Mordecai Brownlee named CSU vice president for Denver metro engagement and executive director of CSU Spur
Colorado State University President Amy Parsons has selected Mordecai Brownlee to be the next vice president for Denver metro engagement and executive director of CSU Spur, beginning Jan. 1. Brownlee joins CSU from the Community College of Aurora, where he has served as president since 2021.
A campus full of new connections: 4 ways CSU Spur made an impact in 2025-2026
Think of the Colorado State University Spur campus as a web of people and programs that may seem different at first glance but are united by a larger mission centered on the themes of food, water, and health. Here’s a closer look at four ways CSU Spur and its unexpected connections made an impact in Colorado and beyond during the 2025-2026 fiscal year.
CSU Climate Hub at Spur launches new podcast
The CSU Climate Hub at Spur is leading the way in connecting world-class researchers with the policymakers and industrial leaders who can turn their science into impact, and now it’s highlighting their work – as well as innovation happening in the wider climate and research community – in a new podcast: Green and Bold.
From sustainable AI and fertilizer to forest health, here are 3 pieces of CSU research that will be featured at the NSS conference
More than 400 sustainability professionals from around the world will converge at CSU Spur for three days of discussions surrounding solutions to society’s most pressing problems. Two dozen researchers associated with CSU are slated to give presentations on topics ranging from AI to change management to wildfires.
Here are 150 ways CSU has made Colorado (and the world) a better place since 1876
In honor of the state’s 150th birthday, here are 150 ways Colorado State has bolstered the economy, set students up for success, fed the world, and so much more. Just let us know if you’d like additional examples – we have a lot more where this came from!
From drone licenses to cave paintings, here are 13 numbers that tell the story of CSU Spur’s 2026 summer camps
In all, 1,147 campers between the ages of 5 and 18 will participate in Spur camps by the end of August. Here are more numbers (and photos) that reflect the fun and learning that brought the energy to Denver’s National Western Center during 11 magical weeks in the summer of 2026.
CSU Spur’s Wiz Kid wins Heartland Emmy for children’s programming
Wiz Kid is always learning something new, and she acquired an extra-special piece of knowledge the evening of July 18: she’s officially a Heartland Emmy winner! The Wiz Kid series, produced by several members of Colorado State University’s Marketing and Communications team and featuring CSU Spur experts, was recognized as the top piece of children’s programming in the region.
Garden not growing? This lab at CSU Spur might be able to help
The Soil, Water and Plant Testing Laboratory on the third floor of the Terra building takes samples from gardeners, farmers, government agencies and researchers, analyzes them and then provides recommendations to improve crop growth. Soil tests run $45 each, and plant diagnostics cost $35.
This $5 Fourth of July event at CSU Spur combines barbecue with epic rooftop views of fireworks
CSU Spur is opening its doors for a special celebration from 5:30-9 p.m. on Saturday, July 4. For $5, attendees have access to a barbecue in the Hydro backyard, a drink ticket and cash bar, a live outdoor DJ set, crafts and lawn games, and the Terra rooftop for a perfect view of the fireworks lighting up the city.
CSU Spur’s Family Resilience Center helps Denver youth heal from trauma
The Family Resilience Center at CSU Spur has received a $283,000 grant from the Caring for Denver Foundation to expand its work helping Denver youth and families overcome trauma. The grant will allow the center to hire a bilingual clinician to work directly with youth in the predominantly Hispanic Globeville-Elyria-Swansea neighborhood surrounding Spur, joining two other full-time clinicians.
