June 24, 2026

Dear Scrivner Institute community,

The Scrivner Institute’s sixth year of operation at the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs has been a busy and varied one. Building on our first five years (captured in an impact report we prepared last Fall), we have continued to bolster and broaden our reputation as an interdisciplinary and community-facing hub of public policy research and education at the University of Denver. And as the political and policy worlds continue to transform around us apace, we are steadfast in our commitment to showcasing robust, evidence-based policy discourse on local to global issues. We are so very grateful for your support and engagement in making this happen.  

Warm congratulations to the Korbel School’s Public Policy graduates! It was especially gratifying to see students become more deeply involved with the Scrivner Institute over the 2025–26 academic year. A record number of research assistants supported projects led by our faculty affiliates. We invited students to ask questions to elected officials at our community events, encouraging them to highlight their own substantive interests in those forums. And we were delighted to support initiatives planned by graduate and undergraduate students in public policy.  

We place a premium on amplifying the work of our colleagues at the Korbel School and across DU by supporting partner events and by highlighting research and other outputs via our social media channels. Katie Aker, the Scrivner Institute’s outstanding Associate Director, manages our ever-expanding initiatives and relationships with diligence, innovation, and grace, aided this past year by our student teammate (and now MPP graduate!) Derek Quintero Rosa. We deeply appreciate and thank our collaborators at Korbel, DU, and across the Denver and Colorado policy communities. And we are enormously grateful to Doug and Mary Scrivner for their vision in endowing the Scrivner Institute and for the program of work they have made possible with their generous support. 

Please read on for more highlights about the Scrivner Institute’s work in 2025–26, including our now customary spotlights on some members of our wonderful community. We hope your summer is at once restful and reinvigorating — and we look forward to gathering our energies with you again in the fall on the important work in public policy research, education, and discourse that lies ahead. 

With best wishes,

Naazneen Barma

Director, Scrivner Institute

Scrivner Professor of Public Policy

Josef Korbel School of Global & Public Affairs

University of Denver

Katie Aker

Associate Director, Scrivner Institute

Josef Korbel School of Global & Public Affairs

University of Denver

Signature Programs

Scrivner Policy Roundtable

In its fifth year, the Scrivner Policy Roundtable connects the campus community and local policy actors for in-depth exploration of local issues that impact Colorado communities. One of our roundtables this year focused on rural development and thriving, featuring the Korbel School’s Colorado Project (read more about it below). Another roundtable was presented in partnership with DU’s Center for Ethical Artificial Intelligence and the Sturm College of Law’s Program on Law and Emerging Technologies. It centered around the challenges and considerations of regulating AI on a state level, focusing on Colorado’s proposed AI legislation.  

Denver Dialogues 

A joint initiative of the Scrivner Institute and the Korbel School  

In its fourth year, Denver Dialogues draws experts associated with our partner think tanks — AEI, Aspen Institute, Hoover Institution, and New America — to share their distinct perspectives on how to analyze and approach major challenges affecting the United States and the world. Last summer, we partnered again with the Aspen Security Forum to offer a special dialogue on the evolving dynamics of the Russia-Ukraine war and its repercussions for global security and democracy. Our Fall dialogue discussed the Trump Administration’s sweeping tariffs and the questions they raised about the limits of executive power. We look forward to another Denver Dialogues installment at this summer’s Aspen Security Forum — stay tuned! 

Student Spotlight: Aspen Security Forum

Last July, we again took four Korbel students to the Aspen Security Forum, thanks to our partnership with the Aspen Strategy Group. As some of the few students in attendance, this was a unique way for them to learn from and network with top minds in global security and international relations.

One student, Ahmad Saleem (MA International Security) reflected on his experience: “I returned from Aspen with a new perspective on global security issues and a wealth of connections... Experiences like this are a powerful reminder of how the Korbel School continues to empower students like me to connect academic learning with real-world policy and practice.” Read more about Ahmad’s experience at ASF.

The Colorado Project

A joint initiative of the Korbel School and the Scrivner Institute

In 2025, the Scrivner Institute supported the Korbel School’s launch of Colorado Project 2.0: Rural Renaissance, an effort to amplify the unique strengths of our state’s rural communities. The group embarked on a statewide Rural Learning Tour last year, visiting Northeast CO, the San Luis Valley, and the Yampa Valley to explore the most promising economic, workforce, and sustainability solutions emerging from these communities.

Event Highlights

Governing Colorado: A Dialogue with U.S. Senator Bennet & CO Attorney General Weiser 

In early March the Scrivner Institute hosted a policy dialogue featuring the two leading Democratic candidates in Colorado’s gubernatorial race, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet and Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser. Dean Fritz Mayer and Scrivner Professor Naazneen Barma moderated the discussion, which focused on four major policy themes: affordability, federal–state relations, rural economic development, and the environment and natural resources. Two undergraduate public policy and two MPP students were selected to ask questions for each of these themes. Read MPP student Jenni Gutierrez Marquez's reflection here.

Axios Denver Ballot Event with Mayor Mike Johnston 

The Scrivner Institute hosted a conversation on 2025 Denver ballot measures featuring Denver Mayor Mike Johnston and other state policy leaders, convened by Axios Denver in partnership with the Denver Foundation. MPP students had the opportunity to ask Mayor Johnston questions about the measures, including a proposed $950 million bond. Students were invited to gather and speak with him prior to the event, where he commended them for their interest in local policy.  

Basic Income Programs in Denver and Beyond 

This panel featuring Scrivner Institute affiliates and collaborators was convened as part of the Colorado Sun’s SunFest, a daylong event focusing on Colorado issues and innovations. Our panel explored the feasibility and impact of basic income programs, an approach gaining attention as a tool to address persistent economic insecurity. 

Trump 2.0 Year 1: Policy, Politics, and Global Implications  

The Scrivner Institute partnered with the Sié Center for International Security and Diplomacy in convening a panel of faculty experts to reflect on the first year of the second Trump Administration. Panelists explored key developments in domestic and foreign policy, shifts in political norms and dynamics, and the broader implications for governance and society.  

Research & Faculty Updates

The research supported by the Scrivner Institute and conducted by our Scrivner faculty affiliates continues to expand in substantive breadth and depth. Our new quarterly newsletter showcases the productive range of our faculty affiliates (see the fall quarter and winter quarter editions).

A handful of specific research and faculty updates from this past year: 

Civic discourse programs at U.S. higher education institutions

The Civic Nation–ALL IN Campus Democracy Challenge team reached out to the Scrivner Institute to commission a review of the landscape of civic discourse programs at U.S. higher education institutions. Dalton Oberfoell (MPP ’26) and Sinduja Raja (PhD ’26) worked with Dr. Barma and the ALL IN team to produce this review. In turn, ALL IN invited Dr. Barma to present the report at their kickoff Civic Discourse Forum in Washington (November 2025), where it was received and discussed with a good deal of interest by assembled participants (including university presidents, civic education experts and civic discourse initiative directors, and education funders). Read the report here. 

 Scrivner Policy Series

Three of our faculty affiliates presented at the Scrivner Policy Series, our quarterly platform for showcasing faculty research. Professor Linda Mendez-Barrientos presented a paper analyzing power dynamics in environmental governance. Professor Frank Laird presented his perspective on critical science policy analysis before and after the first Trump Administration. And Professor Stefan Chavez-Norgaard and his ten student Research Assistants presented their findings from a housing policy simulator research study.

New faculty affiliates
We were delighted to welcome three new Scrivner faculty affiliates this year, joining our interdisciplinary group of over 20 affiliates: Benji Xie, Assistant Professor in the Computer Science department; Stefani Langehennig, Assistant Professor of the Practice and Lead Director of the Center for Analytics and Innovation with Data in the Daniels College of Business; and Susan Daggett, Professor of the Practice of Law and Executive Director of the Rocky Mountain Land Use Institute in the Sturm College of Law.

Transitions

We congratulate our Scrivner faculty affiliates Professors Deborah Avant and Frank Laird on their transitions to Emeritus status (see our interview with Dr. Laird below). We celebrate their many contributions to the Korbel School, including their formative roles in the launch of the Scrivner Institute.  

Student Research: MPP Capstone Presentations

Last month, students showcased their capstone project posters, with their wide range of topics highlighting the impact our MPP graduates are making across diverse policy areas. Two students received the Outstanding Capstone Award for their projects: Emma Guzdek (Advancing Sustainability and Health in U.S. Ice Rinks Through Federal Incentive Programs) and Rowan Hawks (From Pilot to Permanence: Eviction Right to Counsel in Nashville-Davidson County). Congratulations to our graduating MPP students as they embark on their next chapters! See the full list of projects here.

Community Profiles

Dr. Frank Laird

Professor Emeritus

As you prepare for your next chapter after Korbel, do you have a favorite memory or one that stands out?  

One accumulates quite a few memories in 39 years...In some ways, the things that stick with me the most are smaller ones, such as just popping into a colleague’s office for a chat or going for coffee or lunch. The other things that stand out are when former students have told me that something in my classes or our discussions in office hours led them in new directions in their lives. We don’t often get that feedback 10 or 20 years later, but occasionally we do and it really sticks with me. It’s the most gratifying part of my work as a faculty member. 

What counsel would you offer to current and prospective students as they embark on their studies, particularly in policy?  

Work on writing clearly and compellingly. Develop a sharp and critical analysis of all the approaches to policy, including the one you favor. Cultivate an ethic of humility; you won’t always get it right...Look widely for [job] opportunities at every level and in every sector. However grim things seem, there could be opportunities for our practical idealists, which is what I hope our graduates are, to do important and rewarding work in the coming years. Policy-making institutions, from those that create policies to those that implement them, will need quite a bit of rebuilding in the next decade or so.

Michaela Krause

(MPP/JD '26)

What motivated you to pursue both a JD and an MPP?   

I was motivated to go to graduate school because I felt like I was having a difficult time making meaningful change in my role as a teacher, and I wanted to take a different approach to addressing the issues that mattered to me and that I saw affecting my students...I wanted to make sure my graduate studies included an intentional focus on developing both sets of skills. 

What has been your favorite class, and why?  

Two of my favorite classes at Korbel were Professor Tamra d’Estree’s Negotiating Environmental Conflict and Policy class and the Negotiation Workshop...it was great to be able to work on those skills...that I think are essential for both policy work and for the practice of law at Korbel. These courses included elements of both theory and real-world application through negotiation simulations, and I thought that made them both especially effective and meaningful.

June 2026 marks five years since the first cohort of Korbel School Master of Public Policy (MPP) students graduated in affiliation with the newly launched Scrivner Institute. Their time in the program coincided with a period of transformation—new leadership in Fall 2020 under founding Scrivner Institute Director and MPP degree director Naazneen Barma, the beginning of a revitalized and more interdisciplinary curriculum, and deeper integration within the Korbel School, leading to a unique MPP degree that addressed policy at the local, comparative, and global levels. 

Today, these alumni are working across government, research, nonprofit leadership, advocacy, and international policy. Five years after graduating, we asked some from that first cohort to reflect on their path since graduating and how the MPP program shaped and prepared them for their careers. 

Dania Arayssi

Program Head and Senior Analyst

New Lines Institute for Strategy and Policy

Kelsie George

Senior Policy Specialist

National Conference of State Legislatures

Luis Gustavo Montes

Coordinator of Extra Regional Negotiations - Foreign Trade Analyst

Brazilian Government

Gillian Nyland

Program Director

A Thousand Summers

Kristin Sutherland

Advocacy Manager

 Alzheimer’s Association 

Matt Walter

Senior Advisor & Candidate

Denver City Council

What was it like being part of the first cohort to graduate under the Scrivner Institute as the MPP program was being revamped? 

Dania: Being part of the first cohort to graduate under the Scrivner Institute was an exciting experience. The program was evolving and adapting to better prepare students for real-world policy challenges, and there was a strong sense that we were helping shape that transformation. The faculty were highly engaged and receptive to student feedback, which created a collaborative learning environment and made us feel invested in the program's success.

How did the program shape your career path? 

Gillian: Obtaining an MPP set me up for a strong career in the nonprofit industry, which can serve as a testing ground for ideas that can translate into public policy solutions. Since graduating, I have used the policy analysis skills I learned in the MPP to critically evaluate nonprofits and the programs they operate, serving in both the development and community impact sides of the nonprofit industry. 

Were there specific classes, experiences, or mentors that were especially formative or impactful? 

Luis: I think the real value came from the way different classes complemented each other and helped me build a broader policy toolkit. Courses related to public policy analysis, international trade, economic development, quantitative methods, and policy evaluation all contributed to the way I think about public problems today. Rather than one single class, the most impactful part of the program was the combination of tools, perspectives, and experiences. 

How do you feel the program prepared you for the public policy challenges you encounter in your field?

Kelsie: My work at the National Conference of State Legislatures is strictly nonpartisan—As a membership organization for state legislators and legislative staff, we do not take any positions for or against state policy. In Korbel's MPP program, we were regularly challenged to consider a variety of perspectives as we analyzed policy outcomes or researched potential policy recommendations. This provided me with a unique skillset to understand a variety of policy strategies across the political spectrum, and I use that skill in my work daily.   

Kristin: I feel the program gave me a solid base of knowledge for public policy work so that I had the confidence and skills to pursue many different opportunities in the field of public policy. I originally saw myself focusing on sustainability and/or housing policy work, but have now branched out into the healthcare space. With the tools I gained from the program, I feel I was able to adapt into different policy spaces that I didn’t originally have much experience in. 

What advice would you give to current students to make the most of their time in the program? 

Matt: You live in the 19th largest city in America, which is the capital of the 20th largest state. Both Denver City Council and the Colorado General Assembly are in your backyard. I highly encourage you to get out there and attend some hearings, listen to committees, and sign up to speak on topics you are passionate about. There is so much activity at the state and local level and you can learn so much about the general legislative and budgetary process just by following along. 

What is a favorite story or memorable moment from your time as a student? 

Dania: One of my favorite memories was the sense of community among students in the program. Many of us came from different countries, professional backgrounds, and life experiences, yet we were united by a shared commitment to solving complex policy problems. Some of the most meaningful learning happened outside the classroom—through debates, group projects, and conversations that challenged our assumptions and expanded our perspectives. 

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