Denver Urban Semester

Denver Urban Semester students live, work and study in a city that sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains and provides multiple urban and outdoor opportunities. Denver is known as the Mile High City because of its elevation above sea level.

More than 2.8 million people reside in the Denver metro area, which is host to 7 professional sports teams, museums, concerts, amusement parks and a zoo. You'll be immersed in numerous cultural activities and within walking distance of restaurants, coffee shops, parks and community festivals that provide diversity and a multicultural experiences.

Founded in 2007, Denver Urban Semester partners with more than 50 schools, nonprofits, government agencies and faith-based organizations in Denver that focus on at-risk and low-income communities and underserved multicultural populations.

Haley Andreades Vermeer   
Program Director
Haley holds a Master of Divinity degree from Emory University's Candler School of Theology and an undergraduate degree in religious studies from Vanderbilt University. Before directing DUS, she worked among houseless and street-connected youth and young adults with Dry Bones Denver, where she grew passionate about creating space for people to learn how to engage in the community in dignifying ways while also taking care of themselves. Haley is ordained in the United Methodist Church and enjoys hiking, camping and climbing with friends and family.
handreades@milehighmin.org

Jessica Dominguez  
Education Faculty and Student Teaching Supervisor 
Jessica has an undergraduate degree from Metropolitan State College of Denver and a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction—with an emphasis in linguistically diverse education—from the University of Colorado. She has 22 years of experience in teaching elementary school that spans all grade levels, leadership roles and instructional coaching experience. Jessica enjoys hiking with her dog, traveling, and spending time with her husband.

Cole Fritz  
Interdisciplinary Internship Supervisor 
A Denver Urban Semester alum, Cole graduated with a degree in business and economics from Wheaton College and works as a business analyst at CrossPurpose, a nonprofit focused on workforce development and poverty alleviation. He is passionate about empowering students to harness their unique skills and vocations to impact their communities, whether in the for-profit or nonprofit sector. When not working, Cole enjoys hiking, skiing, going to the park with his wife and two daughters, and discovering Denver's best cuisine.

Kelcie Scarlett  
Social Work Field Supervisor 
Kelcie is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a Master of Social Work degree from Washington University in St. Louis, where she specialized in health. A Northwestern College graduate, she is also a Denver Urban Semester alum who completed her internship at Women’s Bean Project. When not serving as a pediatric medical social worker, she enjoys working out, hiking, spending time with family and friends, and watching television.

Indi Shear 
Resident Coordinator
A DUS alum, Indi graduated with a degree in social work from Hope College, where she served as a resident assistant and was a Bible study leader through campus ministries. A lover of outdoor activities, Indi hopes to complete her first 14er and backpacking trip in Colorado. She loves reading books in the park, wandering through Trader Joe's, and listening to the Lumineers on all the nice sunny Colorado days.

Taylor Sun 
Social Work Internship Supervisor
A Northwestern College graduate, Taylor holds a Master of Social Work degree from Metropolitan State University of Denver. She has a heart for families, survivors of intimate partner violence, and individuals experiencing homelessness. Taylor is a collaborator, advocate and invested member of the Denver community. She enjoys camping, reading, working out and spending time with her family.

Hannah Tyler  
Resident Coordinator 
Hannah graduated with a degree in social work from Hope College, through which she participated in Denver Urban Semester, completing her internship at Savio House. Leaning into her passions for swimming and the outdoors, she is currently teaching swim lessons and working for Cotopaxi, a sustainable outdoor apparel brand. In her free time, Hannah enjoys spending her days exploring the Rocky Mountains. Whether camping, hiking or simply reading a book in a mountain town coffee shop, she appreciates the unlimited experiences that Colorado offers.

Denver Urban Semester (DUS) is designed to provide a three-pronged experience of classroom instruction, living in community and internships. Students spend 24 to 40 hours per week at a student teaching/practicum/internship site and take 1 to 3 classes for a total of 12-18 credits. (GEN335)

The DUS program offers courses to satisfy student teaching, social work practicum, and internship requirements. Courses offered are as follows:

• Urban Cross-Cultural Integration Seminar (2 & 3 credit options)
• Urban Integration Senior Seminar* (4 credits)
• Student Teaching (4-14 credits)
• Student Teaching Seminar (1 credit)
• Social Work Practicum (10 credits)
• Social Work Professional Seminar* (3 credits)
• Internship (2-10 credits)

Note:
-DUS is offered every fall and spring term and four of the course credits can be used towards completing the Mission and Justice minor (see under listing of Minors).
-Letter grades are required if requested by the student’s home institution.

*Urban Integration Senior Seminar does not fulfill the Senior Seminar requirement at Northwestern College. Northwestern College social work majors will complete Social Work Professional Seminar, which is their Senior Seminar course.

As part of Denver Urban Semester, you’ll be placed in an internship with an urban ministry, school or nonprofit that serves Denver’s marginalized populations—in fields such as these:

• Christian leadership/religious studies
• Communications
• Education (student teaching)
• Entrepreneurial leadership
• Human services
• Nonprofit management
• Pre-law and criminal justice
• Psychology and sociology
• Social work
• Spanish interpretation
• Business and economics

As part of Denver Urban Semester, you’ll live in community, learning alongside other students in the program. Housing is in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, located in the heart of downtown Denver. The program is also able to accommodate married couples. You'll be responsible for purchasing your own food and preparing your own meals.

Denver Urban Semester covers the cost of transportation to your internship site. You'll receive a monthly RTD bus and light rail card for use during the semester. If you fly to Denver, you can take the A line from the Denver International Airport (DIA) into Denver, and we'll provide a shuttle from the light rail station to your Denver Urban Semester housing. If you choose to drive, be aware there are only five parking spots for both Denver Urban Semester houses. City street parking is also available. Program participants are encouraged to use RTD to travel to one's internship and while engaging with and living in downtown Denver.

Denver is a city of 77 neighborhoods that sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains and provides multiple urban and outdoor opportunities. You’ll be immersed in numerous cultural activities and within walking distance of restaurants, coffee shops, parks and community festivals that provide diversity and a multicultural experience. Denver Urban Semester students are provided with $200 for the semester for weekly cross-cultural engagement events.

For Northwestern students, the program fee for Denver Urban Semester is the same as Northwestern's tuition and housing costs for a semester (excluding the cost of the college's meal plan). Program costs for students from other schools may differ, depending on the institution's policies. Contact your global education or off-campus studies program office for more information.

Included in what you pay for Denver Urban Semester is tuition for 12 to 16 credits (course work and internships), housing, and program travel and events. While in Denver, you will be expected to pay for your food (approximately $250 per month) and entertainment.

All applicable Northwestern College financial aid applies for Northwestern College students. Contact the Northwestern's financial aid office for more information. Non-Northwestern College students should contact their own college’s financial aid office to find out if financial aid can apply toward Denver Urban Semester.

Northwestern's Denver Urban Semester is open to students at any college or university who have completed two semesters of college work and achieved a minimum GPA of 2.5.

• Application for NWC students (must be logged into MyNWC)
  • You will be asked to submit an up-to-date resume as part of the application. Please contact the Compass Center for Career & Calling for help in creating or updating your resume. 
• Application for non-NWC students
  • Non-NWC students must fill out a guest application to Northwestern and be accepted before applying to the Denver Urban Semester program.
  • You will be asked to submit an up-to-date resume as part of the application. Please work with your career services office to create or update your resume.

Fall semester application deadlines:
NWC students: Feb. 10
Non-NWC students: May 1

Spring semester application deadlines:
NWC students: Feb. 10
Non-NWC students: Oct. 1

Applications won't be considered complete until ALL sections of the online application are completed and all other required documents and reference/recommendation letters are submitted.

You should review your answers carefully to ensure the accuracy of your application. You can't edit your application once it is submitted.

• Denver Urban Semester  brochure
• Denver Urban Semester  video
• Denver Urban Semester  photo gallery
• Denver city  website
• Denver  tourist information

Global Education Center
global@nwciowa.edu
712-707-7225

Haley Andreades Vermeer
Denver Urban Semester Program Director
handreades@milehighmin.org