Chancellor's Communiqué

News from Campus, February 2018

Dear friends,

December commencement brought a happy conclusion to the academic pursuits of some 1,200 CU Denver students. This semester promises just as much cause for celebration.

Student support on a growing campus

The resources and connections at Colorado’s public urban research university serve students of all ages, disciplines and backgrounds. The son of Vietnamese refugees embraced our specialized student services to successfully progress to graduation, while a current student, former Denver Bronco David Bruton, was drawn by our expansive academic offerings to forge his own path in healthcare.

Students transitioning from life in the military are also finding a comfortable home at CU Denver, which recently ranked #11 in the country among best colleges for veterans and military-related students. Further support for our entire student body came in the form of a $10 million donation from Lola and Rob Salazar to the CU Denver Student Wellness Center in December, establishing our first named building. Read more about the physical evolution of our campus in the first CU Denver-specific facilities master plan.

Academics and research that matter

With new deans at two of our eight schools and colleges, we’re investing in innovative and collaborative pursuits that will help us make a lasting mark on the city we call home. Dr. Martin Dunn, at the College of Engineering and Applied Science, will champion contemporary experiential learning with an emphasis on entrepreneurial and global perspectives. Dr. Nan Ellin, at the College of Architecture and Planning, is excited about CAP’s “public scholarship,” where faculty research and classroom projects are often applied to local issues.

CU Denver research and academic work addresses the city's needs in many disciplines, including repairing the city’s physical infrastructure, housing affordability and assessing the effectiveness of a city work program for homeless people. To provide an easy way for the community to connect with the university’s talents, we are in process of developing a new center that will be a resource hub for CU Denver’s urban research and engagement initiatives.

Students work at the heart of these efforts. Turning the city, state and even the the world into their classroom, they follow their passions and make an impact. We invite you to take a sneak peek at our latest “CU in the City” TV ad, featuring our exceptional students and faculty. Keep an eye out for the ad during the Winter Olympics and elsewhere, including digital billboards downtown.

Campus opportunities for YOU

I invite you to take advantage of the cultural and intellectual benefits provided by our university in the city. Here are a few events happening now or soon:

A virtual reality exhibition that takes you onto the stage of an opera production, at the Next Stage Collaborative Gallery, located in the Denver Performing Arts Complex just across from the Buell Theatre

Belleza Mexicana, an exhibit at the Emmanuel Art Gallery from the Abarca Family Collection, one of the most extensive Mexican and Mexican-American collections in the Rocky Mountain region

If you’d like to receive a monthly listing of CU Denver events that are open to the public, subscribe to our “Welcome, Neighbors” events e-newsletter.

Here in the heart of Denver, we are pushing boundaries, driving innovation and changing lives. If you'd like to know more about the exciting opportunities on campus, please feel free to contact me at Chancellor@ucdenver.edu.

Dorothy Horrell
Chancellor