Denver Urban Semester

Participants live, work and study in Denver, a city that sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains and provides multiple urban and outdoor opportunities. 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 experience.

As part of the 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.

All courses are accredited by Northwestern College and meet NWC's standards for academic rigor. Depending on your major and interests, you will enroll in one of three tracks:

General Track

• Urban Leadership (3 credits)
• Urban Cross-Cultural Integration Seminar (2 or 4 credits)
• Senior Seminar (4 credits, non-NWC students only)
• Internship (2 to 10 credits)
• Online class options (3 to 6 credits)

Social Work Track

• Social Work Professional Seminar (3 credits)
• Urban Cross-Cultural Integration Seminar (2 or 4 credits)
• Social Work Practicum (10 credits)

Education Track

• Urban Cross-Cultural Integration Seminar (2 or 4 credits)
• Student Teaching (4 to 16 credits)
• Student Teaching Professional Seminar (1 to 2 credits)

As part of the 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:

• Business and economics
• 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

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.

Greg Fuchs
Site Director
Greg has a master’s degree from Denver Seminary and has served as the site director for the Denver Urban Semester for more than 10 years. He formerly was a student development leader for 15 years while working as a youth pastor, Young Life director, high school chaplain and vocational coach. An avid hiker and tennis player, Greg enjoys attending city neighborhood festivals and spending time and traveling with his three adult sons.

Beth Sundberg 
Student Teacher Supervisor
Beth has an undergraduate degree from the University of Puget Sound and a master’s degree in instruction and curriculum with an emphasis in reading from the University of Colorado. She taught high school in Japan, as well as first and second grade. Most recently she was the program director for Book Trust, a national literacy nonprofit. In her spare time, she enjoys playing tennis, hiking and skiing with her family in Colorado, and traveling the world.

Penny Salazar-Phillips
Social Work Supervisor
Penny directed the transitional housing program, Joshua Station, and now oversees and trains social work interns not only for the Denver Urban Semester, but also for the schools of social work at the University of Denver and the University of Colorado Denver.

Jeff Appel 
On-site Professor and Associate Coordinator
Jeff is a doctoral candidate in religion at the University of Denver. He has a master’s degree in theological studies (theology and culture) from Regent College in Vancouver, B.C. He enjoys working with students, building them up into healthy and resilient Kingdom practitioners who live wisely within a constantly shifting cultural landscape.

Kyra Perez 
Civic Engagement Coordinator and Resident Director
Kyra has worked in student development as both a resident assistant and assistant resident director at Wheaton College in Illinois, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in communication and a minor in Christian education. Her favorite part of working in student development is building long-lasting relationships with students and the people she works with from places all over the world.

In order to apply to the Denver Urban Semester, you must have completed your freshman year of college with a 2.5 GPA or higher and be recommended by our adviser.

You will pay normal tuition and housing costs to your college. While in Denver, you will be expected to pay for your food (approximately $250 per month) and entertainment.

Application for NWC students

Application for non-NWC students

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

Denver Urban Semester brochure

Denver Urban Semester video