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Champion Skier Bobby Brown’s Tips for Staying Focused and Fearless

Jane Majkiewicz — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 22:10:19 +0000

Champion Skier Bobby Brown’s Tips for Staying Focused and Fearless Jane Majkiewicz Wed, 01/28/2026 - 15:10

Jane Majkiewicz

Olympic skier and filmmaker Bobby Brown encouraged Leeds students to embrace patience, harness pressure and trust their own ideas.

Angie Vermillion, associate director of Employer Relations at Leeds, spoke with Bobby Brown about the lessons learned throughout his award-winning career.

It seemed surprising coming from an eight-time X Games medalist and international freeskiing champion, but one of the first things Bobby Brown told a roomful of Leeds students was simple: “Slow down.”

Brown visited Leeds as a spokesperson for Red Bull, kicking off an ideation session for the 2026 Red Bull Basement, a competition for innovative ideas that make an impact. Brown has spent his career bringing ambitious ideas to life, including becoming the first skier to land multiple variations of a triple flip.

Since shifting into filmmaking, he has produced five feature films garnering millions of viewers. The transition forced him to rethink success: turning obstacles into opportunities, overcoming self-doubt, building the right team, and staying grounded in authenticity.

A pivotal moment came in 2021, when a ski accident in Switzerland left him with a broken back. Misjudging the timing of a jump, he lost focus, shattered three vertebrae and required emergency surgery. "I wasn’t present,” he recalled. Recovery brought waves of doubt, and his desire to ski again “ebbed and flowed.”

“I was so used to skiing and doing tricks, contests, getting results … it got totally messed up. And then I found this other avenue to explore. It’s when things became more clear and I got more excited for the future.”

From that experience, Brown gained a deeper understanding of using pressure as a tool and presence as an advantage. “Everyone can feel that little bit of anxiety and pressure, but when you’re able to harness it, you can do things you never thought you could do.”

"When you’re able to harness pressure, you can do things you never thought you could do."

Bobby Brown, international freeskiing champion

Pressure can elevate performance, he said, but excitement and fun are still more powerful motivators. When enjoyment and inner calm align, he said, “your skill just goes through the roof.” Though he no longer competes, Brown still seeks to improve his craft and avoid injury—what he calls “good pressure.”

Red Bull Cascade was a catalyst for his forward momentum. He wanted to fill a gap in mainstream ski competitions. Four years later, the event has grown into a hub for riders and youth—a way that Brown enjoys giving back to the community that has supported him.

Filmmaking has also taught Brown to be patient with the creative process. “Don’t let time dictate every idea,” he said, admitting he’s still learning the lesson. Some ideas click immediately, while others need time to evolve.

Throughout his career, Brown has credited the people around him. “Everything I have done has been teamwork, whether it’s a video, a contest … I can think of every single moment and there were like 25 people who made it possible.”

Takeaways for Future Innovators

Slow down and stay present—focus improves decisions.
Use pressure as fuel—channel nerves into energy and clarity.
Give ideas time—some concepts need space to develop.
Build your team—surround yourself with people who elevate your work.
Protect quiet time—step back from noise to find your original ideas.
Take creative risks—trust your instincts and back your ideas with confidence.
Don't forget the basics—sleep, nutrition, mindfulness and friendship all boost balance.

Sharing ideas may feel risky, he said, but it’s essential. “Find the people who listen to you and build a symbiotic relationship. Don’t underestimate the power of your contemporaries.”

Brown encouraged students to stay open to feedback and keep a beginner’s mindset. “Put yourself out there,” he said, warning that comparison is rarely productive. “You have to silence the noise,” he said. While it’s helpful to survey the landscape of ideas, he also deliberately steps back. “Give yourself a chance to have quiet so you can actually come up with the idea that’s true to you,” he advised.

“Big ideas take time,” he reminded students. “Don’t rush things. When there’s real gravity behind your ideas and products, people feel that.”

To stay balanced, Brown focuses on the basics: sleep, nutrition and meditation. Competing in the 2014 Olympics—“a crazy month of his life”— mindfulness calmed his nerves. Having a close friend on the team made all the difference. “Having his support definitely kept everyone sane.”

Turning inspiration into action

This year, Red Bull partners Microsoft and AMD are equipping students with AI tools and mentorship to bring their ideas to life. After Red Bull Basement applications close at the end of March, a small group will advance to the national final—and potentially the world final, where the global winner will receive $100,000 from Red Bull in equity-free funding.

Leeds junior Chaya O'Grady (Fin, Mgmt, BusAna ’27) found the event energizing, pushing her to think beyond her textbooks. "Hearing Brown talk about finding excitement and fulfillment through creative pursuits like filmmaking reminded me how important it is to make time for creative outlets. I felt inspired to pick up my passion for drawing again, something I've always loved but never prioritized."

She was equally motivated by the venture concepts generated during the ideation session. "One memorable prompt asked us to intentionally 'break' our ideas, which pushed us to identify weaknesses and external threats early on. In doing so, a lot of people were able to think of risk mitigation strategies early in the ideation phase," O'Grady said.

That mindset is already proving useful in her own entrepreneurial journey. O’Grady is developing a startup focused on wearable assistive technology for people who are blind and low vision. "Events like this create space for interdisciplinary thinking, creativity and real-world problem solving. Leeds offering these opportunities inspires students, and for me, it reinforces why I’m excited to pursue entrepreneurship as a career path."

Olympic skier and filmmaker Bobby Brown encouraged Leeds students to embrace patience, harness pressure and trust their own ideas.

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From Real Estate to AI: How One Leeds Grad Student Has Built a Smarter Way to Study

Jane Majkiewicz — Mon, 26 Jan 2026 19:26:36 +0000

From Real Estate to AI: How One Leeds Grad Student Has Built a Smarter Way to Study Jane Majkiewicz Mon, 01/26/2026 - 12:26

Jane Majkiewicz • Photo by Nathan Thompson

After more than a decade in the workforce, Alex Corren (MRelEst’26) returned to college to pursue his master’s in real estate—and in the process he has built Lobe, an AI-powered, real-time learning assistant.

Alex Corren (MRelEst’26) came to Leeds for his master’s in real estate, but his pursuits took a surprising turn last semester when he invented Lobe, an AI-powered tool designed to maximize studying. Using himself as the platform’s first test case, the results were clear: Corren earned a 4.0 GPA last semester. A “Get Seed Funding” micro-grant from the Deming Center helped him dive further into development—and validated that his concept had real potential.

Next steps? Corren hopes to test the platform with a substantial number of users (know anyone at Leeds who wants to improve their grades?). He also hopes to tap into students’ marketing expertise to raise awareness through social media and other channels.

From necessity to invention

The proverb “necessity is the mother of invention” held true for Corren as he entered his master’s program at Leeds after more than a decade away from college. The timing coincided with the rapid acceleration of artificial intelligence—something he found impossible to ignore.

“The AI coding tools were really starting to get good enough where people were talking about them,” he said. “I've been attracted to frontier technologies my whole life, and this felt like a very significant moment with a very disruptive technology. I made a conscious decision that I could either sit on the sidelines or start experimenting and get my hands on these tools.”

While Corren never considered himself a programmer, building has long been a theme in his life—whether developing professional projects, expanding his skillset, or even constructing his own home. Not knowing how to code always nagged at him. As an “idea guy,” he could envision countless digital products and services.

“I've been attracted to frontier technologies my whole life, and this felt like a very significant moment with a very disruptive technology. I made a conscious decision that I could either sit on the sidelines or start experimenting and get my hands on these tools.”

Alex Corren (MRelEst’26)

“Although I was very comfortable with technical things, I never learned to code. And that always felt like a blocker for me. Programming isn’t something you can casually pick up—it’s a pretty big commitment.” But when coding in plain English emerged, a light bulb turned on.

“It was like, oh wow, this is almost made for people like me … Now I can action and iterate and prototype these ideas really quickly.”

Corren spent all of 2025 experimenting and building. Lobe wasn’t necessarily his initial goal—it evolved naturally as he looked for ways to better manage his coursework. He was juggling Canvas assignments, downloading course documents, and experimenting with a patchwork of tools from his professional life, such as Otter, Notion and Granola.

“Since I had been in the career world before coming back to school, and through my previous entrepreneurship efforts, I had been really into digital systems, organization, productivity, workflow management, and personal knowledge management,” he said.

“It occurred to me that there had to be a better way.” Lobe was the answer. The breakthrough was realizing that he had access to open APIs—just like traditional developers—to make it all possible.

“So much of this infrastructure is widely accessible,” he said. A bit of sleuthing later, he had built the prototype. Securing the Deming Center micro-grant gave him the confidence to keep going—and positive feedback that his approach was viable.

Turning a prototype into a practical tool

The Lowdown on Lobe

Lobe is Corren’s vision of an always available teaching assistant—one that understands your classes, your professor’s examples, your materials, and even lectures as they are happening in real time.

Here’s a summary of Lobe’s features.

~ Live lecture transcription
Lobe “sits in” on class, transcribing every word and turning lectures into polished notes. Students can even ask mid-class, “What was that example the professor just gave?” because Lobe hears it in the moment.

~Concept extraction and the Study Hub
The system identifies key ideas from each lecture and compiles them into a dynamic Study Hub—an evolving map of concepts rather than static flashcards.

~Spaced repetition learning
Lobe resurfaces concepts at optimized intervals, similar to memory tools like Duolingo or Quizlet, reinforcing longterm retention.

~Document and resource uploads
Students can upload PDFs, slides and course materials, which Lobe incorporates into its context for more accurate help.

~Conversational studying
A built-in chat lets students practice material in multiple formats—multiple choice, open-ended, or through explanations. “It’s not static,” Corren said. “You can say, ‘Give me another question,’ or, ‘Explain that differently—I didn’t get it.’”

~A longterm archive of your education
Corren said one of his realizations while building Lobe was just how much learning gets lost once a semester ends. “College is expensive, and the knowledge you gain is really valuable,” he said. “I didn’t want any of it disappearing.”

His own experience drove the point home. “My undergrad notebooks are probably still sitting in a box at my mom’s house in New Jersey,” he said. “I don’t have access to any of that now. With Lobe, you keep what you learn—forever.”

Of course, obstacles remain. For example, while Canvas—the platform ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� uses for course management—has an API, permission requirements may pose a challenge. Corren is in conversation with CU’s IT team to explore solutions.

He’s also aware of the broader debate surrounding AI in education. But for him, Lobe has enhanced his learning, not hindered it. AI transcription, for example, allows him to stay fully present in lectures.

“It’s helped me be super present and lock in. I don’t have to worry about taking manual notes because I know that Lobe is capturing every word.”

He’s found that many students still use AI in scattered, inefficient ways—dabbling without integrating their work into a cohesive system. And while some observers warn that AI may undermine genuine learning, Corren sees a fuller spectrum.

“A hammer can be used to bash something, or you can use it to build a house,” he quipped. “It’s the same with AI tools. You can outsource your thinking and fake your way through to a certain degree. Or you can use it to deepen your learning, deepen your understanding, and pay more attention.”

The bigger divide, he argues, will come from differences in adoption.

“The divide people talk about in the workforce isn’t ‘AI is going to take your job.’ It’s ‘Somebody using AI effectively is going to take your job.’ I think that starts in school.”

He also noted that exams—remote or in person—still require real comprehension. “You can’t fake your way through.”

What’s next for Lobe?

Corren’s immediate priority is connecting with marketing savvy interns.

“The reality is, I'm a 33-year-old dude who's never been on TikTok,” he said with a laugh. “I know there are people who are TikTok natives who could do a really good job marketing this. It's OK if I ask for help—I don’t have to do everything myself.”

He is also applying to the New Venture Challenge as he enters the next phase of testing.

His graduation dream? “Lobe is big enough that I can go full-time working for myself.”

At the same time, Corren hasn’t abandoned his passion for real estate and regenerative communities—a field he entered Leeds to pursue, taking advantage of the resources available through the Klump Center for Real Estate and Leeds' other Centers of Excellence. His own sustainably built home was just the start.

“I’m not banking on Lobe and putting aside the real estate opportunities. But working for oneself and the capacity for growth is promising.” Apps like Lobe can scale quickly, he said, making it an attractive option over other career pathways. He also sees Lobe as a strong portfolio piece. “Going into any career, people are looking at AI skills.”

Corren knows the technological landscape is evolving quickly.

“Software is fundamentally changed forever. There’s a window of time right now. Whether it lasts 12 months, 18 months, three years … who knows? For large incumbent technology companies, the purely technical moat is disappearing … these companies are actively under attack by indie hackers like me.”

In the end, he believes distribution and taste will matter most.

“If we’re inundated with AI slop, what’s going to stand out is high-quality, tasteful products.” Corren hopes Lobe will be one of them.

Alex Corren (MRelEst’26) returned to college to pursue his master’s—and in the process he has built Lobe, an AI-powered, real-time learning assistant.

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Building a Career with Purpose: Why Eliza Homorodi Chose the Master’s in Sustainable Business

Jane Majkiewicz — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 22:25:45 +0000

Building a Career with Purpose: Why Eliza Homorodi Chose the Master’s in Sustainable Business Jane Majkiewicz Thu, 01/22/2026 - 15:25

Jane Majkiewicz

Leeds senior Eliza Homorodi (Mktg, Fin’26) will join the inaugural cohort of the Master’s in Sustainable Business program this fall. The program’s focus on sustainable business strategy, ESG principles and real‑world application aligns directly with her long‑term goals to become a leader in sustainability‑focused consumer products.

Homorodi was eager to apply to the new graduate program and recently shared on LinkedIn why she’s looking forward to continuing her academic journey at Leeds.

“I’m excited to deepen my knowledge in sustainable business strategy and ESG principles while applying these concepts to real-world business challenges,” she said. “This next step aligns closely with my goal of building a career in the health and wellness industry after graduation. I'm looking forward to continuing my academic and professional journey with a focus on purpose, not just profit.”

Leeds caught up with Homorodi to learn more about what drew her to this sustainability-focused graduate degree, how it connects to her career goals and what she’s most looking forward to as she enters the program.

What are your career aspirations in health and wellness, and how do you see this graduate degree helping you get there?

Within the health and wellness industry, I am striving to work in consumer packaged goods in healthy/organic foods, or for a company prioritizing sustainability initiatives. I see this degree opening my knowledge to ESG and sustainability in business and providing me with a solid background in sustainable business to pursue this goal.

How do you see this degree complementing your double major in marketing and finance, and your minor in media studies?

With my double emphasis in marketing and finance, I am able to view business from a more well-rounded perspective and factor in both profit and consumer insights within my business decisions. My minor in media studies allows me to more deeply analyze the different mediums in which marketing can reach consumers. By adding a sustainable business degree to this mix, I believe I will bring versatile skills and knowledge from multiple perspectives into industry post-graduation.

When you look at the curriculum, which courses in particular excite you?

I am most looking forward to taking the following classes:

ENVS 5005 (Sustainability Systems and Natural Processes)
I have always had an interest in natural systems, science and planetary boundaries, so I'm looking forward to diving deeper into these topics to reinforce my background knowledge of sustainability.

MBAX 6368 (Consumer Packaged Goods)
This is the class I am most excited to take because it will provide me with a strong foundation in consumer packaged goods, which is aligned with my career goals, and I can connect my background in marketing and finance.

MSBC 5710 (Assessing Sustainability Performance)
I have always been curious about how companies assess their performance regarding sustainability with various metrics and data analysis. I'm excited to fill that gap in my curiosity and develop a deeper understanding of sustainable analysis.

What was the application process like?

Being a current Leeds student, the application process was fairly simple. I had to submit my education transcripts, resume and letters of recommendation.

Interested in joining the next wave of purpose‑driven business leaders?

Visit the Master’s in Sustainable Business program page >>

Get a quick summary of the program's highlights >>

Eliza Homorodi (Mktg, Fin’26) sees Leeds’ new Master’s in Sustainable Business program as the ideal way to build a purpose-driven career in health and wellness.

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Why Anti-Asian Discrimination Often Goes Unnoticed at Work

Kelsey Cipolla — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 16:56:59 +0000

Why Anti-Asian Discrimination Often Goes Unnoticed at Work Kelsey Cipolla Wed, 01/21/2026 - 09:56

A new study from Leeds' Tony Kong finds bias is often overlooked when people aren’t seen as likely targets of discrimination.

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Leaders Tell All: What Business is Really Like

Anneli Gray — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:50:24 +0000

Leaders Tell All: What Business is Really Like Anneli Gray Fri, 01/16/2026 - 12:50

Anneli Gray

Industries came to life last fall when high-profile visitors shared unfiltered accounts and perspectives from the front lines of their careers.

Former Microsoft sustainability leader Mark Kroese shared practical insights on innovation, skills and market-driven solutions for climate progress at CESR’s Sustainability Bootcamp.

Some of the most powerful lessons often come straight from the people shaping the business world. Last semester, influential executives, bold entrepreneurs and accomplished alumni filled the halls of Koelbel, bringing real stories from the leading edges of industry to students.

They shared the moments that defined their careers—the risks, the setbacks, the breakthroughs—transforming business concepts from abstract ideas into lived experiences. In all, Leeds hosted over 300 leaders—some of whom took part in multiple engagements—providing students with a total of 432 guest-speaker events to benefit from.

These weren’t just guest appearances; they were sparks of inspiration. Students gained unfiltered insight into what it takes to lead, adapt and succeed in a rapidly changing world, while discovering new paths they may never have considered—fueling ambition and preparing the next generation of business leaders to step more confidently into what comes next.

Human sparks

Former Microsoft sustainability leader Mark Kroese (pictured above) delivered the keynote at Leeds’ Sustainability Bootcamp in November, sponsored by the Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR), speaking to a packed room of more than 180 students. Drawing on his experiences at the intersection of technology, leadership and environmental advocacy, Kroese urged students to continue innovating in the area of climate change and reminded them that their personal values and human qualities will ultimately set them apart: “We are, after all, called human beings—not human doings.”

Wendy Lea (pictured right) is a nationally recognized CEO, board director and ecosystem builder with over 30 years of experience leading technology companies, advising Fortune 500 firms, shaping public-private innovation economies, and serving on influential state and federal boards driving entrepreneurship and emerging technologies.

As Leeds’ first Community Leader-in-Residence, she met with students to reflect on the pivotal turning points that shaped her career and shared practical, relatable guidance: reflection, risk-taking and adaptability can unlock unexpected and rewarding career paths. Lea encouraged students to challenge their boundaries and embrace innovation and reinvention: “Break out in any way you can from the mold you have created for yourself.”

Marketing professor Tuba Koc invited CU alumnus Max Bissell, president of product at BISSELL Homecare Inc., to her Pricing and Channels of Distribution class. Carrying on the success of his family’s almost 150-year-old business, which is the No. 1 brand in the world by volume, Bissell energized the students with an insider’s view of global marketing and overseas expansion, sharing real-time lessons from his leadership as the company’s international business has scaled over the last decade.

“It was great being on campus learning from the next generation of shoppers and future homeowners. We talked about how students are using AI, particularly how they’re using it to learn about brands and products,” said Bissell.

By diving into hands-on breakout sessions around pricing, competition, go-to-market strategy, and the pros and cons of different types of international expansion, Bissell transformed course concepts into dynamic, real-world challenges and invited students to think and debate like executives. His enthusiasm, appreciation for student perspectives, and clear passion for building what’s next made the experience both inspiring and unforgettable.

“Bissell showed a refreshing openness to student feedback and pushback. He inspired students to raise their own ambitions. The way he showed up—prepared, present and genuinely interested in their perspectives—set a powerful example of professional excellence,” said Koc.

Katie Kruger (pictured left), Colorado market leader and principal at Avison Young, spoke candidly to a crowd of real estate students about her remarkable journey from cleaning turbine models in the rural ice flats of an Alaskan oil camp to leading a tier-one market for a global real estate company. She drove home the idea that where you start doesn’t limit where you can go, and that courage, grit and knowing your “why” are what open doors. Students gained practical advice on how to walk confidently into intimidating rooms, get unstuck in their careers, and out-network everyone simply by being themselves. Her real-world insights and generosity in mentoring inspired students to take tangible steps toward landing their first professional roles.

“Kruger was one of the most inspirational speakers we’ve had. She talked about how her lived experience was a driver toward her success. She intentionally carves out time to speak with over 100 young people and students a year, and she deeply cares about helping advance the next generation of real estate leaders,” said Julie Gibson, the Sherman R. Miller Executive Director of the Michael A. Klump Center for Real Estate.

Todd Tobin (Fin’95), the CTO and founder of MagicSchool AI, one of the fastest growing edtech companies in history, brought firsthand experience to the Business Minor Competition last semester, where he served as a judge and mentor to seven student teams immersed in the realities of entrepreneurship. As a seasoned technology leader, Tobin offered thoughtful evaluations that challenged students to think bigger, sharpen their assumptions and clearly articulate the value of their ideas.

His feedback went beyond scoring: Tobin shared candid insights on entrepreneurship, scalability and decision-making that gave students a rare look into how business plans are evaluated outside the classroom. Hearing directly from a leader who has built and scaled successful companies made the competition both more rigorous and more rewarding for them.

As students applied concepts from the business minor in a high-impact, competitive setting, Tobin drew on his experience to help them connect classroom theory to real-world execution. His perspective—and his deep ties to Leeds as an alumnus—reinforced the value of experiential learning and the powerful role alumni play in shaping future business leaders.

Lasting Impressions

Here is a sampling of other talented leaders who shared their lifelong lessons with Leeds students in fall 2025.

Emily Ryan (EMBA’23), Chief Revenue Officer at RKON Technologies
Dan Ivanoff (MBA’86, MEngr’87)), Founding Owner/Managing Member of Schnitzer West
Bruce Dickinson (Fin’74), Independent Financial Services Professional
Ashish Kothari, Founder and CEO Happiness Squad
Ryan McMunn (Mktg’02), Founder and CEO Leroy Street Capital Partners
Rupal Patel (Bus’03), Global Program Manager, Google
Will McCollum (Fin’12), Founder, Investor Pioneer Ventures
Nicole Greczyn (MBA’13), Director Programs and Integration, Gogo
Mike St. John (MBA’83), Chief Revenue Officer at Blendification
Adrian Tuck, Chief Executive Officer, Uptempo

Regan Ebert, Board Member, Former President/GM Premium Dairy Business Unit at Danone North America
Justin Barney (Fin’95), Chief Revenue Officer, Cisco Thousand Eyes
Thaala Loper (MBA’21), Prosci Certified Change Manager, Certified ScrumMaster, Former Apple
Jay Newberg (EMBA’13), Retired, Poore Lee & Dowd
Jim W. Packer III (Bus’85), President, Worldwide TV/Digital Distribution at Lionsgate
Brian Mooney, Independent Director and Advisor to Multiple Organizations Silver and Gold Advisors, LLC
Chris Bentley, Lifelong Eco-Warrior, Ecopreneur, Eco-Mentor and Eco-Ambassador

Industries came to life last fall when high-profile visitors shared unfiltered accounts and perspectives from the front lines of their careers.

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Talent Meets Technology: How Students Solved a Problem for a Global Brand

Anneli Gray — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 19:12:20 +0000

Talent Meets Technology: How Students Solved a Problem for a Global Brand Anneli Gray Fri, 01/16/2026 - 12:12

Anna Sheffer

In a new externship opportunity with Pure Fishing, Leeds and engineering students used AI to streamline business processes and turn data into actionable insights.

At Pure Fishing, the students’ work saved the company enough money to hire five of the externship participants full-time. CEO Dave Allen refers to the company's newest recruits as his “mini AI SWAT team."

Not many college students get to build data-analysis tools for a major sporting goods company. But thanks to an externship with the largest fishing tackle company in the world, Pure Fishing, students like Samantha Lopes (Mktg’27) leveraged their AI skills to create real-world business solutions.

“This has been one of the best experiences you could ask for as an undergrad for a plethora of reasons, one being there’s a lot of leadership,” she said.

Both students and Pure Fishing have benefited from this partnership. Pure Fishing CEO Dave Allen said that the students’ work has saved the company enough money to hire five of the externship participants full-time. Their newly created positions, which he described as a “mini AI SWAT team,” will address future workflow and process automation problems.

“There's been a lot of talk about AI stealing people's jobs, and I think it's going to be quite the opposite,” Allen said. “[Students] have a set of skills that are really in need in terms of their usage of AI over the past four or five years that they can leverage to solve problems in an organization.”

Treating students as experts

The first round of the Pure Fishing program ran from May to July 2025, with 15 students from Leeds and CU’s College of Engineering & Applied Science working in five teams of three to solve business issues related to marketing, product design, sales and more. Pure Fishing employees acted as team leads, checking in with the students weekly. Otherwise, the students, who worked remotely, were afforded as much autonomy as possible.

“[The students] owned the project from the solution standpoint, pretty much from A to Z,” said Associate Teaching Professor Jeremiah Contreras, who co-led the program with Assistant Teaching Professor Al Pisano. “They worked with the business partners who know the business side, but the student teams implemented the tech solution.”

Solving real business problems required flexibility to pivot. Lopes worked on four projects during her two semesters in the externship, starting out in social media metadata and ending up working on point-of-sale data.

“Every single time it wasn’t like, ‘Oh you failed, you guys suck,’” she said. “It was just like, ‘Oh that’s business. You find things out and you pivot.’ It was nice to have an environment so supportive of change.”

At the end of the nine-week program, the teams presented their solutions at the Pure Fishing headquarters in Charleston, South Carolina. The winning team was then treated to a day of fishing with Allen.

If I had a dollar for every time I sat on a conference call and we got off and people said, ‘I can’t believe how smart all these CU kids are,’ I’d have a million dollars.

Dave Allen, CEO of Pure Fishing

Eighteen more students came onboard for the program’s second round in October 2025, including Darby McMullen (Fin’25). McMullen’s team worked on both optimizing product packaging and translating product copy. Throughout the program, McMullen said he was treated like an important contributor.

“It was cool to see how meaningful it was to them,” he said. “Just seeing the way they interacted with us and valued us and respected our ideas.”

Laying the groundwork

Allen first approached Tandean Rustandy Endowed Dean Vijay Khatri about starting an externship program in spring 2025. At the time, the Leeds Advisory Board, on which Allen serves, was looking for a way to prepare students for an AI-driven work world, while Pure Fishing was trying to implement the new technology. To Allen, who has tried to give back to the Leeds community since graduating, partnering with CU was a no-brainer.

“It was a little bit of serendipity in terms of timing,” he said.

Khatri then reached out to Contreras, Pisano and the CU AI Club to get the initiative off the ground. While the AI Club’s leadership team recruited students, Contreras and Pisano discussed logistics with Allen and Pure Fishing Vice President of Global Business Development James Malaguez. Once everything was in place, Contreras and Pisano gave the students a crash course in running their own consultancy firm. Then, they took on a more behind-the-scenes role.

“We acted as facilitators, but we really wanted this to be a student-led initiative,” Contreras said.

An experiential learning blueprint

Although Allen plans to continue hiring CU externs at Pure Fishing, he hopes the program can act as a blueprint for future experiential learning programs. The success of the externship has already catalyzed this expansion. Darrell Zechman, senior director of Career Development and Experiential Learning, hopes to scale up the number of similar projects available to students.

“The goal is for every single student—whether they're an undergrad student or a grad student—to have the opportunity to participate in either a curricular or co-curricular, consulting-style project,” he said.

A recent transformative gift will help make this a reality. It enabled Leeds to establish the new Nicholas Dante Badami Office for Experiential Learning, which will amplify experiential initiatives, strengthen career outcomes, foster leadership and entrepreneurial mindsets, and ensure professional readiness by partnering with companies to offer these types of opportunities. The Pure Fishing program is a prime example, and the students’ work has left a lasting impression on the company.

“If I had a dollar for every time I sat on a conference call, and we got off and people said, ‘I can’t believe how smart all these CU kids are,’ I’d have a million dollars,” Allen said. “These students within our organization, the work that they've done has just been extraordinary.”

In a new externship opportunity with Pure Fishing, Leeds and engineering students used AI to streamline business processes and turn data into actionable insights.

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The Secret Behind Successful CEOs: Structured Thinking Beats Gut Instinct

Kelsey Cipolla — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 17:35:42 +0000

The Secret Behind Successful CEOs: Structured Thinking Beats Gut Instinct Kelsey Cipolla Tue, 01/13/2026 - 10:35

A new study of hundreds of chief executives suggests that methodical decision-making, not intuition, drives success.

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CUriosity: How Can You Make Your Resolutions Stick?

Kelsey Cipolla — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:45:24 +0000

CUriosity: How Can You Make Your Resolutions Stick? Kelsey Cipolla Mon, 01/05/2026 - 09:45

Virtual badges and digital trinkets may sound silly, but they really can help you reach your goals, says marketing researcher Alix Barasch.

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How Leeds Students Are Redefining Writing in the Age of AI

Jane Majkiewicz — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 22:40:28 +0000

How Leeds Students Are Redefining Writing in the Age of AI Jane Majkiewicz Tue, 12/16/2025 - 15:40

Jane Majkiewicz

Charlie Tell (Mgmt’26) presented his “hermit crab” writing project—a creative technique where writers use an existing structure, such as a newspaper, as a “shell” for new content. His mock publication, The New Negative Times, highlighted how most news stories tend to focus on negativity.

Here’s a perennial question for business schools: How do we teach students to write well? In 2025, that question took on a new dimension: How do we prepare students to write effectively in an AI-driven world?

We’ve all seen the chorus of headlines repeating a provocative question: Is AI making us dumb?

For anyone doubting whether students can thrive as writers in the age of AI, Associate Teaching Professor Bonnie Auslander’s Written Communications for Business Leaders (BADM 3020) class would quell any concerns. As 19 students wrapped up the semester, they each gave a two-minute presentation during a showcase of their projects. From personal stories to field guides and posters addressing societal and campus problems, students shared work that showed not only heart but also the critical thinking needed to know when to use AI to enhance their writing—and when to set it aside.

“Many of today’s students are using AI with little guidance or supervision,” said Associate Teaching Professor Jeremiah Contreras at this year’s Colorado Business Economic Outlook Forum. Leeds is addressing this challenge head-on. Over the past year, the school has accelerated its AI leadership through initiatives like attending industry events, launching experiential AI projects, and integrating AI tools into all BCOR courses and more than 30 others across the curriculum.

Exploring AI tools

Students in Auslander’s class explored how AI can solve real-world problems and enhance creativity. Brayden Bengston (Fin’26) tackled a common frustration: unproductive Zoom meetings. He used Fellow.AI, a generative AI meeting assistant, to help synthesize information, noting that the tool was able to detect tone, including sarcasm, offering a richer meeting summary than other AI tools.

Gauri Mahajan (BusAna’26) experimented with wisprflow.ai, a dictation tool, and discovered that while it incorporates context well, it lacks transparency around its privacy policies. Lesson learned. “While it’s easy to get caught up in features, it’s important to know where and how your data might be used," she said.

Unleashing the artist within

Recognizing the power of visual storytelling, several students showed how AI can elevate written content through compelling graphics and illustrations. Tate Metrokin (Mgmt’27) used ChatGPT to create a graphic promoting outdoor activities. He incorporated a pie chart showing that 95% of people feel better outdoors, but achieving the right illustration required more than 100 prompts. “AI can be limiting for creativity, but it also helps you grow in some respects,” he said.

Shloka Madireddi (BusAna’26) used ChatGPT to translate the concept of wealth inequality into a striking visual. She adapted the Met Gala controversy involving influencer Haley Kalil’s “Let them eat cake” video to create a poster featuring a large cake in the foreground, symbolizing the wealthiest 1%, while silhouetted figures symbolized the remaining 99%. She drew on the “hermit crab” writing technique to adapt one form of writing into another form. “AI helped me create something emotionally hard-hitting,” she said.

From left to right, "hermit crab" writing projects from Tate Metrokin (Mgmt’27), Ava McKelvie (Mgmt’27) and Shloka Madireddi (BusAna’26).

The human touch

Max Carmel (StrEnt’26) explored AI’s role in customer outreach for Cloakel Capital, a strategic advisory and transaction enablement firm he started with a partner. Using multiple AI models, including ChatGPT and Claude, he found that the generated content felt overly polished and unrelatable. The results bore that out: His AI-crafted messages received little to no response.

The solution? Carmel switched back to writing in his authentic voice. “Using your personal voice is so much better,” he said. By crafting messages that reflected his personality, he built trust and connection, resulting in a significantly higher response rate.

Creativity still wins

The student projects highlighted the diversity of thought and creativity that only human ingenuity can bring. Ava McKelvie (Mgmt’27), an avid skier, mapped her college journey in the form of a ski trail map, while Charlie Tell (Mktg’26) created a mock newspaper to illustrate how much of the information we consume is negative. The students discovered clever ways to use AI to illustrate real-world problems.

Brett Gardner (Acct’26) embraced the ‘Tell a Story, Get a Job’ exercise to craft a standout project. He used resi.ai to build a resume and LinkedIn profile tailored to a job opportunity in Namibia. Not knowing much about the country, resi’s search function helped him research and customize his application.

For Gardner, the exercise was more than just a class project. After graduation, he will begin his career at Königstein Capital in Namibia.

Timeless lessons

Auslander’s teaching approach is grounded in cautious optimism while relying on the tried-and-true methods that underscore human communication and connection.

“Teaching business writing used to focus mostly on teaching the rules, like following proper formatting, how best to use boilerplate phrasing, and so on. But AI is a brilliant rule-follower. Now I can concentrate on the deeper question: When does using AI impede human connections?”

Auslander asks students to explore the latest AI tools but also to embrace analog practices as well: handwritten journals, physical books, mailed thank-you notes. She wants students to grapple with a harder truth about AI: “AI isn’t just enhancing our work. It’s fundamentally changing what we need to be good at. What matters now is discernment about when to use AI and when to turn to the creativity that makes your voice distinctively human.

“AI can generate content, but it can't generate the critical thinking that comes from reading deeply and reflecting thoughtfully. The students who will thrive are the ones who read critically and think independently. AI can draft a perfect email in seconds, but it can't build the relationship that makes someone want to read it,” she said.

She reminds students of another enduring tool for great writing: reading. While scrolling through content on phones may be the norm, she encourages students to embrace the joy of turning a physical page—a simple, yet profound act that mirrors how their own stories will continue to unfold.

In Their Own Voices

Students reflected on key takeaways from using AI and flexing their own writing muscles.

Using AI well required me to stay in control: keeping what matched my intention and rewriting the parts that felt too generic. I also learned to recognize when the suggestions weren’t actually improvements. Over time, I became much more strategic and used AI to spark ideas, not replace them. That shift helped me grow into a more confident and discerning communicator, and it’s a skill I know I’ll bring into professional settings where AI is quickly becoming a standard tool.
—Taylor Jarvie (Mgmt’27)

Mostly what I’m taking away is intentionality. I’m way more deliberate now about what I'm trying to accomplish before I start writing. Who’s this for? What do they need to leave with? What format makes that easiest? Where can AI actually help, and where do I need to rely on my own voice? My portfolio captures that shift: It’s the arc from ‘I talk a lot’ to ‘I can communicate like a leader’: On purpose. Across formats. With an awareness of the tools and responsibilities that come with it.
—Angelo Christoff (Fin, Bus’27)

I may not be the most naturally creative person, but this semester has shown me that creativity is not fixed. It expands when you are willing to take risks, make mistakes and try again. Without Professor Auslander’s guidance, I would have presented Fellow.AI in a robotic way. I know what it’s like to sit through a bland presentation, and I couldn’t make my peers endure that.
—Brayden Bengston (Fin’26)

Students in Bonnie Auslander’s Written Communications for Business Leaders course explored how AI can enhance writing—and where human creativity still leads.

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