Chancellor Michelle Marks, PhD
An innovator dedicated to making higher education equitable for the good of society.
News & Updates
The Chronicle of Higher Education Commentary
“To revitalize our cities and ensure their prosperity,” writes Michelle Marks, “we must reimagine them—to be smarter, sustainable, and equitable. Public urban research universities are ideal laboratories for that reinvention.” This op-ed was published in summer 2023 in the early weeks of Marks’ chairship of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities.
Read MoreChancellor Marks’ Focus Areas
Social Mobility
CU Denver is committed to ensuring that every student feels like they belong on campus, that every student thrives in their educations, and that every student graduates with the knowledge and experience needed to benefit their own lives and the lives of their communities. U.S. News & World Report has ranked CU Denver #1 in social mobility for two years running. Nearly half our students are students of color, and half are first generation. Many are working learners, parents, veterans, and caregivers, but all our students are the next generation of leaders and changemakers. Like CU Denver’s, my work is driven by a mission to advance success for all through an inclusive, welcoming living and learning environment that our communities—and the world—need.
Career Connectedness
Connectedness. This word says so much about where we are as a society: what drives us and what we value. We live in a period of significant change in our country, in our workplaces, and in higher education, but I like to think about the great possibility that change brings. Connectedness is not only part of our ethos at CU Denver—where we are working to ensure today’s industries have the diverse talent they need to succeed—it is also a key differentiator that our diverse, multigenerational students bring to campus. Whether they are the first in their families to attend college or the working mother of two changing her career, our students match their energy, earnestness, and fortitude with our nationally ranked programs, abundant hands-on learning opportunities, and wide-ranging industry partnerships to fuel that connectedness between CU Denver and the industries we help power.
Making Education Work For All
Demographics in the U.S. are changing. Our society, and our workforce, are older and more diverse than ever before. But in a quickly evolving world, our American system of higher education still largely caters to the privileged few, even as education equity gaps widen. I believe that higher education should work for all—for learners of all ages, life stages, and backgrounds. When I arrived at CU Denver, I worked closely with our community of students, faculty, and staff to build a bold strategic plan on the bedrock principle that education here at CU Denver will work for all. As the most diverse research university in Colorado, we have the obligation, the opportunity, and the unique assets to provide a high-quality, accessible, real-world education to the talented many.
Innovation
Throughout my career, I have seen the power of innovation in advancing universities, communities, and society. CU Denver is located in the heart of downtown Denver—one of America’s most vibrant, innovative, and emerging global cities—and working alongside our city and its people, we are working to expand the boundaries of our campus as a convener for the brightest and most diverse students, educators, scholars, innovators, and entrepreneurs. Together, we are shaping the future of our region (and beyond) through the most impactful connections in academic and civic life. Together, we can be that catalyst for positive change.