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Ogmius Newsletter

Ogmius 10TH
Anniversary issue

Joel Gratz

Joel GratzI spent “College Part II” at the Center (some call this time period “Graduate School”, but I like my title). For three years from 2003-2006, I had an amazing experience that was ‘just right’. Just the right amount of learning vs fun, just small enough to know everyone but just big enough to get a diverse set of opinions. Just focused enough to get a grasp of a topic but just integrated enough to let me reach out and get an MBA along the way. I enjoyed almost every day I spent on Grandview, but one day proves more memorable than the others...

It was my Master’s Thesis defense with Roger Pielke, Jr. and two other advisors from the private sector who had flown to Boulder just for the event. During my presentation, I had a small audience in addition to my advisors. The audience was my dad and my roommate Jen. As I started my talk, I had no idea that my dad had communicated with Jen for weeks leading up to these day. My dad had concocted a plan. A very funny plan. As I flipped to my fourth or fifth slide, my dad and Jen -- sitting next to each other -- held up signs. Since they were behind my advisors, the only person that could see the signs was me. And what did these signs say? One was in the shape of a big “D”, and the other was in the shape of a white picket fence. Yep, my dad took a signature move out of the football fan’s playbook and brought the “D-Fence” cheer to Grandview. I laughed out loud at the time, and can look back and laugh still...because ultimately I did pass the defense.

Joel Gratz giving a talk  in 2005
PHOTO FROM THE PAST

Joel Gratz giving a talk in 2005

 

Roger Pielke, Jr. keeps reminding me that when my business takes off, he’d be happy for me to set up a fund to support the center. Hopefully that day isn’t too far off!

Joel Gratz, graduate student CSTPR 2003-06; MBA/MS, Meteorology and Policy, 2006; Founder & Meteorologist, www.Opensnow.com and www.ChanceOfWeather.com.