Becoming a Best Place To Work
Our interest in shaping and investing in the workforce of the future extends to our own people. CU Denver aspires to be an employer of choice in the region, building upon the University of Colorado’s strong position as the third largest employer in Colorado. Our talented faculty and staff undergird our entire strategy. They help to create an equitable and diverse community, educate learners of all ages and life stages, conduct society-impacting research, innovate in disciplines ranging from cyber to urban planning, and nurture a vibrant campus community in downtown Denver.
Our people also contribute to CU Denver’s statewide economic impact, which was nearly $800M in the last year and included work not only in the Denver metro area but also throughout Colorado’s rural communities via our K-12 teacher degree and licensure programs.
With our 2030 strategy providing the framework to become a best place to work, we achieved these results:
Being a best place to work means investing in the people we employ and the city we call home. For CU us, this also means encouraging our employees to embrace our University for Life model and engage in lifelong learning. That’s true for Genia Herndon, who is a double-degree recipient at CU Denver and plays a major role in fostering the success of our future graduates. Read Genia’s story below.
- Continued to demonstrate leadership in our COVID-19 response, both internally and externally, to ensure that nearly 98% of our employees and 96% of our students are vaccinated and adhering to public health guidelines.
- Partnered with the city and state to offer several vaccine clinics in the Denver community and increase vaccine adoption while reducing hesitancy in diverse communities. In spring 2022, we hosted U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to share best practices.
- Continued to work with our employees to fully return to campus by fall 2021 to restore the human connection of our learning, revive our collaborative scholarship and campus environment, and contribute to the revitalization of downtown Denver.
- Supported our community members affected by the tragic Marshall Fire in December 2021 by raising $8,000 from our campus community to offer relief and additional support.
- Brought together numerous teams and volunteers to support several iconic citywide events, including Denver Startup Week and the Denver Colfax Marathon, further advancing our role as an anchor institution in the downtown.
Lynx in Focus
Genia Herndon
Master of Arts ’15, Political Science; PhD ’22, Education
Genia Herndon is a familiar face around campus. As the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student and Community Engagement, she spends a lot of time logging steps across campus for her day job. And as a CU Denver alum, she’s added to that distance while taking courses. “I’m a lifelong learner,” Genia said with a laugh. “We’re all evolving, and we need to adapt our skills, and our understanding, and our perspectives in order to be able to lean into our purposes.”
CU Denver
CU Denver
Student Commons Building
1201 Larimer Street
Denver, CO 80204
(303) 315-5969