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The ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï held its spring commencement ceremonies Friday, May 6 and Saturday, May 7. Approximately 1,445 students graduated this spring with around 1,065 earning a bachelor's degree and around 380 earning a master's specialist or doctoral degree.

The ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï (ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï) is thrilled to announce the selection of Dr. Beth Longenecker as the Founding Dean of the university’s College of Osteopathic Medicine (ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï-COM). Longenecker, who was hired after the university launched a national search in December, will start her position in June.

A group of ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï students reviewed their COVID-19 experience and showcased it through art creating pieces for University Libraries' Reflecting Back, Looking Forward student exhibition.

After a nationwide search launched last October, the ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï has selected Kirsten Fleming, Ph.D., as the university’s new executive vice president and provost. She begins her position in mid-May.

As part of continued work toward becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), the ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï’s HSI working group is launching a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and HSI inventory survey next week.

The ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï’s Finance and Audit Committee and Board of Trustees met last week to discuss several topics and updates.

The United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (USASBE) named ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï’s Monfort College of Business Dean, Sher Gibbs, Ph.D., a Justin G. Longenecker Fellow. Gibbs is one of four recipients this year nationwide.

Since graduating from ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï, Neyla Pekarek '09, has lived on a stage. For eight years she traveled across the world performing in front of massive crowds as a member of the highly successful folk-rock band, The Lumineers. Now she's entering a new stage in her career debuting the world premiere of her new musical Rattlesnake Kate at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts.

On Dec. 21, Gov. Jared Polis announced the appointment of ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï alumna Annette Martinez to ÿÈÕ´ó¹Ï’s Board of Trustees. Her four-year term is pending confirmation by the Colorado General Assembly.

The past year has been a cautious reemergence into a world still churning from the effects of a pandemic. Despite the uncertainty and changes of living with COVID-19, our university community continued to rise to the challenge in 2021, including successfully navigating a full return to in-person learning and events this past fall.