Labor Day weekend is here and it’s time to put away the white pants, pick the last crop of tomatoes and say goodbye to summer and the streak of 90 degree days (18 to be exact). I decided to take my camera with me on my (nearly) daily trek across campus to the Coors Fitness Center. The following are a few of my favorite spots that I pass along the way.
As I exit the back doors of Ben M. Cherrington Hall, home of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, it takes a minute to adjust to the sunlight after four hours in my windowless office. I enjoy a stroll through our xeriscaped garden, (albeit parched on this particular day) featuring herbs, perennial flowers and fruit trees.
Our campus boasts a few beautiful waterways, including this one, complete with koi fish, lily plants and this lovely lotus plant.
Every year, someone tosses mini plastic frogs onto the lily pads and these neon orange, purple and blue friends hang out all summer. Of course, the one day I decide to bring my camera, they disappear!
Our campus has a ton of trees, 1,800 to be exact. The DU campus is also home of the Chester M Alter Arboretum.
I made it! In this heat, I feel like I’ve already had my sweat session but I’m here and ready to pump some iron. Take a close look – notice the pillars topped with concrete lips and the lip sculpture to the right? I’m not sure what the symbolism is but I find them a bit creepy. Especially when they talk – really, they talk.
The fitness center is so quiet in the summer, it’s fabulous. I have my choice of treadmill, elliptical machine and the 50 pound weights are always available. Now for the trek back to the office.
Across the grassy knoll is The Sturm College of Law. We are all a bit envious of their (fairly new) digs and the fact that most if not all of the offices have windows. Any donors out there who are willing to fund a new Josef Korbel School building?
For those of you who don’t know this – Denver is one of the fittest cities in the country. Couple that with the most bike paths in the country and TADA – we have our very own Denver B cycle rental stations on our campus. Notice the solar panel which powers the payment machine, brilliant! Thank you DU alum Katie Williams for spearheading this program! I’m tempted to swipe my credit card and cruise back to the office.
As I round the corner and head back to the office, I leave you with one of my favorite campus shots. If DU allowed afternoon siestas, I would bring my blankey and curl up on that lovely patch of grass and listen to the trickle of the waterfall.
But wait, one more photo!Take a look at this rig on the bike rack next to our building. I love the resourcefulness of our Korbel students.
So there you have it – a campus tour through the camera lens of Nicole Vilegi-Sandage. I swear I didn’t photoshop a blue sky into every photo – this was one of the 300 days of sunshine here in Denver, Colorado!
Happy Labor day!
Nicole
Nicole Vilegi-Sandage
Associate Director of Graduate Admissions
Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Nicole.Vilegi@du.edu
