CU Denver At 50: Celebrating Our Past And Preparing For The Future

The origins of higher education at CU Denver date back to 1912, and in the mid-20th century these programs were delivered in the former Tramway building—the heart of Denver’s “UCLA” (University of Colorado between Lawrence and Arapahoe streets). Upstairs, we helped nontraditional, working students pursue degrees and build skills near where they lived and worked. Downstairs was storage for Denver streetcars that got people where they needed to go.

It’s remarkable to reflect on our origins on a day like this, Jan. 11, 2023—50 years to the day since a Colorado constitutional amendment first established the University of Colorado Denver as an independent campus.

Today, we educate nearly 15,000 students and deliver 114 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs: more than double our 1973 student population and over 350% more programs. We annually generate nearly $800 million in Colorado economic impact. And central to our role as Colorado’s only urban public research university, we graduate thousands of students from all walks of life—including traditional students, working adults, military veterans, and a high proportion of first-generation college students.

That former Tramway Building hub for CU’s Denver programs (then operated as a Denver extension of the 美国科罗拉多大学博尔德分校 campus) has since become the Hotel Teatro , and we no longer offer classes there. Yet some vestiges of our Tramway days endure. We still integrate seamlessly with the fabric of Denver, with an enlarged presence on both sides of Speer Boulevard. And we’ve still got what it takes—now, more than ever—to get people where they need to go.

Where college graduates need to go has changed. As people live and work longer, people must continue learning throughout their lifespans, and remain nimble enough to change course and re-tool when more shifts inevitably strike. And the needs of the organizations and industries that employ them also have changed: we’re proud to engage with them to help them develop their talent base and stay ahead of the curve.

So as we embark on the next 50 years, CU Denver continues to evolve to meet Colorado’s needs, and to fulfill our charge as our state’s only public urban research university.

We’re activating our promise to build a university for life by expanding routes to learning at CU Denver—with accessible programs that fill regional workforce need, target emerging specialties, and offer mid-career professionals flexibility. We’re delivering them through degree programs (more than 50 available fully online) and as standalone certificates and stackable credentials for those who seek targeted education in specialized areas.

We’re continuing to expand our horizons and impact as a research university, with faculty crossing disciplines to innovate and solve grand societal challenges in fields such as energy, education, and health care.?

And we’re proud to have been named Colorado’s No. 1 University for Social Mobility two years in a row. Half of our students are first-generation college students, half of our undergraduates are students of color, and 70% of our learners are working while going to school. We’re fueling tomorrow’s workforce by preparing talented professionals—two-thirds of whom stay in state after graduation—who mirror Colorado’s evolving demographic diversity.

Today, we celebrate the vision, passion, and dedication of so many individuals who have made CU Denver an essential part of the fabric of the City and County of Denver and Colorado, and who have cultivated bright futures for our graduates they could not otherwise have imagined. I can’t wait to work with so many of you to help us write CU Denver’s next chapter as we evolve to best meet the evolving needs of our students, our economy and our communities over the next 50 years, and as we square our shoulders toward our vision of making education work for all.