Sothary Chea, the Ethnic Studies department Program Assistant, was recognized as Rookie of the Year at the 2018 Denver Metro Admin Awards gala on October 9. Chea began her position in March 2018. In a few short months, she has transformed the culture of the Ethnic Studies department office by introducing more opportunities for student engagement with the office and by reinvigorating the department's social media presence. "This award is a well-deserved distinction for Chea's contributions to CU Denver," says Chair Faye Caronan. In addition, Michelle Medal from Communication and Laura Cuellar-Franco from Chemistry were both finalists for the "Colleen Barrett Award."