Every gift donated to CU Boulder makes a difference for the campus community鈥攚hether it鈥檚 through support for students, faculty, staff or programs. CU Boulder had the opportunity to honor donors during the annual Chancellor鈥檚 Celebration of Donors on Sept. 28, where hundreds gathered to celebrate the collective impact of their generosity.
A , which premiered at the event, showcases a few ways donor support fuels research and student success at CU Boulder and furthers its mission to positively impact humanity. From research in theoretical physics and developmental biology to academic programs supporting student athletics and leadership development, donors invest in people and programs that shape the future.
2023 Chancellor鈥檚 Celebration of Donors video featuring CU Boulder faculty and staff. Left to right: Stefanie Johnson, Edward Chuong, Eric Cornell and Kris Livingston
Take Eric Cornell, physics professor, JILA fellow and Nobel laureate, whose research is advancing precision measurements focused on understanding the remaining secrets of the electron. Donor support, said Cornell, allows students and researchers to work on the hardest problems in science and technology. 鈥淭his kind of [philanthropic] help to the university makes an enormous difference, and we really appreciate it,鈥� he said.
鈥淲ith (donors鈥�) continued support, we hope to continue making discoveries that will impact our understanding of infectious diseases and cancer鈥攁nd hopefully one day lead to new therapies that can treat some of these diseases,鈥� said Edward Chuong, assistant professor of molecular, cellular and developmental biology, who studies genome biology.
Donor support also supports students, creating much-needed programming or closing financial gaps that allow students to focus on their academic work.
鈥淲hen we have the community giving support financially to the university, then the university gains from that students who have excelled in their programs and can give back to the local community,鈥� said Kris Livingston, executive senior associate athletic director for student success. 鈥淚t makes a complete difference in how far the university can go.鈥澨�
鈥淲e want to be able to attract the very top students from diverse backgrounds across the state of Colorado and across the U.S., and that is really influenced by our ability to fund those students and support them once they get here,鈥� said Stefanie Johnson, director of the Center for Leadership and a Leeds School of Business associate professor. 鈥淚f it weren't for the support of our donors, we wouldn't be able to have a world-class institution (like CU Boulder).鈥澨�
Donors provide life-changing support for the CU Boulder community, such as student scholarships, funding for experiential programming and research, and emergency aid for students experiencing financial hardships. The Office of Advancement and the support this vision by inspiring philanthropy and investing those gifts in the university.
