Boulder & Community

A Century of Chautauqua in Boulder

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:52:12 +0000

A Century of Chautauqua in Boulder Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:52

Christie Sounart

The Chautauqua movement began in the late 1800s as an experimental approach to adult education, combining literature, music, science, international affairs and social issues in one setting. Founded in 1874 on Chautauqua Lake in western New York, its retreat-style blend of learning, entertainment and open dialogue quickly inspired similar programs across America — including Boulder.

In 1898, to attract Texans seeking relief from the summer heat, Boulder city leaders partnered with the Gulf, Colorado & Santa Fe Railway and Texas educators to establish a Chautauqua retreat at the foot of the Flatirons. Attendees originally stayed in tents, but cottages began to be built the following year. The final cottages, many of which are still in use today, were completed by the mid-20th century.

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Photo courtesy Carnegie Library for Local History/Museum of Boulder Collection

The Chautauqua movement brought a unique blend of education, culture and community to Boulder in 1898, creating a historic retreat that still thrives today.

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Alumni Association News

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:11:20 +0000

Alumni Association News Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:11

This April, 145 Forever Buffs attended Alumni Weekend, a three-day event that included lunch at The Sink, a hike at Chautauqua, a tour of the university’s Media Archeology Lab and dinner in downtown Boulder. Current students attended several events to share about their 91�Թ�� experiences.

“Sko Forever Buffs! What a fun and fabulous weekend with local and out-of-town alums,” said Phil Caragol (Comm’75) on social media. “Let’s do it again in 2026!”

The Alumni Association also hosted a special recognition ceremony for the classes of 2020, 2015, 1985 and 1975.

Next year, Alumni Weekend will include the Alumni Awards Ceremony, which previously took place during Homecoming Weekend. The annual ceremony is the second-longest-running tradition on campus and celebrates the outstanding achievements of CU Buffs. The 2025 award winners will be announced this fall.

Visit the Alumni Association website for more information.

Celebrate at Away Games

Buffs Bashes are the ultimate away-game tailgates, uniting hundreds of CU football fans. Hosted by the Office of the President, Office of the Chancellor, Advancement and CU Athletics, these events feature the CU Spirit Squad and concession-style food and drinks. Buffs Bashes occur before every away game near the opponent’s stadium. The events are free, but registration is required.

Learn more about the Buffs Bashes.

Mentorship Opportunities

Grow your professional skills and make a lasting impact on fellow Buffs through the Forever Buffs Network Mentorship Program. Access free mentoring or sign up to mentor alumni and students. The program runs from October through May, with options to meet online or in person. Participants receive training and invitations to program events.

You can also mentor incoming 91�Թ�� students through the Alumni Guide Program to help ease their transition to college. The program supports two calls with an incoming student: one before classes begin and one six weeks into the semester. The first six weeks of college are a critical time, and mentorship helps lend your best support and advice.

Find out more about the mentorship programs.

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Photo by Paul Wedlake

2026 Roaming Buffs Trips

The Panama Canal, Pearl Islands and Darién Jungle

Jan. 9–16, 2026

Antarctica Discovery

Jan. 9–20, 2026

Treasures of Peru

Jan. 26–Feb. 5, 2026

Patagonia Explorer

Feb. 7–20, 2026

Journey to Southern Africa

Feb. 17–March 3, 2026

For more information about these trips, visit the Roaming Buffs webpage.

The Alumni Awards Ceremony moves to Alumni Weekend.

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Love Rekindled at CU's Homecoming

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:10:33 +0000

Love Rekindled at CU's Homecoming Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:10

April Driver

For most Buffs, Homecoming is a celebration of friendship, college memories and campus life. But for Laura Williams (A&S ex’87) and Randy Royther (Econ’88), 91�Թ��’s Homecoming sparked something special — a rekindled love story.

It all began in the fall of 1984. Williams, part of the Delta Gamma sorority, met Royther at a college party.

“He flung open the door and said, ‘Hello, I’m home,’” Williams recalled with a laugh. “I thought, ‘Who is that? I’m interested.’”

The spark was instant. They dated throughout their sophomore year until things got too serious for then-20-year-old Royther.

“When she mentioned marriage potential, I panicked and broke it off,” he said.

Heartbroken, Williams transferred to San Diego State, leaving Boulder and Royther behind.

They lost touch for over 30 years. At Homecoming in 2017, Royther and Williams ran into each other at a tailgate party.

“All of a sudden, someone says, ‘Randy Royther, are you really going to walk by and not say hello?’” Royther recalled.

It was Williams. The couple still had friends in common and spent the weekend with their old college crew. At that time, both were still married. But in 2019, the couple attended Homecoming again. One was widowed, and the other was divorcing. This time, their reunion developed into more than just friendship.

“We looked at each other and said, ‘Should we try this again?’” Williams said.

They’ve been together since and got engaged this past March.

They live on separate coasts, with Royther residing in Pennsylvania and Williams living in California. The couple frequently makes trips to visit each other.

“We already have plans for Homecoming this year,” Williams said. “It’s where we fell in love — twice.”

Plan your visit for Homecoming 2025, Oct. 30–Nov. 1, and see how your Buffs story unfolds.

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Photos courtesy Randy Royther and Laura Williams

Two former college sweethearts reunite at a 91�Թ�� homecoming event, sparking a second chance at love decades after their first.

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CU's Big 12 Neighbors

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:09:37 +0000

CU's Big 12 Neighbors Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:09

The Buffs are back in the Big 12 — and it's a whole new ballgame! From mountain showdowns to desert duels and heartland rivalries, CU’s return to the conference brings bold energy and fresh matchups across four time zones.

This colorful, mascot-packed map is your ultimate guide to CU’s new Big 12 neighbors. Download the PDF (it looks great on tabloid-size 11" x 17" or letter-size 8.5" x 11" paper), hang it on your wall or office bulletin board and get ready to cheer the Buffs on as they take the conference by storm!

Download and Print Infographic

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Illustration by Peter Arkle

Fun facts about the Big 12 schools.

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Colorado Firefly Field Guide

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 20:03:02 +0000

Colorado Firefly Field Guide Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 14:03

Kelsey Yandura

“Magic is just science we don’t understand yet,” science fiction author Arthur Clarke famously penned in the 1960s. If that’s true, 91�Թ�� computer science researchers have been busy studying the fairy tale of fireflies in Colorado.

The work looks romantic, but it’s no picnic: In twilight vistas across the state, doctoral student Owen Martin (PhDCompSci’25) and associate professor Orit Peleg tow cameras and computers to document firefly populations and decode their flash patterns. It’s all part of a longstanding effort to understand firefly communication.

When the scientists discuss their work, locals are often surprised.

“A lot of people here come from places like the Midwest, where they’ve seen fireflies,” Martin told 91�Թ�� Today in July 2024. “But they don’t know about them in their own backyards.”

That’s why he’s eager to raise what he calls “firefly literacy” in the state.

Fireflies have quietly flickered in Colorado for centuries, though the first formal documentation came in 2016, when naturalist Tristan Darwin Kubik identified a population near Fort Collins. Genetic testing suggested they may represent a previously undocumented species, potentially dubbed Photuris coloradensis.

In 2018, Martin and Peleg began tracking fireflies, which have been documented in at least 19 counties, including near Fort Collins, Loveland, Greeley, Pueblo, Mofat, Divide, Durango and Carbondale.

Why are sightings so rare? Studies show fireflies prefer swampy environments — wetlands, meadows and areas near streams and ponds. Their patchy distribution and brief annual activity window leave many residents unaware of their presence.

As magical as these discoveries are, scientists warn they could be short-lived. Habitat loss, wetland drainage, livestock grazing, urban development and light pollution all pose serious threats.

“They are very special. We have a lot to learn from them, but also, they are under threat from environmental issues,” Peleg told 91�Թ�� Today.

Residents can help to protect these luminescent creatures by assisting with flash data collection, supporting habitat restoration, staying on marked trails and turning of outdoor lights from June to August, especially near wetlands.

“Biodiversity is magical,” Martin added. “And if we don’t alert the right people that these cool fireflies, that are really rare, are in this habitat, we’ll lose them forever. And then you lose the kind of wonder and magic they bring to you.”

To spot them, keep your eyes peeled from mid-to-late June through mid-July, usually after 9 p.m. in swampy or wetland areas.

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Illustration by Sunnu Rebecca Choi

91�Թ�� researchers are uncovering the story of Colorado’s rare fireflies.

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Sundance Film Festival Finds a New Home in Boulder

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:55:04 +0000

Sundance Film Festival Finds a New Home in Boulder Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 13:55

Julia MacLean

The Sundance Institute’s first festival began in Utah in 1985. Now, 40 years later, the iconic film fest has set its sights on the Flatirons.

According to the nonprofit’s March announcement, the Sundance Institute’s board of trustees was drawn to Boulder’s small-town charm, engaged community, art focus and natural scenery.

“This move will ensure that the festival continues its work of risk-taking, supporting innovative storytellers, fostering independence and entertaining and enlightening audiences,” said Robert Redford (A&S ex’58; HonDocHum’87), Sundance Institute president and founder. “I am grateful to the Boulder community for its support, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for the festival there.”

Redford started the institute in 1981 as a way to support independent filmmakers and storytellers.

Once in Boulder, the majority of the festival will be held on and around the Pearl Street Mall. 91�Թ�� will offer support and additional venue space.

The event will offer students — particularly those enrolled in the university’s Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts program — direct exposure to prominent filmmakers and actors.

During Sundance’s 2024 run, its economic impact was vast. Over 24,000 festival visitors attended from out of state, generating over 1,700 jobs for Utah residents and producing $132 million in economic activity for the state, according to the festival’s economic impact report.

Now, Colorado will reap the benefits.

In an interview with 91�Թ�� Today, Chancellor Justin Schwartz added to the hype: “We are excited for tens of thousands of festival guests to experience what we already know: Boulder is an incredible place to immerse yourself in the arts, culture, nature and history that make life worth living.”

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Photo courtesy Don Kohlbauer for Boulder Reporting Lab

In 2027 the Sundance Film Festival will relocate to Boulder.

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Editor's Note: Summer 2025

Anna Tolette — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 19:52:50 +0000

Editor's Note: Summer 2025 Anna Tolette Mon, 07/07/2025 - 13:52

Maria Kuntz

The steady rain poured as my friend and I splashed through puddles into Folsom Field. We were two of the 45,000 runners at the Bolder Boulder, the largest 10K race in the U.S. Despite the weather, Boulder’s signature spirit shone: Bands, bacon and cheering neighbors lined the route. It was pure local magic.

91�Թ�� embodies that same magic — it’s a mix of bold people, a legendary setting and cutting-edge research and creativity. As Chancellor Schwartz and Professor Surden remind us in this issue, Boulder must be experienced to be understood.

Read stories here that capture CU’s distinctive energy: physicists, astronauts, philosophers and TV anchors. Plus, the legacy of Mary Rippon, the intricate mathematics underlying animal patterns, a passion for fresh food and the arrival of Sundance.

I hope these stories reconnect you to 91�Թ��’s ambition, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit — the driving forces behind its bold, innovative heart.

Maria Kuntz

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The people who make the university, and Boulder, special.

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Pike on a Bike, The White Line and the Fight for Pedestrian Safety

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:35:30 +0000

Pike on a Bike, The White Line and the Fight for Pedestrian Safety Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:35

On July 29, 2023, a reckless driver hit and killed 17-year-old Magnus White, a U.S. National Team Cyclist, on the Diagonal Highway outside of Boulder. To raise awareness of thousands of pedestrians and cyclists killed annually by drivers, White’s parents, Michael (EnvDes’00) and Jill White (Mktg’99; MOrgMgmt’23), created a nonprofit called The White Line.

In November 2024, the Pi Kappa Alpha (ΠKA) fraternity — known as ”Pike” — held a fundraiser on 91�Թ��’s campus for The White Line and to honor Magnus White, who was a friend of several of the fraternity members. For six days, Pike members traded shifts riding outside on a stationary bike, even through a snowstorm. They rode near a memorial of more than 8,400 candles that represented each pedestrian or cyclist killed by a driver in 2023.

“Looking out at the 8,423 candles was a true reminder of how valuable every single moment was,” said Graydon Abel (Fin’27), who helped create the fundraiser with his brother Gavin (Fin’27) and their fraternity brother Sebastian Edwards (Econ’27). “Change is needed, and we hope this effort makes a difference.”

Start:

Nov. 2, 5:05 p.m.

Finish:

Nov. 8, 12:28 p.m.*

(*12:28 p.m. was the exact time Magnus White was struck in 2023.)

$51,007

Money raised

2,100

Miles ridden, the equivalent of biking from Boulder to Miami, New York City or Mexico City.

8,423

Total minutes, representing the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed by drivers in 2023.

Degrees: Coldest temperature during the fundraiser.

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After a driver killed Magnus White while he was riding his bike, his parents founded The White Line to raise awareness about pedestrian and cycling safety. Last fall, the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity held a fundraiser for the nonprofit.

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A Century of CU Spirit from CU Twin Peggy Coppom

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:33:00 +0000

A Century of CU Spirit from CU Twin Peggy Coppom Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:33

Maria Kuntz

Peggy Coppom in her Boulder home.

When I arrived at Peggy Fitzgerald Coppom’s (A&S ex’46) home, I was immediately greeted by Eddie Olivari (MPubAd’78), a friend who drives her to and from church daily. He explained that her phone interview with The Today Show was running a little long, but he invited me in, offered me a Coke and showed me the ins and outs of her 1940s pink-and-chrome Frigidaire electric stove.

Peggy is perhaps the most unlikely of modern-day superfans. She doesn’t wear face paint and costumes or seek the attention of cameras and Instagram. When Peggy and her identical twin, Betty Fitzgerald Hoover (A&S ex’46), who died in 2020, began cheering on the Buffs in the 1940s, they were just out to have a good time.

“Growing up on Colorado’s eastern plains, moving to Boulder for high school equated to the big city. At the time, high school games and city dances were the common ways to socialize,” said Peggy.

The twins met their future husbands at Longmont High School, where their love of football and basketball took root.

“We liked basketball and football because that’s what we had in high school. We didn’t have anything else,” Peggy said. “And then we said, well, let’s go. We better go.”

When they enrolled at 91�Թ��, they found a new love: CU athletics. In addition to football and basketball, Peggy and Betty started following more sports, including volleyball and tennis.

For some years, raising children took them away from their beloved stands. But that break was short-lived.

“Well, Betty and I used to say — and I still do — we pray and play,” she said. “Prayer is first. Play is second.”

Peggy recounted, “My older son Jack (PE’67) played baseball at 91�Թ�� and was an All Big Eight Player his junior year. So we went to all the baseball games in those days.”

In time, the sisters began faithfully attending football and basketball, volleyball, soccer, tennis, baseball, lacrosse and track, and they became a staple in the bleachers — easily spotted in their custom athletic gold sweatshirts.

Pray and Play

While Peggy is most famous for her Buffalo fandom, there are two constants in her life: church and CU athletics. Raised Catholic, Peggy started attending daily mass in the 1950s.

“Well, Betty and I used to say — and I still do — we pray and play,” she said. “Prayer is first. Play is second.”

Peggy and Betty were known to pray for CU Buffs players, and the list is always growing. Even if Peggy forgets someone’s name, she puts them on the list because “He knows who they are,” she said, pointing upward. Prayer anchors Peggy, and she places it first because it helps her “have good faith, keep a positive attitude and be happy.”

Peggy represents more than CU fandom — she embodies goodness and loyalty. During our visit, I asked her friend Mike Richardson — who is from Estes Park, Colorado, and stopped by with a black-and-gold holiday wreath for Peggy — how they met.

“I was just drawn to her,” he said. “When my kids were little, I’d see the twins at all of the games, and so I finally went up and introduced myself and my kids.”

In November, a packed Folsom Field sang “Happy Birthday” to Peggy on her 100th birthday.

“I just stood there and cried because that’s the way it made me feel — very, very humble,” she said. “I don’t feel like I’ve done anything except be a good fan to CU. [Betty and I] went to so many sporting things. I can’t deny that we have been good fans. We have been.”

But don’t think for a minute that she lacks fire.

When we talked about winning and losing, she said: “If no one wanted the other team to win, it wouldn’t be any fun. It’s a big competition. When the opposing team’s fans come to the game and cheer loudly, those are the games that we get excited about.”

Peggy Gets Her Bowl

“Be loyal. No matter if they win or lose in the end, it’ll make you feel better to be loyal to your school because everyone can’t be a winner every time. And sometimes your loyalty is more important when you lose than when you win.”

The “CU Twins” and their famed school spirit were legendary in Boulder before Coach Prime’s arrival, but Peggy credits him with making her internationally famous.

Reflecting on the press conferences, interviews, photo ops and her own name, image and likeness (NIL) deal, she said, “I was thinking the other day, ‘You know, God, I wonder if your part in this was to help me not miss Betty so much. You’re giving me all these things to do now.’” For the past two years, the 91�Թ�� community has filled her life when she needed it most.

When Peggy and I met, the bowl game Coach Prime promised her at the beginning of the season was 17 days away. She would fly first class to Texas for the Dec. 28 Alamo Bowl.

Her advice to other CU fans: “Be loyal. No matter if they win or lose in the end, it’ll make you feel better to be loyal to your school because everyone can’t be a winner every time. And sometimes your loyalty is more important when you lose than when you win.”

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Photo by Glenn Asakawa

Peggy Coppom, a lifelong supporter of CU athletics, celebrated her 100th birthday and reflected on her loyalty to the Buffs.

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A CU Education Partnership Is Inspiring the Next Generation of Climate Advocates

Anna Tolette — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:18:16 +0000

A CU Education Partnership Is Inspiring the Next Generation of Climate Advocates Anna Tolette Mon, 03/10/2025 - 14:18

Hannah Fletcher

On a fall day, elementary education majors in Melissa Braaten’s class are busy — busy as beavers, one might say — building mock beaver dams out of water and natural materials in small bins. During this exercise, budding teachers role-play teaching young learners in their future classrooms, asking questions and analyzing beavers’ role in ecosystems.

The climate science lesson is modeled after one that Braaten’s community partners teach at Heatherwood Elementary in Boulder County as part of Classrooms for Climate Action (C4CA). In this particular lesson, student scientists (lovingly referred to as “beaver believers”) study real beaver habitats in the local waterway, where the dams create wetlands habitats for other species and maintain lush surroundings important for the increasingly drier state of Colorado.

Launched by retired fifth-grade teacher Tiffany Boyd (MEdu’92), C4CA brings together retired and practicing teachers, community members, local climate change experts and youth to work together toward climate solutions.

In C4CA, kindergarten through high school students learn about environmental justice issues and play an active role in climate solutions — from sharing flood-mitigation ideas with city council to working with open space officials to address fire risks.

Braaten, an associate professor of STEM education and associate dean for undergraduate and teacher education in 91�Թ��’s School of Education, is a research partner for C4CA and documents how science teaching is powerful when it’s relevant to students’ lives and civic action.

With Braaten as the connector, C4CA educators visit her elementary education classes to share real-world examples and create C4CA’s own “ecosystem” of current and future teachers working together to support young people’s scientific inquiry and leadership in climate solutions.

“A central ingredient for C4CA’s success is that it takes everyone working together to make a change,” Braaten said. “Teachers credit its partner mentorship with inspiring and sustaining their efforts to help children be civic actors working for environmental justice — not only as future adults, but in the immediate present as vital members of our community.”

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Photo by Kristen Boyer/Boulder Valley School District

Classrooms for Climate Action connects future teachers, students and community partners to engage young learners in climate science.

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