By Madison Lira

During the first week of April, CSU Pueblo held its first-ever speaker series for the College of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Throughout the week, each department of CHASS, along with Student Engagement & Leadership, had alums who graduated within each degree path come and speak for current students about their majors and where they are today with them. Alums of sociology and criminology spoke on April 6 to a few attendees eager to learn where these degrees can take them. 

The two featured speakers for this particular panel were Brandon Beauvais, a sergeant on the Pueblo Police Department who graduated from CSU Pueblo with a degree in criminology. As well as Stephen Varela, a Republican representative on the Colorado State Board of Education who just recently ran to represent District 3 in the Colorado State Senate this past November, is also a CSU Pueblo alumni who graduated with a degree in sociology. 

The panel was a small Q&A session with the two speakers, with Student Engagement member Garrett Lerch and another member of Student Engagement asking the two about their majors, specifically in terms of their career paths currently. Questions surrounding topics such as what the speaker’s initial goals were when they entered college and if they had changed throughout their time there to what kind of skills they picked up during college that has helped them in the current career they have pursued today. 

Beauvais emphasized throughout the panel that from the moment he started college at CSU Pueblo, he knew he wanted to join the police force. After applying to a few different forces ranging from state patrol to local police departments, he found his place within Pueblo’s police force after interning for them. Beauvais also discussed during the panel that he wished he had explored more programs outside of criminology after being wholly within the job.

Beauvais said that “After college, being in work now, knowing all the opportunities I know now in law enforcement and of the Pueblo Police Department, I probably would’ve picked up maybe some different areas of minor work. I never expected myself to be working as a public information officer. Knowing what I know now, I probably would’ve shifted more focus to the media area.” For about seven years of his career with the Pueblo PD, Beauvais had worked on the department’s social media aspect and press releases. He had just learned he would be working within that part of the police department when he got in and thoroughly enjoyed it.

On the other hand, Varela had a more complicated picture of where he wanted his major to take after graduating with his degree. Varela had dropped out of college once before and enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he did two tours in Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After coming back, he decided to return for his sociology degree. One of the professors who helped him pursue this degree pushed him to further his education by suggesting different fields Varela could enter. After graduating from CSU Pueblo, he pursued a master’s degree in social work in California and is thinking about going back and possibly getting a doctorate in education. 

Varela also went in-depth on how his Chicano Studies minor helped him develop into the person he is today. “It has inspired me, with the position I’m in now, to get as many places I can go and talk to as many people and say, ‘you know we should be teaching our students this at a younger age’ right, letting them know in high school. That they shouldn’t have to go to college to take Chicano Studies to know to be proud of who they are and where they can go. So, I would say for me, it has given me a grounding to where I can be proud.”

After a small session letting students and alumni in the crowd ask questions, the event concluded. Lerch stayed back and discussed how the week of speakers had gone so far and what Student Engagement and the CHASS leader panel would hope to change for future speaker events. 

“What I would want to change especially is getting the word out before. I think the advertising was great for this event, but we can especially reach out to the various honor societies for each major; we can reach out to different student organizations that would be interested, and I think it’s just a matter of doing more direct outreach to students who could be interested” said Lerch.

The post Where will sociology & criminology take you? first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Ashlyn Drury

The search for a new Provost at Colorado State University Pueblo continues. Throughout the past four weeks, candidates have been invited to give speeches to the search committee at the University. This week, Dr. Abbey Zink is the fourth and final Provost candidate to visit.

Dr. Zink attended Marshall University located in Huntington, WV, which was her local University. She was the editor of her college newspaper and majored in Journalism and News Editorial, known as Print Journalism. Her hard work and determination have led her to be the first-generation working class.

Dr. Zink spent eight years working in Texas and has worked at two Hispanic-serving institutions, where she dedicated her career to paying back her great experiences at a comprehensive regional University.

Dr. Zink states, “It transformed my life, and I don’t think there is any higher calling than doing that. So many things at CSU Pueblo resonated with me, and I was so excited about what I was reading and what I was seeing on the web, and that has just been reinforces since I have been here today.”

Dr. Zink and the other three Provost candidates had the opportunity to give a 15-minute presentation to university faculty members, followed by the opportunity for faculty to ask questions, and ended with a meet and greet event later in the evening. This setup allows the department chairs to get to know the candidate and decide who would best fit for CSU Pueblo.

When determining who will become the next Provost, it is not run as an election; it is a selection. The selection committee makes a recommendation to the President, and they decide from there. 

As of April 5, 2023, the presentations have concluded. It is now time for the selection committee to decide for the President to finalize who will be the next Provost of Colorado State University Pueblo. The four candidates include Dr. Tim Borchers, Dr. Gail Mackin, Dr. Andre D. Ketsdever, and Dr. Abbey Zink.

For more information on the Provost search or for information on the four candidates, visit https://www.csupueblo.edu/provost-2022-search/.

The post Provost Candidate: Dr. Abbey Zink first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Madison Lira

Throughout the 2022-2023 school year at CSU Pueblo, the Office of the Provost has been seeking an experienced champion of academic quality to join the executive team of President Timothy Mottet. The office has been hosting the four candidates up for the position, providing them with a tour of the campus and an opportunity to present in the morning. It concluded with a reception with CSU Pueblo faculty later in the evening.

The Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs have a few critical duties at CSU Pueblo. As previously discussed, the candidates for the position would develop and execute a bold vision that not only differentiates the college from other institutions but also meets the needs of those in the region. This job title also means revitalizing the curriculum on campus through updates or creating new programs on campus to remain current and responsive to the region’s needs. The candidate chosen for the position will also ensure that students get a tailored and unique learning experience to develop them to reach their full potential within their program. 

The Office of the Provost requires specific qualifications from the candidates they all show for and more. Candidates have a doctorate or an appropriate terminal degree alongside a strong record of teaching that would merit the tenure and pay of $190,000 up to $230,000 a year. Alongside a strong background in education, the candidates must also have a record of accomplished leadership in academia with increased responsibility and complexity of the work. CSU Pueblo also requires a solid commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion from the candidates.

CSU Pueblo hosted three out of the four candidates on March 15, 28, and March 30. The third candidate looking to fill the Provost position, Dr. Andrew D. Ketsdever, provided more input to The Today on how he would hope to fill the big shoes the campus is looking to fill. DEI efforts being openly embraced and strived for by the campus, Dr. Ketsdever gave background into his previous efforts with DEI commitment in previous positions he held. 

“Previously, I’ve done quite a lot of work in DEI efforts in the community that I’ve come from, and that was a stress point for our students in Bend, OR. It doesn’t seem as though the community and students of color are at odds in Pueblo. Sometimes we feel that way in central Oregon, and so what worked there isn’t necessarily the same approach that would work here. So talking with students, understanding what they need, what they want to see is critical,” said Dr. Ketsdever.

Dr. Ketsdever discussed putting students and their opinions, wants, and needs of what the campus should be like first and foremost. With previous work within student efforts and addressing their wants and needs, he commented on how he would approach the situation of CSU Pueblo outsourcing opportunities to outside companies/people instead of utilizing students and their specialties, an example being in advertising. 

“I’ve done quite a lot of work in my current institution in getting students involved in exactly those types of things. Those real-world experiences, outside of the classroom experiences, are critical. It’s exactly what students should be doing; those are the experiences the university should provide them outside the classroom. There’s certainly a role for students to play, particularly in the degree programs that these types of activities make sense in,” Dr. Ketsdever explained.

Many students on campus are also discussing trouble when it comes to finding jobs and paid internships during and after graduation, with many needing assistance finding help. Dr. Ketsdever discussed some similar sentiments that students at the institutions he currently and previously has worked for shared towards this as well.

“One issue that we saw at my current institution is that we have a career development office like most other universities, and it was left to the students to find it in most cases. In other cases, the degree major that they’re in would direct them to the career development office, and other majors, not so much.”

Dr. Ketsdever also discussed why he applied for the provost position at CSU Pueblo, saying, “Throughout my whole academic career, I’ve always been at places that are small and mighty. UCCS instead of CU Boulder, for example, OSU Cascades instead of OSU in Corvallis. The appeal to CSU Pueblo is that it’s a small and mighty place with really exciting things going on that’s ready to be innovative and break out.”

The post Provost candidate search: Second to the last candidate first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Cidonia Ponce 

On March 23, 2023, Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed two bills restricting children and teens’ social media usage. This would include requiring parental consent before engaging or interacting with social media apps such as Tiktok and Instagram.

These bills that were signed into law will limit social media usage for kids under 18. Utah created a “curfew” preventing the use of social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Not only this but there will be required age verifications for anyone who wants to use social media in the state. Ultimately, the law aims to prevent children from being attacked by apps and their addictive features. 

Utah also outlines rules for parents seeking to sue companies they claim have caused harm. If the law is executed, social media companies will have to face these lawsuits and provide proof proving that their services were not harmful. These laws will also require parents to be given access to their children’s accounts.

Big tech companies, including Facebook and Google, have already had their fair share of concerns about their user privacy settings, hate speeches, misinformation, and its harmful mental health effects on teens. These companies could potentially have to adjust their features to abide by parts of the laws implemented.

However, the main question is how Utah and other states, considering similar proposals, will plan to enforce restrictions. These big companies have already developed privacy protocols preventing companies from collecting data on children under 13 without the consent of their parents under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Not only this, but these companies also already ban children under 13 from signing up for the platform. However, regardless of the parent’s consent, kids have found a way around that. 

Assistant Professor of Political Science and the coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Colorado State University Pueblo, Ryan Strickler, shared his perspective on the law and potential challenges. “From the field of political science, research shows how social media breeds polarization, political extremism, and belief in harmful conspiracy theories,” Strickler comments. Because of the conducted research, Stricker believes that it can be harmful when teens socialize into these mindsets at an early age. 

“So, I think there is a place for reasonable regulation, like how we regulate alcohol and tobacco because we know the harms that they can cause,” Strictly explained.

However, because the Utah law will create some resistance, Strickler also comments on the other perspective. “Completely cutting off children (or many children in Utah, at least) from social media, when it’s such an important part of our world, is the wrong approach,” Strickler admits. “Social media can also provide an avenue for connection and support for teens whose families and communities do not accept them,” Strickler commented that implementing the law at this scale could potentially create more issues. 

“The Utah law would take these opportunities away, potentially worsening issues like depression and suicide,” Strickler said. 

Another valid perspective comes from Ben Lloyd, a social media professor at CSU Pueblo. Although Lloyd is a parent of two teens and sees the concern to protect children from harmful content, he still recognizes the other potential damages the laws can bring. 

“This kind of measure can go down a slippery slope of extended restrictions in other technologies deemed harmful by general definition,” Lloyd commented. 

Lloyd and Strickler both commented on the challenges the state will go through to try and regulate the law. “With the way this law bars access to information and prevents communication, I am not sure it will survive a court challenge,” Strickler commented. 

Lloyd stated, “Cybersecurity is already a huge issue with people stealing data for malicious purposes, targeting people of all ages, for the same purpose, and the existence of the deep web and the dark web.”

Lloyd suggests parents be wise in raising their parents, especially if they can access social media. “Don’t use technological restrictions to help raise them,” Lloyd suggested. 

The post New Utah Social Media Law: What you need to know first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Cidonia Ponce 

On March 23, 2023, Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed two bills restricting children and teens’ social media usage. This would include requiring parental consent before engaging or interacting with social media apps such as Tiktok and Instagram.

These bills that were signed into law will limit social media usage for kids under 18. Utah created a “curfew” preventing the use of social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Not only this but there will be required age verifications for anyone who wants to use social media in the state. Ultimately, the law aims to prevent children from being attacked by apps and their addictive features. 

Utah also outlines rules for parents seeking to sue companies they claim have caused harm. If the law is executed, social media companies will have to face these lawsuits and provide proof proving that their services were not harmful. These laws will also require parents to be given access to their children’s accounts.

Big tech companies, including Facebook and Google, have already had their fair share of concerns about their user privacy settings, hate speeches, misinformation, and its harmful mental health effects on teens. These companies could potentially have to adjust their features to abide by parts of the laws implemented.

However, the main question is how Utah and other states, considering similar proposals, will plan to enforce restrictions. These big companies have already developed privacy protocols preventing companies from collecting data on children under 13 without the consent of their parents under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Not only this, but these companies also already ban children under 13 from signing up for the platform. However, regardless of the parent’s consent, kids have found a way around that. 

Assistant Professor of Political Science and the coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Colorado State University Pueblo, Ryan Strickler, shared his perspective on the law and potential challenges. “From the field of political science, research shows how social media breeds polarization, political extremism, and belief in harmful conspiracy theories,” Strickler comments. Because of the conducted research, Stricker believes that it can be harmful when teens socialize into these mindsets at an early age. 

“So, I think there is a place for reasonable regulation, like how we regulate alcohol and tobacco because we know the harms that they can cause,” Strictly explained.

However, because the Utah law will create some resistance, Strickler also comments on the other perspective. “Completely cutting off children (or many children in Utah, at least) from social media, when it’s such an important part of our world, is the wrong approach,” Strickler admits. “Social media can also provide an avenue for connection and support for teens whose families and communities do not accept them,” Strickler commented that implementing the law at this scale could potentially create more issues. 

“The Utah law would take these opportunities away, potentially worsening issues like depression and suicide,” Strickler said. 

Another valid perspective comes from Ben Lloyd, a social media professor at CSU Pueblo. Although Lloyd is a parent of two teens and sees the concern to protect children from harmful content, he still recognizes the other potential damages the laws can bring. 

“This kind of measure can go down a slippery slope of extended restrictions in other technologies deemed harmful by general definition,” Lloyd commented. 

Lloyd and Strickler both commented on the challenges the state will go through to try and regulate the law. “With the way this law bars access to information and prevents communication, I am not sure it will survive a court challenge,” Strickler commented. 

Lloyd stated, “Cybersecurity is already a huge issue with people stealing data for malicious purposes, targeting people of all ages, for the same purpose, and the existence of the deep web and the dark web.”

Lloyd suggests parents be wise in raising their parents, especially if they can access social media. “Don’t use technological restrictions to help raise them,” Lloyd suggested. 

The post New Utah Social Media Law: What you need to know first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Cidonia Ponce 

On March 23, 2023, Utah’s Republican Governor Spencer Cox signed two bills restricting children and teens’ social media usage. This would include requiring parental consent before engaging or interacting with social media apps such as Tiktok and Instagram.

These bills that were signed into law will limit social media usage for kids under 18. Utah created a “curfew” preventing the use of social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. Not only this but there will be required age verifications for anyone who wants to use social media in the state. Ultimately, the law aims to prevent children from being attacked by apps and their addictive features. 

Utah also outlines rules for parents seeking to sue companies they claim have caused harm. If the law is executed, social media companies will have to face these lawsuits and provide proof proving that their services were not harmful. These laws will also require parents to be given access to their children’s accounts.

Big tech companies, including Facebook and Google, have already had their fair share of concerns about their user privacy settings, hate speeches, misinformation, and its harmful mental health effects on teens. These companies could potentially have to adjust their features to abide by parts of the laws implemented.

However, the main question is how Utah and other states, considering similar proposals, will plan to enforce restrictions. These big companies have already developed privacy protocols preventing companies from collecting data on children under 13 without the consent of their parents under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. Not only this, but these companies also already ban children under 13 from signing up for the platform. However, regardless of the parent’s consent, kids have found a way around that. 

Assistant Professor of Political Science and the coordinator of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Colorado State University Pueblo, Ryan Strickler, shared his perspective on the law and potential challenges. “From the field of political science, research shows how social media breeds polarization, political extremism, and belief in harmful conspiracy theories,” Strickler comments. Because of the conducted research, Stricker believes that it can be harmful when teens socialize into these mindsets at an early age. 

“So, I think there is a place for reasonable regulation, like how we regulate alcohol and tobacco because we know the harms that they can cause,” Strictly explained.

However, because the Utah law will create some resistance, Strickler also comments on the other perspective. “Completely cutting off children (or many children in Utah, at least) from social media, when it’s such an important part of our world, is the wrong approach,” Strickler admits. “Social media can also provide an avenue for connection and support for teens whose families and communities do not accept them,” Strickler commented that implementing the law at this scale could potentially create more issues. 

“The Utah law would take these opportunities away, potentially worsening issues like depression and suicide,” Strickler said. 

Another valid perspective comes from Ben Lloyd, a social media professor at CSU Pueblo. Although Lloyd is a parent of two teens and sees the concern to protect children from harmful content, he still recognizes the other potential damages the laws can bring. 

“This kind of measure can go down a slippery slope of extended restrictions in other technologies deemed harmful by general definition,” Lloyd commented. 

Lloyd and Strickler both commented on the challenges the state will go through to try and regulate the law. “With the way this law bars access to information and prevents communication, I am not sure it will survive a court challenge,” Strickler commented. 

Lloyd stated, “Cybersecurity is already a huge issue with people stealing data for malicious purposes, targeting people of all ages, for the same purpose, and the existence of the deep web and the dark web.”

Lloyd suggests parents be wise in raising their parents, especially if they can access social media. “Don’t use technological restrictions to help raise them,” Lloyd suggested. 

The post New Utah Social Media Law: What you need to know first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Camerron Martin

Residents of the state of Colorado often say that the seasons are a lie and that the weather is a myth due to how quickly the weather often shifts from one type to another statewide. However, many residents see horrible weather less often due to Colorado’s location. High winds and large amounts of snow and rain work their way through the state, and these storms have been known to cause large amounts of damage, but they rarely compare to the damages created by hurricanes or tornados that many other states often have to worry about each year. 

When extreme weather hits places like this, they are subjected to much more damage and loss. After all, is said and done, many wonder what can be done to help those affected. 

Within the last couple of weeks, Midwestern and southern states, including Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas, and Illinois, have seen violent weather in the form of powerful tornados that have torn through large and small communities, leaving nothing but wreckage. On Friday, March 31, a powerful EF3 tornado touched down in Arkansas, destroying parts of central and eastern communities. Little Rock, Ark., was among the twister’s path, with winds of around 166 miles per hour as it pulled apart homes and businesses.

Residents of Little Rock are not the only ones to have experienced this tragedy, as many of Arkansas’s bordering states in the south and up into the northern end of the tornado alley have all faced the same problems throughout the beginning of this year alone. With still around eight months left in 2023, it is still being determined whether or not more of these storms will break down more communities. 

To have homes and businesses that have had years of hard work put into them in some cases destroyed in such a short amount of time, on top of the possibility that friends and family might not come out in one whole piece or even at all, is a sad and frighting reality those you live in these places have to think about when these events happen. Even with all the sorrow these communities are experiencing, one logical step always follows these devastating circumstances. People will always set out to rebuild.

For those who live in these communities, it’s as simple as going out and helping their neighbors pick up the pieces, but what about those who aren’t a part of them? Many people see these horrible things happening on their local news when they might live on the other side of the country and often don’t even consider ways to offer support due to the distance.

There are ways of assisting people experiencing devastations like these, even at greater distances from the event. The United States has organizations that provide services to help those who need to rebuild, such as the American Red Cross. Services such as clean-ups, search and rescue, medical assistance, sheltering, food services, and more are all rolled out into areas affected by severe weather events. 

All relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, accept donations through their websites as money and supplies for the cleaning and rebuilding efforts, allowing anyone, regardless of location, to provide a little support. Even if it doesn’t feel like much, it will still make all the same difference in helping those who need it most.

The post How you help those in need after a disaster first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Camerron Martin

Residents of the state of Colorado often say that the seasons are a lie and that the weather is a myth due to how quickly the weather often shifts from one type to another statewide. However, many residents see horrible weather less often due to Colorado’s location. High winds and large amounts of snow and rain work their way through the state, and these storms have been known to cause large amounts of damage, but they rarely compare to the damages created by hurricanes or tornados that many other states often have to worry about each year. 

When extreme weather hits places like this, they are subjected to much more damage and loss. After all, is said and done, many wonder what can be done to help those affected. 

Within the last couple of weeks, Midwestern and southern states, including Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Arkansas, and Illinois, have seen violent weather in the form of powerful tornados that have torn through large and small communities, leaving nothing but wreckage. On Friday, March 31, a powerful EF3 tornado touched down in Arkansas, destroying parts of central and eastern communities. Little Rock, Ark., was among the twister’s path, with winds of around 166 miles per hour as it pulled apart homes and businesses.

Residents of Little Rock are not the only ones to have experienced this tragedy, as many of Arkansas’s bordering states in the south and up into the northern end of the tornado alley have all faced the same problems throughout the beginning of this year alone. With still around eight months left in 2023, it is still being determined whether or not more of these storms will break down more communities. 

To have homes and businesses that have had years of hard work put into them in some cases destroyed in such a short amount of time, on top of the possibility that friends and family might not come out in one whole piece or even at all, is a sad and frighting reality those you live in these places have to think about when these events happen. Even with all the sorrow these communities are experiencing, one logical step always follows these devastating circumstances. People will always set out to rebuild.

For those who live in these communities, it’s as simple as going out and helping their neighbors pick up the pieces, but what about those who aren’t a part of them? Many people see these horrible things happening on their local news when they might live on the other side of the country and often don’t even consider ways to offer support due to the distance.

There are ways of assisting people experiencing devastations like these, even at greater distances from the event. The United States has organizations that provide services to help those who need to rebuild, such as the American Red Cross. Services such as clean-ups, search and rescue, medical assistance, sheltering, food services, and more are all rolled out into areas affected by severe weather events. 

All relief organizations, such as the Red Cross, accept donations through their websites as money and supplies for the cleaning and rebuilding efforts, allowing anyone, regardless of location, to provide a little support. Even if it doesn’t feel like much, it will still make all the same difference in helping those who need it most.

The post How you help those in need after a disaster first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Julian Volk

In 2021, the Federal Reserve reviewed the actions taken by Growing Bank, Silicon Valley, calling out their risk management practices as having too many weaknesses.

In 2023, those weaknesses have caught up to Silicon Valley Banks, as they look set to be shut down soon due to a significant collapse. In the report issued by the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the overseers of Silicon Valley Banks found six citations. The Federal Reserve warned Silicon Valley in 2021 that they had to take “immediate action” to survive long term.

Silicon Valley Banks collapsed after its investments heavily decreased in early 2023. The banks’ clients quickly pulled out as much of their money as possible, leading Silicon Valley Banks stock (S.V.B.) to collapse under one dollar in March 2023. The banks’ depositors withdrawing large amounts of money ended the Silicon Valley Banks, a small retribution for those clients who lost so much of their money during the shutdown.

Before the collapse, Silicon Valley Banks was ranked the 16th largest bank in the United States. Since its opening in 1983, the bank has opened many locations worldwide in England, China, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, Germany, Israel, and India. At Silicon Valley Bank’s peak, the company was worth $115 billion in 2020.

Some experts point out that Silicon Valley Banks might have survived this collapse with some parts of the Dodd-Frank financial-regulatory package. Dodd-Frank reorganized the financial regulatory system completely. It was put in place after the stock market collapse of 2008 and has helped keep banks from collapsing for many years. With revisions to the responsibilities of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the creation of the Consumer Financial Consumer Bureau, and some other modifications and creations of financial agencies, it protected banks and clients from bankruptcy and failure. However, in 2018, the Trump administration rolled back some of the changes it brought.

President Trump signed a bill in 2018 lessening the regulatory scrutiny for many regional banks. The bill reduced how frequently banks with assets between $100 billion and $250 billion had to report to the stress test given by the Federal Reserve. Silicon Valley Banks executive Greg Becker greatly supported the bill’s signing.

The collapse of Silicon Valley Banks does bring out fear in many experts. The 2008 stock market collapse and the bank’s failure comparisons show many eerie similarities. Although small banks failing doesn’t mean a cause for concern, the last time a bank of the size of Silicon Valley fell was in 2008 when the F.D.I.C. took over Washington Mutual after its failure. 

The F.D.I.C. took over Silicon Valley Banks on March 10th, creating the Deposit Insurance National Bank of Santa Clara, where all investor and client money is now being held. The F.D.I.C. opened the Deposit Insurance National Bank of Santa Clara on March 13th and has promised that deposits of up to $250,000 will be made whole. All checks used by Silicon Valley Banks will still be cleared.

The post The collapse of Silicon Valley Banks first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.

By Ashlyn Drury

Hitting bombs and throwing strikes, freshman Marissa Robertson of the Colorado State University Pueblo’s Softball team does it all. 

Robertson is a 19-year-old out of Rocklan, Cali., majoring in Occupational Therapy. As a first-year student-athlete, she is already making her name known with her skills and outstanding performance on the ball field. As a pitcher, a hitter, and a first baseman, she helps lead the team to success in multiple areas and does what she needs to do. 

Robertson’s journey with softball began 15 years ago with recreational softball. She played on a 6U team at age four, and her love for the sport never faded. Robertson played three years of varsity softball at Rocklan High School before bringing her talents to CSU Pueblo. 

Head Softball Coach, Bianca Duran, is why Robertson found her way to Pueblo. Robertson stated, “It was a last-minute choice, but I came for the coach and for the environment that the girls give off.”

Coach Bianca, known as “Coach B” to the athletes, shares many similarities to Robertson. Robertson states, “She is a pitcher and hitter as well and has similar fundamentals. She is very knowledgeable of the sport, and she pushes me to be the best I can be.”

Robertson has put those fundamentals into place, showing through her success. She has hit four home runs, pitched 29 strikeouts, and 73 outs from the outfield.

Being both a hitter and a pitcher, Robertson states, “I feel like when I’m pitching, it helps me out personally.” She can use her knowledge of how a pitch is thrown to make contact with the ball as a hitter, which has helped her hit four home runs this season.

With a smile on her face, Robertson states, “I love the feeling of hyping my team up and getting that support when I go around the base.”

While the team hypes her up after her hits, her walk-out songs, “Walk Up Hot” by Young Thug and “Limelight” by Rush, help bring up the energy as she goes out there to play.

Not only is Robertson enjoying her time on the softball team, but she is enjoying her time in Pueblo. She states, “I’m loving it here. I’m just kind of adapting to the different changes and being able to go out and meet new people.”

While Roberston is helping lead the Thunderwolves through a successful season, other star players include Ashley Tosh, Delaney Barela, and Raelynn Rogers. Tosh is a hitter with 16 runs scored and plays shortstop. Barela is a hitter with six runs scored and is positioned at second base. Rogers is at the top of the team stats with 32 runs scored and is positioned at third base. Rogers is tied for most runs this season alongside Freshman Caitlyn Cole.

The Thunderwolves have 14 wins and 25 losses so far this season. They are down to their final three-weekend matchups in the regular season. The Thunderwolves will face the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in away doubleheader games on Fri. April 14, 2023, at Noon and 2:00 p.m. and Sat. April 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

Their final home service will be against Black Hills State with double header games on Sat. April 22, 2023, at Noon and 2:00 p.m. and Sun. April 23 at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. They will head to Chadron, NE, where they will face Chadron State in doubleheader games Thur. April 27, 2023, Noon and 2:00 p.m. and Fri. April 28, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

The post Triple threat: pitcher, hitter, and first baseman first appeared on CSU-Pueblo Today.