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We will be hosting four days of interviews for the PLC 2024 cohort. There will be two days of in-person interviews, March 16th and March 19th. This is the first year we will host interviews on a Saturday. Feedback from both current PLC students and applicants convinced us to try it this year. We will also have remote interviews on March 15th and March 18th. We have many alumni, friends of the program, and current students participating on panels this year. Alumni span the globe from right here in 51�Թ��� to Asia. We are continuously humbled by the generosity of the alumni community that steps up to help the program succeed in the future.

If you have an event that you would like to invite other PLC alumni to or if you would like to give a shout-out to your fellow alumni, you can simply use the link provided below and fill out a Google form. Your submission may be featured in the next edition of the newsletter.

Alumni Newsletter Submission Link

Kelsey Page is from the cohort of 2007 and is the current Global Digital Director of Givenchy Beauty and Kenzo Perfumes in Paris, France. Kelsey enjoys her job because it is a great fit for her personality and lifestyle. It is creative and strategic and changes frequently, so she is constantly on her toes. Some of the best parts are photo shoots and watching her ideas come to life, seeing her work have an impact on a public scale like content going viral or observing how it affects people positively. She has also been lucky to work with some really amazing people, from many different countries and walks of life who are creative and funny and have made wonderful professional partners.

After graduating from CU with degrees in Spanish Literature and Psychology, Kelsey decided to pursue an unexpected dream of moving to Paris and working in advertising, despite not speaking French, never having taken business or marketing classes, and not knowing a soul in Europe. After a few years in agencies, she was recruited by the L’Oreal group, where she was Global Head of Content for skincare brand Vichy Laboratoires and then Global Head of Social, Media, and Advocacy at Giorgio Armani Beauty. She loved her experiences working at L’Oreal, especially being able to work across global markets like China and Asia, the Middle East, all of Europe, LatAm, and of course the U.S.

In her spare time, Kelsey loves to cook, learn languages (she has recently learned her fourth language, Italian), and practice yoga and meditation. She has also been teaching Master's courses in digital marketing in Paris, and giving back by mentoring college students and young professionals.

When reflecting on her favorite memory from PLC, Kelsey says, “My favorite memory from PLC is by far all of the close friends I made. Especially in our first-year group, I spent every waking minute with other PLCers we felt like family; we would stay up until 2 or 3 am every night ‘studying’ (more like chatting and drinking chai while we told ourselves we were working). I met so many interesting people from very different walks of life with very different dreams, but there was always a strong sense of feeling like we were a tight-knit community who always respected one another, it’s not a feeling one finds commonly or easily. I still see my PLC friends as often as I can.”��

Dr. Reed Caldwell is from the 2000 cohort and was the first class to go through the four-year PLC curriculum. He currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with his husband of eighteen years and their ten-year-old English Bulldog. Reed works as the Chief of Service (Perelman Emergency Department) and the EMS Medical Director at NYU Langone Health. He has had a passion for the medical field since the age of five due to his youth and his feeling of comfort with hospitals.

Reed claims he wishes he could have told his college self, “Work on thinking as big as possible.” His goal was to always get into medical school, why wasn’t it to be the Chief Officer at one of the largest hospitals in the United States? He further states, “Allow your goals to zoom in and out. Never limit your dreams. Open as many doors as you can early and then you can decide later not to walk through them. Always have the doors open and in sight.”

When not busy at work, Reed enjoys exercising (specifically spin classes), trying out new restaurants recommended by blogs and the New York Times, and listening to and following DJs around the globe. A few of his favorite places that he has traveled to for DJs have been Ibiza, London, and LA. He hopes to visit all continents in the future, with Australia and Antarctica on his must-visit list.

When Reed thinks of PLC, it takes him back to a warm, difficult, reflective place. Everyone had strong academic backgrounds and were considered leaders. “We were often told we were some of the best.” Yet, in PLC recitation in the late evenings, we were asked challenging questions and forced to reexamine beliefs and disbeliefs, which started to frame thinking and it even baffled him that his parents were wrong about some things. It made him think of the world beyond himself.��

Carter Galyardt is in the 2021 cohort and is on the PLC Student Staff with LEAD Colorado. Carter works with high school students from the 51�Թ��� area to develop their leadership skills. He helps host monthly meetings surrounding values, leadership in everyday life, and understanding what it means to be a leader. We are so lucky to have you, Carter!

Why did you join PLC? What are a few of your favorite memories from the program?

I applied to PLC when an alumni told me, "Without PLC, I cannot imagine what my life would be like today. It was integral in becoming who I am today." Now that I have been in PLC for three years, I can say I completely agree with her, and I can't imagine where I would be without PLC. My favorite memories from PLC are also my favorite from college- I live in a house with PLCers, met most of my best friends through the program, and continue to go on yearly spring break trips with my PLC friends to California.��

Describe a success you've had during your time at CU:

Outside of academics and social life, my biggest accomplishment as of late was my survival last semester. When I decided to study abroad in Israel for the fall, I knew I would be in for an interesting time, but I hadn't the foggiest idea what would happen on October 7th. Luckily, I was able to subvert the conflict and return home safely, finishing my classes (Israeli Politics, Islam, Politics + Terror, History of Antisemitism) from 51�Թ���. Though I was disappointed not to go back to Israel, I was glad to be safely learning about such a controversial and topical war in real time, from afar.

What are your hobbies?

I love to travel. I try to leave the US once a year and go somewhere I have never seen before. In 2023, I was lucky enough to make it to 19 countries- an incredible experience in visiting other cultures. I also love to play tennis, I am currently in a league and coach kids tennis on the weekends. When I am not coaching tennis, I love to snowboard - my goal this year is to hit 30 days between my three favorite resorts: Copper, Steamboat, and Eldora. Above all, I am neck-deep in politics, both national and international. If reading Wikipedia pages on the status of Romanian politics, or obsessively checking the New York Times to see who won the latest presidential primary could be considered a hobby, it's definitely high on my list of activities.

What are you currently working on?

Currently, the LSAT. For me, this is a daunting task, but I hope to apply for law school in the fall. Eventually, I hope to work my way through law school, pass the bar, and work in the ever-expanding field of environmental law.

Holly McCollough is a part of the 2020 cohort and is the Community Team Lead and Senior Class Coordinator. In the past, Holly has also been the First Year Class Coordinator and the Mentoring Programs Coordinator. Holly has done a great job enriching the PLC experience for so many students!

Why did you join PLC? What are a few of your favorite memories from the program?

I joined PLC because I was excited to learn about the world from many perspectives and meet people who were working hard to create positive change. As for a favorite memory, my freshman year, I had the opportunity to attend the Adventure Weekend with Aaron Roof, where we were challenged to complete obstacle courses, orienteering competitions (shoutout to my teammate Alden for carrying us to victory!), and reflect in a Peak to Peak poetry discussion about the way we carry our past, present, and future as leaders.

Describe a success you've had during your time at CU:

I am very proud of my involvement with the Golden Buffalo Marching Band. The band performed on Big Noon Kickoff, ESPN Game Day, and in front of 54,000 fans. Because of our diligent work over three years, we were well-prepared for the added attention to CU. Most importantly, our group of 16 horn players has developed a very caring culture thanks to our leadership team’s example. I am thankful for the opportunity I had to work in Indonesia during the summer after my sophomore year. I analyzed sales data to recommend a marketing plan for a dried fruit company providing high-quality seasonal work to women in poorer villages. I also began learning to speak Indonesian and received valuable training about Islam, ethical development work, cross-cultural work, and more. Last, but not least, I helped lead a spiritual discussion group called Alpha, where we established a safe culture to talk about life’s deepest questions, focused on religion and spirituality. I am thankful for and proud of the caring community I helped create to discuss such important topics.

What are your hobbies?

I love to play games with friends, climb/bouldering, hike, make music each day, and spend time with my four sisters and parents.��

How would you describe the PLC community?

PLC’s community is multifaceted and intentional. Every PLCer I speak with is kind, humble and interested in learning more about the world. It is a delight to be in a community with so many different people who desire to care for others and engage with complicated questions maturely and ethically. PLCers are always the most interesting people in the room.

Communication is connection. “It is for the progression of knowledge, development of relationships, and continuance of PLC for years to come.”��

The Communications Team consists of four fabulous members: Lauren Gillespie (Social Media Coordinator, ‘22), Dylan Gruszynski (Alumni Liaison, ‘22), Elizabeth Coleman (PLC Website and Data Coordinator, ‘22), and Scott Seibel (Donor Relations Coordinator, ‘23). For a young team, these four do a great job running the Instagram accounts, interviewing alumni, sending newsletters, analyzing past and present PLC data, recognizing and thanking PLC donors, and keeping the community up-to-date. Without their help, PLC would not be as well connected and informed as it is today.��

The Communications Team is looking forward to COMMUNICATING with all of you. Remember to stay connected by following @cuboulderplc and @plcalumni on Instagram.