150 years ago…1876. Alexander Graham Bell patented the telephone. The Transcontinental Express zoomed from New York City to San Francisco along the First Transcontinental Railroad in just under 84 hours. Custer had his “last stand” at the Little Bighorn. The Chicago Cubs won their first-ever National League game in a shutout against Louisville.
And Colorado became the 38th state – an event we will be celebrating all year long as we honor our state’s sesquicentennial in 2026.
Also, this year is the United States Semiquincentennial. (Be honest…how many of you actually knew that word?) The Semiquincentennial marks 250 years since the Declaration of Independence set this nation on a distinctive path of self-government that recognizes individual rights while asserting that a government can justly wield power only if individuals – the governed – provide their consent.
But how best does a pluralistic society – how best do we – do that? How should we balance rights and power, knowledge and action, and interests that too easily diverge, as they have in the past, as we see today, and as I’m sure will be the case in our future?
Helping to answer those questions is a big reason that land-grant colleges and universities have an important place in the national 250th celebration. For Colorado State University, that role is even more pronounced as we prepare for our state’s sesquicentennial celebration. By design, CSU and the State of Colorado have been partners from the beginning, together focused on unlocking human potential and on discovering, applying, and sharing knowledge.
CSU was founded in 1870 – six years before Colorado became a state – as a public land-grant institution, created to ensure higher education, research, and practical knowledge served the public good. The CSU System, as an administrative coordinating body, is younger than its flagship campus, founded just 40 years ago to further elevate this land-grant mission and meet the needs of new groups of students and of different communities. Today, the System encompasses the flagship in Fort Collins as well as CSU Pueblo and CSU Global. Each of our campuses has a distinct role to play in serving our state and preparing students as leaders, citizens, and problem solvers.
Our flagship campus in Fort Collins, led by President (and proud alumna) Amy Parsons, today boasts world-leading programs in veterinary and translational medicine, environmental and climate research, and agricultural sciences – along with more than a century of prominence in water research and increasingly important work in lasers, alternative energy, global business, communications, and more. From its earliest years, CSU helped shape how Colorado grew and thrived, with early leadership in agriculture, irrigation, and animal health that supported the state’s emerging economy and communities. CSU educates students to be workforce-ready and civically engaged, combining rigorous academics with hands-on and applied research, internships, service learning, and community partnerships. Today, CSU has more than 140,000 living alumni in Colorado alone, contributing to and strengthening the state’s economy and civic life.
But as a land-grant university, CSU Fort Collins reaches far beyond its main campus. President Parsons and her team spearhead leadership of CSU Spur – our hands-on educational destination for all ages at the National Western Center in Denver. CSU Extension represents one of the most enduring expressions of the land-grant mission, translating university research into practical solutions in every county across Colorado. Through Extension and 4-H, CSU supports farmers and ranchers, families, youth, and local leaders, especially during times of change such as drought, wildfires, floods, and public health emergencies.
Our CSU Pueblo campus, where Dr. Rhonda Epper was recently named the next president, is one of only 33 campuses in the country that has been recognized through the Carnegie classification system as both a Research College and University – with a research agenda focused on application and real-world innovation – and an Opportunity College that drives social mobility and closes equity gaps. The student body at CSU Pueblo today is 54% diverse, 38% first generation, and 86% Colorado residents. The campus is federally designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution and a Minority Serving Institution, and is focused on delivering economically important educational opportunities across Southern Colorado.
And CSU Global, as the nation’s first 100% online, fully accredited, nonprofit public university, is intensely focused on helping students advance their skills while also helping industries and partners identify and address workforce talent gaps. Longtime campus leader Audra Spicer is now CSU Global’s acting president and has continued this commitment for students who seek a virtual model that works around life, work and family.
Across Colorado’s 150 years of statehood, CSU has been a consistent partner in innovation, education, natural resource stewardship, community resilience, and economic development. As we celebrate both 150 of Colorado and 250 years of American progress this year, it’s a time to remember that CSU’s work reflects the enduring value of public higher education in expanding opportunity, advancing knowledge, and strengthening democracy. CSU’s history positions the university not only as a reflection of the past, but as a builder of the next chapter for Colorado and the United States through applied research that solves real problems, meaningful civic engagement, and educating and readying our graduates to create their own impact.
– tony
Tony Frank, Chancellor
CSU System
This message was included in Chancellor Frank’s January 2026 newsletter. Subscribe to the Chancellor’s monthly letter.