Spring 2024
COVER STORY
HOME AGAIN
Bison conservation herd invigorates Native culture
CSU is a leader of the Laramie Foothills Bison Conservation Herd and has become a vital part of regional efforts to restore bison to the Great Plains – including Tribal lands. In nearly 10 years since it began, the program has donated 127 animals to 11 Tribal Nations.
FEATURES
The heart of health care
The School of Nursing at CSU Pueblo is a standout in Colorado and is annually training hundreds of students to fill a critical nursing shortage that is especially acute in rural parts of the state. In fact, rural needs have become a strategic focus for the nursing school.
Price tag
Affordability is a top concern for Coloradans pondering college and its benefits, a new survey shows. Yet, most adults think the cost for students attending CSU System universities is much higher than it actually is; state residents also have misconceptions about student debt.
Growth industry
At the CSU System’s fully online university, many students seek to complete their degrees – and to prepare for industry-specific certificates and licenses that reflect specialized abilities. It’s all part of the move to tailor college studies for career advancement.
STATEWIDE
From the president
CSU President Amy Parsons reflects on ways that special programming on the Fort Collins campus helps to prepare students to become informed and active members of civil society. She also explains the merger of CSU Magazine and STATE, the magazine of the CSU System.
New president at CSU Pueblo
In a Q&A with STATE, Armando Valdez shares his insights about the university and its role in the region. He brings a long family history, a career in academics, and a deep concern for the economy and quality of life in Southern Colorado to his new role as president of CSU Pueblo.
Wiz Kid
What kind of wizardry is this? The kind designed to hook kids on the science of food, water, and health – fields central to the CSU Spur campus in Denver. Find fun experiments and activities for K-12 kids in a new educational video series led by a spunky character called … Wiz Kid!
Climate lessons
A new initiative at Colorado State University in Fort Collins is integrating education about global climate change into the core curriculum required for all undergraduate students – including courses in math, writing, arts and humanities, social sciences, and history.
Veterinary pacesetter
A major construction project underway at CSU in Fort Collins will improve training for students in the university’s highly regarded Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program by allowing the school to admit more students, modernize its curriculum, and provide primary care for more pets.
On track
For the first time, the CSU System has partnered with a national nonprofit, called College Track, to support first-generation students from low-income families as they pursue and complete college studies, better positioned for social mobility and community leadership.
Free tuition
A new program at CSU Pueblo – called Colorado Promise – offers free tuition for students from low -income families. It is part of a national trend that seeks to improve access to higher education for qualified students and mirrors a similar program in place for 13 years at CSU in Fort Collins.