How We Got Here
We developed this plan together. 3,000 of us—including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members—generated 7,000 ideas over six months.
Just like the university we are working to reimagine, our work was human-centered, inclusive, and innovative by design. We employed technology and design thinking to understand—through an entirely virtual process during a pandemic—what our community appreciated most about CU Denver, what our community needed most from CU Denver, and where great opportunity lies ahead for CU Denver.
3,000+
Total Participants
7,000+
Ideas Generated Over six Months
We started in January 2021 with foundational work to refresh our purpose, vision, values, and graduate characteristics. With these statements serving as a “North Star,” 130 members of our community, including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members, deployed across eight teams to develop goals and strategies that could strengthen and differentiate CU Denver by 2030. Each team generated a report, all of which were then synthesized into a cohesive strategic plan to make education work for all. Prior to finalizing our plan, early drafts were shared with hundreds of people in our community for feedback and continued refinement. Now, in 2025, we have the opportunity to both look back on what has been accomplished. The university has completed more than 100 projects that help education work for all and are continuing to work on more than 50 more. We remain focused on student success and making education work for all.