Simone Kaplan didn’t expect to get a private graduation ceremony when she mentioned to her professor and program director, Ellen Winiarczyk, that she’d be passing near the University of Denver campus last week.
Kaplan and her partner have been on a cross-country adventure since 2023. When their travels brought them through Denver during her last month of online classes in DU’s Master of Nonprofit Leadership program, she thought she’d try to take a few campus pictures.
Instead, Winiarczyk went all-out, outfitting Kaplan with a traditional cap, gown, and hood for pictures in front of DU landmarks, and arranging for Dean Michael McGuire to enact the college’s unique graduation tradition, just for her.
“Ellen made it a magical experience and I appreciated it so much,” says Kaplan. “Everyone [at the college] is so helpful and eager to be supportive.”
The College of Professional Studies places a premium on personal connection and support, even while delivering online programs designed to be highly flexible for busy adults.
“We want our students to have a high-touch experience where they receive mentorship and personalized support at every turn,” says Winiarczyk.
Kaplan says she experienced those benefits throughout her Nonprofit Leadership program, with courses that were highly accessible and skills-based.
“Every class was useful,” Kaplan says. “They touched on real-world scenarios, and the content prepared me for the work that I’ll be doing in nonprofit leadership.”
She points to instructors who opened doors for her and supported her in forming her vision for change. Her interest in social enterprise led to a project to create a senior-led community garden than would provide intergenerational connection and boost participants’ physical and mental health.
“I don’t feel intimidated by social problems anymore,” says Kaplan. “I want to roll up my sleeves and get to work solving them.”