and the Taliban are closely
connected, what do you see for the future of Afghanistan
and Pakistan?
I try to have hope for both countries, which are both close
to my heart. One thing I have learned from working there over
more than 10 years is that it is very hard to predict what is
coming down the pipeline. But I, for one, hope it is something
better. The people of both nations deserve it.

5
 Campus Safety officer gets commendation from Denver police
Denver police presented commendations to DU Campus Safety Sgt. Steve Banet and three other citizens April
26 for extraordinary service in support of police.
“To honor citizens who have supported what we do is a great honor,” said Chief Gerald Whitman at the award
ceremony at police headquarters in downtown Denver. “The Denver police department would not be so successful
without the support of the community, and this is a good example of that.”
Banet’s commendation was for his “keen attention to duty” in preventing a convicted sex offender from
attempting to enter the women’s locker room in the Ritchie Center. Banet’s recognition skills on the University’s
surveillance system helped Denver police “get a very dangerous party off the street,” said Kris Kroncke, District 3
police commander.
The individual, whom police identified as Ronald R. McClain, has a record “for sexual assault, robbery and theft
from motor vehicles.”
On March 25 he pleaded guilty to being a habitual criminal and assault on an at-risk adult and was sentenced to
six years in prison.
Richard Chapman

Banet is an eight-year Campus Safety officer with nearly four decades of investigative experience. Although he got
thanks from the Denver Police, Banet says he was just doing his job.
—Richard Chapman

Former basketball player trades high tops for ballet slippers

The last time you may have seen Brooke Meyer (BSBA ’08), she was

Rich Clarkson & Associates

probably swishing baskets for the University of Denver’s women’s basketball
team. The next time you see her, she’ll be on stage singing and dancing.
The former Pioneer standout has traded in her high tops for ballet
slippers. But before she hits the stage, she’s looking to raise $14,250 by June
15 to join Up with People, an organization in Denver that trains young people
in the performing arts to do shows and community service around the globe.
“This is really outside my comfort zone,” says Meyer, who ranks third in
DU women’s basketball history with 160 three-pointers and 25th in all-time
scoring with 803 points.
As part of Up with People, Meyer will travel to cities in the United States,
Mexico, Thailand and Japan with 100-plus other performers from around the
world for six months and put in more than 200 hours of community service.
So why’s she doing this?
“I don’t want to be known just as an athlete. I’m hungry for more, and
singing and dancing seemed like the next great challenge.”
On the singing front, “I’m tone deaf and my co-workers [she’s working
in University of California-Berkeley’s athletics department] just laugh at the
thought of me singing.”
But Meyer’s up to the challenge. In fact, she’s been overcoming challenges
since birth. She was a premature baby weighing in at 2 pounds, 13 ounces and
was just 16 inches long. Her head was smaller than a tennis ball. So she could
drink, nurses put a water-dipped cotton swab in her mouth.
And she has experience raising money. While a student, she raised
hundreds for the March of Dimes to help other kids overcome tough starts.
She says her background in basketball will help make the transition
easier because performing for an audience is nothing new. However, other
challenges are still there.
“In dancing you need to be very fluid, on beat and in rhythm — three
things that I played basketball without,” Meyer says. “Sure, I was often in a
shooter’s rhythm, but I was also picking myself up off the floor after tripping
over my own feet a lot. Dancing poses enough challenges with staying on my
feet.”
>>www.TravelingBrooke.com
—Doug McPherson

6
No instruments required
DU a cappella group lives in harmony

A s a vocal performance major in DU’s

Courtesy of Idiosingcrasies
Lamont School of Music, junior
Paul Lannon is surrounded by music all
day, every day. But his favorite people
to sing with are his fellow members in
the Idiosingcrasies, a campus a cappella
group that includes music majors and
non-music majors.
“We do a lot of great things at
Lamont, but out of all the things I do
at this school, Idiosingcrasies is my
favorite thing to be involved in,” he says,
noting that the group is not affiliated
with the music school. “This is what I
look forward to every day.”
Founded in 2005 by a group of
singers who have since graduated, the
Idiosingcrasies are DU’s longest-lasting
— in recent memory, anyway — entry
into the growing field of college a
cappella. Making music with nothing
but their voices, the group’s 15 members arrange their own versions of songs by hitmakers such as Guns N’ Roses, Miley Cyrus, Michael
Jackson and more — the more familiar to audiences the better.
“Why people get so excited and into it is that they recognize the songs,” Lannon says. “They see our take or our spin on the song. It’s
the difference between a choir concert and an a cappella concert. Choir concert, everybody sits there, they hear you sing, they clap at the
end. At an a cappella concert, you start singing and everybody starts screaming and clapping and jumping out of their seats.”
The Idiosingcrasies have had audiences jumping out of their seats at shows on campus, at Denver-area bars and schools and at
private parties. On May 8, the group held its spring concert in Davis Auditorium. In addition to previewing songs from its first album —
due next fall — the group also will bid farewell to its two senior members, who graduate this month.
“We will definitely be losing a big part of our history, but they’ll still be around and I know they’re going to come to our shows and
support us,” says Lannon, the group’s vocal percussionist. “It’s cool seeing how we’re building an alumni base now.”
The group also is helping to build an a cappella scene in Denver, working with all-vocal college groups from Boulder, Colorado Springs
and elsewhere in Colorado to raise the art form’s visibility.
“Yale has groups that have been on campus for 90 years,” says Idiosingcrasies member Nate Pearson, a junior accounting major. “The
thing about the Rocky Mountain region and Colorado is that we don’t have that kind of history with a cappella. These groups are really
brand new. Boulder has a huge number of a cappella groups, but they’re all seven or eight years old, similar to us. With the help of a lot
of really devoted, motivated people, we’re really trying to create an a cappella culture in Colorado.”
To that end, Idiosingcrasies members already have served as mentors to Exit 205, another DU a cappella group that started singing
last year.
“I would like to think that it was really our group that showed them and showed the other singers on campus that there is room at
DU for a cappella groups and that this is a culture that can thrive,” Pearson says.
Funded by the Undergraduate Student Government and entirely run by members, the Idiosingcrasies features singers from all over
campus: majors in communications, business, HRTM and more. Unlike many of its a cappella contemporaries, the group is co-ed, which
allows it greater flexibility, Lannon says.
“It doesn’t limit us in any way,” he says. “We can do things that just a guys’ group can’t do because we have female voices — and the
same thing about a female group with guys’ voices. It opens up our horizons as to what we can do musically, vocally, and even what songs
and repertoire we can do. We have songs where guys and girls sing to each other and it sets up a whole story on stage. It definitely plays
with the dynamics and it brings a lot to the group.”
>>www.idiosingcrasies.com
—Greg Glasgow
7
[Events]
June

Chase Squires
Around campus
4 Graduate Commencement. 4:30 p.m.
Magness Arena.
5 Undergraduate Commencement.
9:30 a.m. Magness Arena.

Arts
4 A Midsummer Night’s Dream presented
by the International Youth Ballet. 7:30 p.m.
Gates Concert Hall. Additional performances
June 5 and 6 at 7:30 p.m. $21.
7 Rocky Mountain Conservatory Theatre’s
summer camp. Byron Theatre. For ages six
to 17. Sessions available from June 7–26 or
June 28–July 17. www.RMCTonline.com
17 Colorado Vincentian Volunteers present
Heart and Soul Concert. 7 p.m. Gates
Concert Hall. $30.
19 Third Annual Lamont Summer
Pre-College Academy. Through July 3.
Constance Cook Glen, director. Contact
cglen@indiana.edu. Alumna turns discarded handbags into
haute couture
Exhibits
1 2010 BFA Exhibition. Through June 5. It started with a name, but it’s become a business.
Myhren Gallery. Open noon – 4 p.m. daily. About 18 months ago University of Denver alumna Traci Tisserat (BA ’05) and
Free.
friend and roommate Shawna Sambrano came up with the idea to start a business and
call it “TraSh Bagz.”
For ticketing and other information, including a full listing
of campus events, visit www.du.edu/calendar. That was the easy part. The hard part was coming up with a business to match.
Being artistic helped. So did being socially conscious and active. The germ of an idea
grew into a business taking old, discarded handbags and using a variety of techniques and
DID YOU KNOW? media to turn faded bags into works of art. It’s haute couture with a green twist, trash
Sixty-four DU graduate students to treasures, handbags to handiwork.
The creations are Cinderella stories in themselves — old, discarded bags collected
participated in the Peace Corps’ Masters
from vintage clothing shops and closets across the region turned into glamorous pieces
International and Fellows/USA programs
decked in sparkles and feathers and hot pinks and zebra stripes. The artists dabble in a
this year, making DU the top participating
multitude of media and mix their own dyes to create custom colors.
school in the U.S. The programs drew “All of them are one of a kind,” says Tisserat, displaying a host of bags piled up in
750 currently serving and returned Peace the swank Chrysalis Boutique in the New Streets of SouthGlenn in Centennial, south
Corps volunteers to serve overseas and get of Denver. “You’re never going to see someone with the same bag. You get one of
graduate school credit for doing so. Masters our bags, you know it’s something special, and you’ve done something good for the
International students spend one to two environment by recycling a bag.”
academic years on campus before receiving The work is certainly a labor of love at this point, as they both keep day jobs and
their overseas assignments and traveling serve on a variety of charity boards. Tisserat, 26, and Sambrano, 32, both toil as much
to their host countries. Other schools with as 20 hours a week, sometimes more, on the complexities of designing, creating and
high numbers of participants included the marketing their creations, which sell for about $40 to $200 each in boutiques, mobile
“trunk shows,” private “purse parties” and online. The pair says they can do bridesmaids
University of Arizona (57), Johns Hopkins
bags to complement weddings and even custom design pieces.
University (48) and Columbia University,
>>www.trashbagz.com
Teacher’s College (36).
—Chase Squires