CSU Spur’s virtual programs connect students across Colorado with the CSU Spur campus in Denver. No matter where your classroom is located, students can explore the worlds of food, water, and animal and human health without leaving their seats. Through interactive virtual field trips, livestreams, and pre-recorded videos, students engage directly with scientists, researchers, veterinary experts, and CSU faculty. Bring real-world STEM learning to the classroom, no matter where you are in Colorado!
CSU Spur virtual programs are FREE and accessible to education groups of 15 or more students. Information on our programs can be found below. Reach out to [email protected] with questions.
Virtual field trips | Surgery livestream | Behind-the-scenes | Wiz Kid
IN PERSON PROGRAMMING
If you’re interested in bringing a school or group to the CSU Spur campus or utilizing the virtual reality classroom on-site, visit the school programs page.
Virtual field trips
Bring Spur’s on-site experiences directly into your classroom with a virtual field trip! On your scheduled date, a CSU Spur educator will connect live with your class via Zoom to lead an interactive program, giving students the opportunity to engage in real-world science wherever they are. Virtual programs run approximately 45 minutes in length.
Dig into the science beneath your feet! In this interactive program, students collect and analyze soil samples from their local environment to investigate soil composition and learn what it reveals about the surrounding ecosystem. Using scientific tools such as a soil texture triangle and a dichotomous key, students identify soil characteristics and draw conclusions about land use and environmental conditions.
Materials: Lab kits will be mailed to schools prior to programming.
Water plays a role in nearly everything we do. In this program, students explore their daily water use by building meals and investigating the water required to produce different foods. They’ll consider how everyday choices affect the environment.
Materials: Activity materials will be emailed after registration. Please print and cut out the materials before your scheduled program.
Meeth the South Platte River’s tiny superheroes! Guided by a CSU Spur educator, students investigate aquatic macroinvertebrates and use their observations to evaluate the health of a river ecosystem. Students discover how these organisms serve as important indicators of water quality.
Materials: Activity materials will be emailed after registration. Please print out the materials before your scheduled programming.
Please note: After you submit your registration request, you will receive a confirmation email with your program details, Zoom link, and program-specific materials. Your program is not booked until you receive a confirmation email.
Livestreams
Experience LIVE surgery with Humane Colorado! Our CSU Spur Veterinary Surgery Livestream broadcasts soft tissue and dental procedures directly from the Humane Colorado Veterinary Hospital, with live narration from a CSU Spur educator.
An accompanying activity guide is included to extend learning before and after the program.
Disclaimer: Humane Colorado at CSU Spur operates as an urgent care center. Because of this, specific surgeries are not guaranteed for each broadcast. Soft tissue surgeries and dental procedures will contain blood.
Behind-the-scenes
In this pre-recorded 30-minute video, watch our skilled team at Humane Colorado perform a spay procedure while sharing their personal stories and career paths in veterinary care. It’s an up-close, educational look at the work that helps keep our pets safe and our communities healthier.
This video is free to access and viewable on all devices and is intended to be facilitated by a classroom teacher.
Disclaimer: This video showcases surgery through Humane Colorado and will contain blood.
Meet Wiz Kid!
Join CSU’s perpetually curious educational host as she showcases the wonders of science alongside researchers from CSU Spur, the main CSU campus in Fort Collins, and partners from across the state. Watch videos and complete activities to learn more about the world around us!
Interested in more virtual programming?
Check out these CSU Spur and partner programs!
KAREN SCHLATTER
Director, Colorado Water Center
Karen Schlatter was appointed director of the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University in 2025, after joining the Center as associate director in 2023. Schlatter brings academic, nonprofit, and public sector experience in managing complex water challenges with a deep commitment to building partnerships and the ability to engage in conversations across Colorado’s water community. She joined CSU from the University of Florida Water Institute where her work included facilitating multi-stakeholder/academic teams to achieve shared goals around water management through collaborative, interdisciplinary research. Prior to her role at UF, she served as associate director of the Colorado River Delta Program at the Sonoran Institute, where she focused on building cross-sector and international partnerships to support large-scale ecological restoration, effective binational water management, and community engagement in the Colorado River Delta region. Schlatter earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from McGill University and a Master of Science in environmental studies from the University of Colorado Boulder. She served as an agricultural extension volunteer in the Peace Corps in Paraguay.
TOM VILSACK
Chief Executive Officer, World Food Prize Foundation
Effective March 1, 2025, Thomas J. Vilsack, former United States Secretary of Agriculture and Governor of Iowa, will become the first Chief Executive Officer for the World Food Prize Foundation. In this new role, Governor Vilsack will focus on expanding the Foundation’s global network, and will further position the Foundation as a leader in addressing global food and nutrition insecurity, continuing his lifetime of public service.
In 1998, he became the first Democrat to be elected as the Governor of Iowa in more than 30 years. During his two terms as Governor, he created an $800 million, 10-year economic development incentive program—the Iowa Values Fund. His administration worked with schools, medical providers, businesses, faith-based organizations and other entities to expand healthcare coverage to more than 90,000 previously uninsured children.
He became the 30th and 32nd United States Secretary of Agriculture, from 2008-2017 and 2021-2025, respectively. Only five people in U.S. history have served in the Cabinet longer, and during his tenures, the United States Department of Agriculture set records for U.S. agricultural exports and provided food assistance to millions of Americans. He helped expand food and nutrition access through summer feeding programs for children and additional support for fruit and vegetable purchases through the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program. As Secretary, he worked to develop new and superior markets for small and mid-sized farms, allowing those operations to remain viable and in turn, strengthening and growing rural communities.
Governor Vilsack has long been connected to the World Food Prize Foundation, having served on both the Council of Advisors and the Board of Directors. His insights and acumen were vital in shaping our mission and initiatives. His leadership and experience will be instrumental in expanding the Foundation’s international reach and continuing the mission of elevating innovations and inspiring action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity and availability of food for all.
Celebrate the Fourth of July at Spur!
CSU Spur is hosting its first Fourth of July party! Join us at 5:30 p.m. on July 4 for a live DJ, local barbecue, activities for kids, and a view of celebrations across the city from the Terra rooftop.
Tickets are $5.
We’ll see you Saturday!
2nd Saturday at CSU Spur is 10 a.m.-2 p.m. this Saturday (Sept. 12), and this month, the theme is Made in Colorado. Join us to paint your own Colorado flag, match different Colorado livestock to the food they eat, meet community partners, and discover how Coloradans are shaping the future through creativity, research, and innovation.