CU Denver Honors & Leadership Skip to content Announcement: CU Denver Celebrates Research Week: April 20 – 24 CU Denver Honors & Leadership You Belong in Honors Find the right program for you! You Belong in Honors Find the right program for you! CU Denver Honors & Leadership With two pathways to honors, you can choose the program which best fits your educational journey. Both the Honors Scholars Program (HSP) and the University Honors and Leadership (UHL) Program provide honors-level education and have unique benefits. As part of the UHL program, you will join a supportive cohort with other honors students and complete dedicated coursework together , while HSP allows for flexible learning options that you design around your passions and goals. Each program is aimed to help you achieve your educational goals by developing your talents and feeding your intellectual curiosity. Honors Scholars Program This flexible certificate program allows students to set their own honors goals and design their own plans. Students combine challenging coursework and co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that help them work toward their goals to earn a certificate in honors. Students work with an advisor to create this personalized certificate. Learn more about HSP University Honors and Leadership Program Complete coursework in small discussion-based seminars with other honors students that explore a range of special topics from a multidisciplinary perspective. Students in this highly selective program enter as part of a cohort and receive scholarship support, have access to priority class registration, and complete community service with their UHL peers. Learn More About UHL Honors & Leadership Faculty and Staff Dr. Reich’s research examines how individuals and families weigh information and strategize their interactions with the state and service providers in the context of public policy, particularly as they relate to healthcare and welfare. She is author of two award-winning books, Fixing Families: Parents, Power, and the Child Welfare System and Calling the Shots: Why Parents Reject Vaccines, is editor of the books, Reproduction and Society and State of Families, and has written more than 35 articles and book chapters that explore vaccination, reproductive health, welfare, multiracial families, public assistance, and recovery after disaster. Her work has been featured in many news outlets including the New York Times, the Washington Post, NPR, and Newsweek, and on the Netflix show, Bill Nye Saves the World. Education Post-Doctoral Fellowship, Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco (funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality), 2002-2004 Certificate of Training in Clinical Research, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, 2003 Ph.D., Sociology, University of California, Davis (Designated Emphasis: Feminist Theory and Methods from the Department of Women and Gender Studies), 2002 M.A., Sociology, University of California, Davis,1997 B.A., Sociology, University of California, Santa Barbara (highest honors), 1993 Contact via email: [email protected] or request an appointment at Dr. Sarah K. Fields (JD Washington University; PhD University of Iowa) is a professor in Communication. She has previously taught at Washington University in St. Louis, the University of Georgia, and Ohio State University. Her research and teaching focuses largely on the intersection of sport and American culture, specifically examining issues of gender, injury, and law. She is the author of Game Faces: Sport Celebrity and the Laws of Reputation (University of Illinois Press, 2016) and Female Gladiators: Gender, Law, and Contact Sport in America (University of Illinois Press, 2005). Dr. Fields is a recreational athlete who also enjoys outdoor activities with her dog and wife as well as watching television with her cats. Education PhD, American Studies (2000) University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa MA, American Studies (1996) Washington State University, Pullman, Washington JD, (1994) Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri BA, Psychology (1990) Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut Appointments are available most weekdays as well as several evening. Contact Use the calendly link to set up an appointment. Also via e-mail at [email protected] any time, expect a response within 24 hours Monday-Fridays (holidays and weekends may take a little longer).  Please include your student ID and your question in the email. Elisabeth joined the UHL program in 2015 and has been a part of the Auraria campus since 1991. She received her undergraduate degree in organizational communication and anthropology from Metropolitan State University of Denver and her master's degree in business management and organization from CU Denver. She recruits and advises students within UHL and works to ensure UHL students have the resources necessary for success. Elisabeth’s favorite thing about UHL is the feeling of community and atmosphere of support within the program. Elisabeth is an adoptive mother, wife, and parent to five rescue pets. When she's not at UHL or chasing her extremely active pets and daughter, you can find her gardening, scuba diving, floral arranging, learning a new craft, or traveling. Jane joined the UHL and HSP programs in 2024. She received her undergraduate degree in integrated marketing communication from Wichita State University. She recruits, advises and creates promotional materials for the Honors programs and serves as a resource for UHL and HSP students. Jane has a passion for helping students achieve their goals while accessing their full, authentic potential. Her main objective in this role is to offer a safe space for students to feel heard, seen, valued and understood. Jane's favorite part of the Honors Programs is the energy and light students bring to campus. I believe the students make CU Denver a lively, energetic and inclusive place to be. Jane is a Wichita, Kansas native and moved to Denver to 2023 to dive deeper into her interests, hobbies and passions. Jane is currently a graduate student in CU Denver's school counseling program. In her free time, she loves doing yoga, biking, writing, watercoloring, cooking, playing billiards, pickleball and any outdoor activity. She also loves Taylor Swift, cats and self-help books! Affe Nilsson is a sophomore at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in Music Performance. He was born and raised in Eskilstuna, Sweden. Between 2016 and 2020, Affe went on a world tour working as a band leader and stage technician, performing shows, staying with host families, and doing volunteer work. Before moving to the United States, Affe studied music and entrepreneurship in Sweden, Jazz guitar in the Netherlands. During his free time, he loves hanging out with friends and working on music with his band. Angel Ruiz Gomez is a junior at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He was born and raised in Denver, Colorado. He loves learning about his Mexican culture and is very passionate about it. During his free time, he enjoys playing video games, listening to music, and spending quality time with his friends and family. Aniya Brown is a senior at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in accounting and minoring in psychology. She was born in Illinois, but raised in Aurora, Colorado. She volunteers at an assisted living facility as often as she can. During her free time, she loves to draw, paint, and binge watch 90's shows. Hannah Prutch is a freshman at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in Psychology, Bachelor of Science. She was born and raised in Colorado and frequently moved throughout the state. During her free time, Hannah loves all things art, including jewelry-making, learning new instruments, drawing, and a variety of crafts. She also spends a lot of time exploring the outdoors through hiking and random adventures. Gabi is a freshman at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in Secondary Math Education with a minor in French, and is part of the University Honors and Leadership program. They were born in California and grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada, before recently moving to Denver for school. In their free time, Gabi enjoys reading fantasy series, writing fanfiction and Dungeons & Dragons campaigns, listening to ska-punk and dad rock music, and spending time with the people they love. Melissa Yos is a sophomore at the University of Colorado Denver, majoring in biochemistry and is in the Honors Scholar Program. She was born and raised in Aurora, Colorado to Cambodian immigrants. In her spare time, she likes to read books, spend time with her family and friends, and completing diamond art kits. Make a Difference Donate to CU Denver Honors & Leadership Donate CMS Login Webmail UCD Access Canvas Opens in a new window Opens document in a new window