Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Photos by Glenn Asakawa

May 2, 2026—CU Boulder conferred a record 10,613 degrees earned by 10,198 graduates* Saturday during commencement exercises at Folsom Field, drawing an estimated crowd of more than 40,000 graduates, friends, and family members.

Actor, philanthropist, and Boulder native Kristin Davis delivered the commencement address as the university marked its 2026 graduation ceremony during its yearlong 150th anniversary celebration. Davis is the daughter of a former CU Boulder psychology professor, and her mother is a university alum.

After introductory remarks from commencement marshal Leigh Holman, Chancellor Justin Schwartz addressed the class of 2026.

“My deepest hope for you is that your growth does not stop today,” said Schwartz. “The world ahead will keep changing, and the choices you make to keep learning and adapting will shape your path forward. And how you grow will ultimately determine how the world itself changes.”

After his remarks, Schwartz introduced the commencement speaker. Davis is best known for her role as Charlotte York in HBO’s Sex and the City and its revival, And Just Like That…, as well as for her humanitarian and conservation advocacy.

“Do not set limits on what you envision for yourself,” said Davis. “Dig deep to find the vision of what you want for your own life and for others. And have faith in yourself to pursue that vision.”

She closed with, “I believe in all of you. I believe in your unique gifts. The world desperately needs your contributions. I can’t wait to see what you will create.”

Schwartz then conferred degrees to the fall 2025 graduates and spring and summer 2026 candidates, including 7,890 bachelor’s degrees, 1,763 master’s degrees, 196 MBAs, 193 law degrees, and 481 doctoral degrees.*

Senior Class Council director Ally Young concluded the ceremony.

“Class of 2026— we stand as the graduating class during the 150th anniversary of CU Boulder,” said Young. “Take this time not only to reflect, but to consider how we can carry the values instilled in us at CU out into the world. Congratulations, graduates!”

Dozens of spring recognition ceremonies across CU Boulder’s colleges, schools, departments, and programs will continue throughout the weekend, featuring distinguished alumni speakers including astronaut Sarah Gillis; Beryl Stafford, founder and owner of Bobo’s Oat Bars; and Grammy Award–winning bass vocalist Wei Wu.

*Note: These figures were updated April 23, 2026, and could shift.

The University of Colorado Boulder is Colorado’s leading public research university, transforming lives since 1876. As the state’s flagship university and one of only 38 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU), CU Boulder has proudly served Coloradans since the state’s founding. Home to five Nobel Laureates since 1989 and the only university to send space instruments to every planet in the solar system, CU Boulder provides a strong return on investment by aligning efforts to achieve research and creative excellence, global sustainability impact and the success of all students, faculty and staff. Learn more at colorado.edu/about.

Contact:

CU Boulder Media Relations

cunews@colorado.edu

Find more media resources | Find more story ideas at CU Boulder Today | Sign up for Beyond Research Newsletter

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Press releases are provided to Yellow Scene Magazine. In an effort to keep our community informed, we publish some press releases in whole.

Boulder, Colorado – February 4, 2026 – The Boulder County Film Commission presents its Winter Schmoozer at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 24, at the gorgeous NerdWallet Touchdown Club, offering incredible views of Folsom Field and delicious catering by Pasta Jays.

Meet the region’s top filmmakers and creative digital professionals and hear about job opportunities in the creative industry. The Schmoozer is free and great for networking, as well as businesspeople looking to connect with leaders in the creative industry. High school and college students interested in film/video and the creative industry are also encouraged to attend to make valuable industry connections.

In addition to ample networking opportunities, this upcoming Schmoozer will feature the announcement of Boulder’s first-ever Creative Expo, along with the popular 60-Second Pop-Ups, great raffle prizes, and the opportunity to check out the latest video and audio gear.

Although attendance is free, space is limited, so please pre-register to reserve your spot. We thank Visit Boulder and Create Boulder for their support, which helps make this event free for our film industry members and partners.

Consistent with its industry support role as an arm of the Boulder Chamber, the Boulder County Film Commission’s mission is to position Boulder and Boulder County as a premier destination for film, television, and digital media by championing local filmmakers and creative digital professionals, attracting dynamic productions, and showcasing the region’s stunning landscapes, diverse communities, and innovative spirit.

The Boulder County Film Commission also serves as the central resource for storytellers, connecting them with locations, permits, and vendors, fostering local talent pipelines, providing specialized creative industry education and mentoring programs, and creating opportunities that drive economic vitality and enrich our cultural identity.

Press Contact Info:

Bruce Borowsky, Boulder County Film Commissioner

bruce.borowsky@boulderchamber.com

www.bouldercountyfilmcommission.com

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Dead & Company Event flyer

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On July 5th and 6th, Dead and Company came through CU Boulder’s Folsom Field. This is important. According to the Grateful Web, “For decades, the venue has been a legendary haven for Deadheads dating back to the early 1970’s. While the Dead had played numerous shows in the Colorado area before, including the Miller Ballroom at CU in ’69, and two acoustic shows in ’70 at the Mammoth Garden (now the Fillmore), nothing quite sparked the interest of the Grateful Dead in the Centennial State quite like the legendary 1972 performance at Folsom Field in Boulder. Conditions were soggy, and the rain was relentless, but the music never stopped, and Colorado would grow to become one of the band’s most faithful markets, returning 41 more times to play shows in Telluride, Mile High Stadium, CU Events Center, McNichols Arena, and the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre.”

In honor of that, we sent one gonzo reporter to get lost in the crowd, drink some beer, and listen to some music. This is his report:

FRIDAY NIGHT

Friday came and Dead and Company was in town. I was excited and nervous because I had never been to a Dead and Company show before. There is something amazing about being excited and nervous at the same time. The Grateful Dead are a legendary band and people tell stories of how the have changed their life. I was ready to see if they would do the same for me. 

Dead and Company played two nights at Folsom Field, University of Colorado Boulder’s football stadium.

I drove to the stadium with my friend Penny, who sells flower headbands called Halo’s. She’s been selling these headbands for years and following the festival and jam band scene, which includes Dead and Company. How peculiar to be writing an article for a show and going with someone Penny Lane. If you have ever seen the movie Almost Famous, there is a writer named William who writes about Rock and Roll and spends his time with Penny Lane, who is a groupie who follows the music. This is my favorite movie and now I feel like I am living out the story.

I pulled into the stadium parking lot and could feel the fever in the air as if a carnival was in town. People were pulling up in cars, camper vans, RVs, Sprinter vans, and buses. The first thing you notice is everyone’s happiness. The smiles on everyone’s faces light up your own being. The people are much more friendly than in the “real world” and would help you with anything you needed, which includes free food, lodging, or any substances you desired. The Grateful Dead have always preached kindness and compassion and you can feel it radiating from their fan base.

We walked straight to Shakedown Street so that Penny could sell her merchandise. I wandered around, interacting with the fans as much as possible. Everyone always greeted me with a smile, a story, and a “where are you from?” The amazing thing about these shows is that people who sell merchandise, food, and art travel with Dead and Company. There were hundreds of vendors all across the lots selling t-shirts, posters, food, art, and so much more. You could come here just to go shopping and not even go into the show. There is a whole economy and road show that travels with the band. People make their living off of these shows and you can see all the hard work and dedication that goes into the whole weekend.

I did not have a ticket for the show, but went anyway, hoping to find another way into the show. I enjoy the adventure and thrill of not knowing what’s going to happen. I thought I might as well risk it and see if I can find another way in. I walked around looking for a ticket and interacting with folks. Hearing people’s stories and where they had come from was a lot of fun. I mostly enjoyed playing with people. I juggled and ran around like a clown, which makes people want to interact and play with you, so I was able to have fun with a lot of people. 

People are also very accepting at these events, which helps you to become and share your full self. I’ve heard stories of people becoming inspired to change their lives due to the experience of a Dead and Company show, based on the pure amount of love and acceptance that they find here. When the show was about to start, I still did not have a ticket. I had accepted that I may not get in the show and was okay with that. I knew there would be people outside of the show hanging out and listening. 

Then the hail started. There was so much hail, thunder, and rain that the security decided to take cover. I was walking by the gates and noticed that no one was working. I walked up to the gate and walked into the show. There was no security. So weird. Other folks with tickets were doing the same. Random gift of entry.  

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https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzk87RAnwht/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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I met up with my friend Penny, who got a free ticket into the show from someone who appreciated her singing, which is called a miracle in festival and grateful dead culture. What she would do is stand outside the show and sing with her finger up and someone with an extra ticket and gets her into the show.

I felt so much appreciation and excitement to be in the show; Dead and Company did not disappoint. I was up in the stands and took in the night’s song, which included “Box of Rain.” I love this song and with the hail and thunder it fit perfectly into the night. The set was delayed, due to a hail storm, so they played one long set. I felt like this helped them get their groove and flow, which is needed for a jam band. The weather cleared up and I was in love with the crowd, music, and atmosphere. I was previously unsure if I was going to night two, but now I felt like I had no choice. 

SATURDAY NIGHT

Saturday night had a different feel than Friday. There were a lot more people at the show Saturday and some were tired and worn out from the night before. You could feel a slowness in the people there, resting under the trees on the CU campus, reserving their energy for the show to come.

While walking around the campus I noticed the underbelly of the Grateful Dead scene is homelessness and addiction. I began to think maybe this is the best place for someone with an addiction problem. They would receive love and compassion instead of judgment. This would help them feel at peace with themselves, which would heal their addiction problem over time. We can have a longer talk about the failures of the broader US criminal justice and healthcare systems, and drug acceptance in general, but for now, these people were safe, were loved, and were living beautifully. 

The day saw no rain, which was a nice change from the previous evening.I, still needed to find a ticket, though. Again, I hung out with the crowd, clowning around, accepting that I might not get into the show. The key to getting a free ticket to a show is waiting until the last minute and not caring too much if you do not get in. 

I sat down with a group of people in the grass and we began to talk. I really enjoyed their company so I sat with them for a long time. We talked about our lives, our dreams, and how I was going to write this article. They asked if this was my first Dead and Company weekend and I said yes. Then my luck turned around. The man who sat next to me – Barry – grabbed his wallet and pulled out a ticket. He said, “Have a good time, you cannot miss your first Dead Saturday show.” I was speechless. I could not believe this happened to me. I held the ticket to my heart and said, “Thank you” over and over again. I could not believe how compassionate, loving, and supportive the Grateful Dead fan base could be.

I met a man on my way into the show who walked with a cane. We decided to share a beer as we talked. I was missing part of the show, but felt like I needed to walk with this man. He shared how his friend had commited suicide two years ago on this day. He expressed how he missed her and felt some guilt about her death. I have a Master’s Degree in therapy, so I did my best to be there for this man and give him some comfort. He seemed like a caring, compassionate man who just needed someone to listen to him. I knew I was there for a reason and he was there to teach me a little about the important things in life. It is amazing how when we slow down and listen to others we can learn about ourselves and the world.

The Saturday show was sold out and you could tell by the size of the crowd. I walked in by myself, which made things much easier. However, I got there late, so I decided to find an empty area I could dance and juggle in. During the set break, in the area I was in, the best hacky sack game of all time ensued. There were professional players running the circle, which made it so much fun. This is what you find at Dead and Company shows –  not just the band playing, but other talent and performers all over the place.

When the second set started, I found Penny and we decided we wanted to go on the floor. I met the security guard who lets people on the field, which is the less crowded area on the football field.. I asked if we could go down for the last couple of songs. He said he would need twenty bucks to let me down. That seemed fair and I paid the man and we got to go down on the field. I felt like each moment was more magical than the next. The songs and the flow were amazing. The highlight of my night was when they played “Eyes of the World,” which is my favorite Dead song.

When we left the show Saturday night and we were hanging out, the police came on horses to kick all of the people out. There was a New Orleans band playing for the fans still walking around. The police were slowly kicking people out, but it was the band that really led the people away.  That was the end of my Dead and Company adventure. I am so glad I decided to ride the ride. Make sure to follow Dead and CO at https://deadandcompany.com/ to catch their next show. Thankfully, they come to Colorado quite a bit. Until next time.

Daniel

The post Dead and CO at Folsom Field: A First Person Experience appeared first on Yellow Scene Magazine.

We’re standing on a perfectly groomed Folsom Field during a gorgeous late summer Friday afternoon. There are no players to be found, the stands are empty and there isn’t a football anywhere in sight.

It’s eerily peaceful actually, just a few minutes following the Buffaloes’ first fall practice in full pads a quarter-mile away. I’m soaking in the beautiful backdrop and perfect sod with our photographer and Dan Hawkins, the second-year University of Colorado football coach.

“Last time I was on this field was 62-36,” I say, an obvious reference to storming the field following the Buffs’ biggest victory of the decade, a blowout over rival Nebraska in 2001 that almost catapulted them to the national championship game.

“That was a good time to be here,” Hawkins says.

That victory seems like another lifetime, something Hawkins knows all too well. The Buffs have lost 14 of their last 16 games and a colossal amount of national respect after being besieged by a recruiting scandal and rape allegations. CU Nation is waiting—surprisingly patiently—for Hawk to turn things around.

His exciting and clever sound bites, and gains in recruiting have brought many alumni back to the glass half-full side. But by the time you start reading this story, that optimism may be quashed. The hopes that Hawkins was in fact the savior of the program—and on an even larger scale, the entire athletic department—could be as dried up as Death Valley.

All this because in-state rival Colorado State University may embarrass the Buffs on national television during the Mile High Showdown on Sept. 1, a few days prior to this magazine hitting newsstands. But let’s go ahead and assume that didn’t happen; it’ll make for a better story. We’ll surmise that CU picked apart the Rams with a workmanlike effort. Maybe the score ends up being 28 to 10.

All is good in Boulder as the Buffs head into the rest of their season trying to forget last year’s 2-10 campaign with
some much-needed momentum courtesy of CSU.

If they can steal a few upsets, the Buffs could be pretty darn close to returning to the glory of that legendary 62 to 36 steamrolling of the Cornhuskers. But if victories are as sparse as last fall, you’ll catch in droves fans diving off the bandwagon.

With the entire state—and perhaps nation—glaring in his direction, that’s how thin the line Hawkins walks this year.
“If these guys don’t win…it’s going to be tough,” says Mike Slone, a Longmont resident who graduated from CU in 2003 and considers himself a supporter of Hawkins and the program. “If they go 2 and 10 again this year, I definitely would be majorly concerned.”

Hawk is not wincing at that burden, however, even if it means simultaneously trying to save face for an entire university that only seems to garner negative publicity of late (See Churchill, Ward, and Recruiting Scandal).

“I think in terms of our role, I understand it and accept it,” he says during a July phone conversation as he drives home from Denver International Airport. “The great thing about an unbelievably dynamic program, it can be an awesome window into an entire (campus) culture.

“When it’s not, it’s a tremendous drain…what you are really trying to do is support a culture and a community, reaffirming values and pride.”

And what a drain on the university CU football has been recently. It started in 2003, when several women accused CU football players of rape. Allegations that strippers and escorts were used to lure recruits surfaced, followed by another devastating rape accusation that came from the team’s sole female player, Katie Hnida. Although charges were never filed, it left the school with a swelling black eye.

Ryan Johanningmeier, the Buffs’ 1999 captain, put this in perspective during a February 2004 interview with Anderson Cooper: “This is a situation where these allegations…kind of fall on top of the whole university.”

The University of Colorado was no longer an “it” school; it had been relegated to just another university with an extremely troubled athletic department. During the whole fiasco, CU president Betsy Hoffman lost her job, as did athletic director Dick Tharp. Head coach Gary Barnett survived longer while thumping his “boys will be boys” attitude all the way to a disgraceful 70-3 loss in the 2005 Big 12 championship game. He was finally shown the door, leading to the Hawkins era.

So Hawkins may not exactly have big shoes to fill, but he certainly has a huge hole to dig out of. Going 2-10 in his first season hasn’t helped things.

“I’m not a guy that’s into comfort and luxury,” says Hawkins, who left a comfortable spot at Boise State after compiling a 55-21 record there. “For me, coming to Colorado, I knew there was going to be issues; I knew there was going to be trauma to overcome. The University of Colorado has tremendous potential in many areas.”

Admittedly, it could take some time to reach.

“You’re dealing with a timetable of 2 to 2.5 years,” Hawkins says of rebuilding. “Coach Hawk is not going to go out and throw magic dust and it’s going to fix itself in six months.”

That doesn’t mean he is patient; far from it actually. Hawkins expects a bowl game this year, a feat most prognosticators doubt and would likely make him a conference coach of the year favorite.

He expects CU to compete on the level it used to, when the Buffs ran a respected program and fought for Big 8 and national titles every year.

And whether the academic types want to admit or accept it, large public universities often get the same reputation as their football program.

CU used to be considered a premier university, and it’d be silly to think legendary football coach Bill McCartney had nothing to do with it, although all those astronauts hailing from Boulder certainly didn’t hurt, either.

“It’s not the most important thing (in judging a university), but it’s a big piece,” says CU athletic director Mike Bohn.

That being said, Bohn is more impressed with Hawkins today than he was when he hired him a little more than a year ago.

“(Hawkins) embraces this challenge with a level of passion that is engaging, with a level that is contagious,” Bohn says. “Despite the record (last year), we have three games on national TV, and our capitol projects are almost complete.”

Bohn says he’s hasn’t given Hawkins a timetable to start winning so long as everything seems to progress positively. Hawkins realizes that may not be the case if his teams keep losing.

“We all know at the end of the day, it’s big boy football, and we have to put something on paper,” Hawkins says.

But most of the signs—except the actual wins—point up. Season ticket sales are up to almost 22,000, donations have spiked, a new indoor practice bubble is almost complete, and there have been multiple projects finished this year in the Dal Ward Athletic Center.

Hawkins has also brought a reputation of being a disciplinarian, which has helped give the team much-needed credibility in the wake of scandal. Numerous players have had to sit out of action for violations that used to garner little more than a tongue lashing.

His staff showcases this attitude at the end of their first full-padded practice. While most players were enjoying Popsicles courtesy of a few young fans, two were off to the side, on their side, rolling down the length of the sideline.

The whole time, repeating, “I’ll never do that again.”

Meanwhile, the likeable Hawkins was hamming it up with a handful of reporters, like he always does, sucking down a frozen treat of his own. But a few minutes later, he tightens up a bit as the camera bulbs start flashing—photo shoots aren’t his favorite.

He still offers a little comic relief when we’re forced to scale a locked fence to gain access to Folsom Field.

“Maybe if I win a few games they’ll give me the keys,” he says.

Beat CSU, Florida State and Nebraska, and Boulder will give Hawk a lot more than just the keys to the stadium.

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