2026 Public Good Celebration

 

 

Thank you for joining us for the 4th annual Public Good Celebration on May 13th!

 

The Public Good Celebration is an annual event hosted by the Office for Public Good Strategy & Research that celebrates university and community partners whose collaborative work advances the public good. 

This event showcases student signature work developed in collaboration with faculty mentors and community partners across a wide range of disciplines. It offers opportunities for connection, reflection, and continued growth through the interactive events below.

The 2026 celebration featured:

  • Tell Your Public Good Story Workshops
    Faculty & Staff Workshops

    Academic Rigor with Journalistic Flair: Writing for The Conversation

    How can your research reach a broad audience of thousands of readers trying to make sense of a complicated world? The Conversation publishes research-informed stories authored by academics with professional journalist editors. It acts as a bridge between academia and media. This workshop features editors from The Conversation and DU colleagues who have published with the nonprofit news organization. Learning about pitching and writing for impact with The Conversation.  

    Student Workshops

    Tips for Cover Letters, Personal Statements, and More

    Employers are looking for people who can solve problems, communicate effectively, and work on teams. This workshop is designed to help you develop strategies for communicating the skills you developed by doing research, creative work, and other signature work at DU. Bring your resume and any draft letters you might be working on!  

    Using Social Media to Tell Your Academic Story 

    University Relations Senior Social Media Specialist Lainie Fickau will lead a workshop on strategic social media storytelling. Students will leave with a clear toolkit, including best practices, guiding questions, and decision‑making frameworks, to help them confidently turn their academic experiences (e.g. classes, research, and projects) into engaging content. 

  • Student Lunch for Your Future

    Students were able to stop by grab a delicious empanada and invest in their future by getting a free professional headshot and shopping the Career Closet.

     

  • Mentor-Mentee Award Reception

    Celebrated PinS Student Signature Work Grant recipients and Showcase presenters alongside the faculty, staff, graduate student, and community mentors who support them. 

  • Community Engagement Photo Showcase + Reception

    The Center for Community Engagement (CCESL) annually invites DU students, staff, and faculty to submit a photo and short statement showcasing their community engagement and its impact at DU.

  • Student Signature Work Showcase (Formerly the Undergraduate Research Showcase)
    Student Signature Work Showcase
     

     

    Students present posters on their research and other signature work in an interactive session that brings together student presenters, their mentors, and the DU community. 

    See this year's poster presentations

     

  • Growing Your Work & Impact: Resource Fair

    DU campus partners and community organizations shared the resources they offer for students, faculty, and staff to support their continued public good research, scholarship, and collaboration. The Resource Fair runs concurrently with the Student Signature Work Showcase.

Resource Fair Attendees

  • Career & Professional Development

    Career & Professional Development is an active partner in building a community where people of all identities are included and welcomed. We equip students and alumni with career skills, knowledge, experience and connections that enable them to confidently pursue their current and future aspirations.

    Contact carolyn.sommers@du.edu for more info.

  • Center for Community Engagement

    The Center for Community Engagement (CCESL) fosters collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners to advance knowledge and social change for the public good.

    Contact ccesl@du.edu for more information.

  • DU Undergraduate Research Journal

    The DU Undergraduate Research Journal is an annual, peer reviewed publication of research articles from all undergraduate disciplines. The mission of DUURJ is to encourage, recognize, and celebrate intellectual activity that occurs outside of the classroom, though exemplary research conducted in classroom settings may also be displayed. DUURJ publishes only University of Denver student publications with student works ranging the entire spectrum of academic discipline. DUURJ is dedicated to academic integrity and furthering scientific discovery that publishing an academic journal represents. 

    For more information or inquiries regarding paper submissions, please email duurj@du.edu.

  • Global Career Accelerator

    Contact heathernicmartin@gmail.com for more information.

  • Office of Scholar Development & Fellowship Advising

    The Office of Scholar Development & Fellowship Advising supports students and recent graduates develop as scholars through pursuing nationally and internationally competitive fellowships. We help students identify and apply to fellowships that can fund a purposeful activity, like study abroad, research, or public service, and aids them in reaching their academic and professional goals. 

    You can schedule an advising appointment by visiting du.edu/fellowships. We are available in-person, on Zoom, and during term, interterm, and in the summer.

  • Research & Other Signature Work

    DU students connect their academic interests with problem-solving through mentored research, scholarly, and creative work – called signature work.

    Through signature work, students:
    Transfer learning from classes to projects that address complex problems of importance to the student and the public good;
    Have agency and play a key role in defining and carrying out projects in which they immerse themselves;
    Receive individualized mentoring.
    At DU, students can receive funding for projects that advance the discovery, integration, or application of knowledge in new ways. Travel grants are also available for students to present their signature work at conferences.

    Learn More

  • University of Denver Libraries

    The University of Denver Libraries connect students, faculty, staff, and the broader University community to knowledge in all forms. Reflecting the University's mission, we support teaching, research, scholarship, and creative endeavors by providing diverse resources and services for all stages of the information lifecycle. By so doing, we preserve our varied cultural heritage, facilitate lifelong learning, and inspire our students and faculty to question, contemplate, and engage.

    Contact jennifer.cox@du.edu for more info.

  • University Writing Center

    The University Writing Center works with all University of Denver students, staff, and faculty as part of the Writing Program's mission to foster inclusive, accessible, collaborative, and ethical writing and literacy practices needed in diverse rhetorical contexts.

    Our graduate and advanced undergraduate peer consultants help writers in all fields and majors and at all levels to make informed choices about how they navigate language, literacy, and learning in the writing they do. We encourage all writers to build peer conversation and response into their writing practice. 

    We offer a variety of supports for writers, including writing consultations, written/recorded peer response on short writing projects, workshops, drop-in hours, writing groups, support for thesis and dissertation writers, and specialized STEM writing support. 

    Contact Juli.Parrish@du.edu for more info