| NOVEMBER 2002 |
CC Freshman Class Profile
Strong aplicant pool yields outstanding class of 2006
By Mark Hatch and Jennifer KulierPhotos by Owen Riss
Chosen from more than 3,400 applications, CC's class of 2006 is a talented and diverse group. Beyond their intellectual curiosity and academic prowess (see profile at right), they impressed the admission committee with their leadership, extracurricular talents, and service to humanity. Among the class there are artists, athletes, class presidents, dancers, debaters, Eagle Scouts, hospital volunteers, linguists, martial artists, newspaper and yearbook editors, poets, valedictorians, and vocalists. Not only are they ready and eager to tackle the challenges of the Block Plan, they also represent the ideals of the liberal arts experience.
They are pioneers: 54 students in the class are the first in their families to attend college.
They think globally: In addition to the dozens who have traveled abroad, 55 students have either studied or lived abroad for an extended period of time. One young woman has lived in 50 foreign countries after having spent the majority of her childhood on her family's sailboat.
They know that the "pen is mightier than the sword:" Taken literally, there are three fencers and 39 editors of a literary magazine, newspaper, or yearbook. There is even one student who has been a regular columnist for a major metropolitan newspaper.
They are service-minded: These individuals have committed thousands of hours to service over the last four years, and we expect them to do the same at CC. Some students fed the homeless, while others built houses, worked with disabled children, befriended the elderly, served their church, or volunteered with a variety of non-profit organizations. There is also an EMT and two volunteer firefighters in the class.
They are competitive and accomplished.
The class includes:
- A Grammy winner from the Phoenix Boys' Choir
- A young woman who climbed an 18,133-foot peak in Peru
- An award-winning cake decorator
- A state champion tennis player
- An experienced bungee jumper
- A horse jumper and barrel racer
- Two junior national team hockey players
- A top 5 nationally ranked chess player
- A top 5 nationally ranked cyclist
- An Olympic-level kayaker
- 28 valedictorians
Chris Sturgess, of New Canaan, Conn., was the sports editor
of his school's newspaper and has a passion for lacrosse and
hockey. Making the world a better place motivates him; he has
enjoyed working with underprivileged children and hopes to continue
in some kind of community service. The history of any time period
- but especially the Cold War and anything related to espionage
- fascinates him, as do computers. In his time at CC he hopes
to "find something I love to do," but first he plans just to
"get comfortable at the school" and make the most of the many
opportunities, especially for playing lacrosse.
Angela Mondragon has known since she was young that she wanted
to be a teacher. "When I was eight, I taught a five-year-old
how to play chess and she promptly beat me. Mondragon has also
taught tae kwon do to people age five and older for four years
and has a second-degree black belt. She loves reading, writing,
drama, and studying languages; she hopes to study Latin because
she's curious about it as a root language. CC is not too close,
yet not too far away from home in Taos, N.M., she says. 
Jackie Russell's Outward Bound trip to Costa Rica and Panama
last year was a life-changing experience. "It made me appreciate
everyday things like being able to wash my clothes in a washing
machine and eating food that I didn't have to kill," Russell
said. After two weeks of intense hiking and living with indigenous
people, Russell has a new sense of gratitude for her life. But
she's still excited about wilderness travel and meeting people
from all walks of life. A former competitive skier and a talented
lacrosse player, Russell, of San Francisco, Calif., plans to
continue in athletics while she pursues her interests in environmental
science and Spanish. 
Nicholas West-Miles likes solving intellectual problems and
debating subjects he feels strongly about. In high school, this
led him to do volunteer work with the Anti-Defamation League.
"I love learning about almost any subject and seek a better
understanding of the world and my role in it," he said. West-Miles,
who lives in Denver with his artist parents, says he became
familiar with CC because his sister, Anne, also attends. West-Miles
was an All-State swimmer in high school and has studied tap,
jazz, and ballet. 
Eliot Estrin's personal motivation comes from a deep, spiritual
place. For several years, he's been seeking knowledge of different
spiritual traditions and how he fits into them. Perhaps the
apex of this quest was a six-week trip to Nepal in the 11th
grade. Estrin, of Los Angeles, has also spent time in Costa
Rica and New Zealand and at sanctuaries like the Esalen Institute
and Ojai Foundation. "At CC, I want to learn as much as I can
and meet people. But I also want to continue my meditation practice
and find God." 
Ahnna Cho, of Aurora, Colo., sparkles with enthusiasm for many
subjects, but especially the arts. She loves visual art, whether
it's painting with acrylics or just doodling in a notebook.
She has played the piano since age seven and particularly likes
Bach. "I'm so happy there's a grand piano in every residence
hall. I've been taking advantage of that," says Cho. And the
English language, particularly poetry, enthralls her. "I just
think it's an amazing language and poetry really brings attention
to each word," says Cho, whose first language was Korean. 
Reed Duecy-Gibbs, of Seattle, is a star athlete whose abilities
in track and cross-country have won him accolades, and he hopes
to continue improving in that arena. He's also an avid outdoorsman
who loves climbing, hiking, snowboarding, and "basically anything
that gets me outdoors." Participation in a high school exchange
program sparked his interest in Central America; he has traveled
to Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Enrollment:
Enrolled first-year students 558
Men (44%) 245
Women (56%) 313
Note: 57 of these students will matriculate in January as part of our Winter Start program.
Geographic Distribution:
Colorado 25.6%
Southwest (including Colorado) 31.9%
West 20%
Midwest 16.8%
South 4.8%
Northeast 23.8%
International 2.7%
Note: The class represents 48 states and 14 foreign countries.
Rank in Class:
9% valedictorians
24% in top 5%
40% in top 10%
85% in top third
Note: 56% of students came from high schools that use class rank.
Schools Represented:
405 high schools
Public 63%
Private/Parochial 37%
Applications:
3,411 first-year applications
57% admit rate
Diversity:
American ethnic minorities (14.7%) 82 students
9% 1st generation college students
Standardized Tests:
SAT/ACT range (middle 50%):
SAT: 1180-1330
ACT: 26-30
Financial Aid:
50% of the class is receiving financial assistance.
The average financial aid package was over $20,000.
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