Facilitating Student Success
Expand our scholarship programs and wrap-around services so that all students can achieve their American Dream without hindrance due to background, income level or other barriers to success.
Roadrunners Rise
We are committed to supporting all Roadrunners as they rise, and we invite you to join us as we follow their journeys.
With over 105,000 Roadrunner alumni, the MSU Denver story is hardly unique. But the roads that our students travel en route to crossing the commencement stage are special and impactful.
Roadrunners Rise is MSU Denver’s first-ever comprehensive fundraising campaign that shares these stories as a way to ensure all future Roadrunners have unhindered access to remarkable futures. We invite you to learn more about MSU Denver and our funding priorities through the stories of our incredible students, alumni, faculty and staff. Together, we can make sure that all Roadrunners Rise!
Rising Priorities
Ensuring that all Roadrunners Rise requires thoughtful investment in university priorities and programs that work
Cultivating Inclusive Excellence
Accelerate the number of Colorado’s historically marginalized students who stay in school and graduate by investing in programs to diversify faculty and mentoring and increase access to learning opportunities.
Creating Classroom to Career Pathways
Provide solutions to Colorado’s pressing workforce challenges and to students’ access to opportunities by scaling our innovative model for industry partnerships, community engagement and lifelong career success.
Addressing Colorado's Talent Pipeline
Increase the number of skilled, prepared students in areas most needed by Colorado’s industries by expanding and improving learning environments, supporting endowed positions and investing in innovative programs.
Friday, Sept. 15, 2017, Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, Colo. USA vs. New Zealand Photos by Jessica Taves
How Roadrunners Rise
It takes a community
The vision to ensure all Roadrunners rise demands the efforts and support of many. From excellent faculty to dedicated staff and engaged alumni, MSU Denver is a community that invites the participation and support of everyone.
Paramount to these efforts is the investment of the incredible community of Roadrunner supporters. Philanthropic support of our students and the university’s greatest priorities is what allows us to help all Roadrunners rise.
They call a flock of Roadrunners a marathon. The road is often hard, zig-zaggy and long – but as Roadrunners we are not alone. Together, we are Roadrunners Rising. Together, We Are MSU Denver.
Introducing Rising Scholars
They call a flock of Roadrunners a marathon. The road is often hard, zig-zaggy and long – but as Roadrunners we are not alone. Together, we are Roadrunners Rising. Together, We Are MSU Denver.
Meet our Rising Scholars
Arianna Valdez
First-generation. Latina. Student-athlete. Scholarship recipient. Integrative Health Care major. Roadrunner.
Meet Arianna
Leon Duran
Father. Sailor. Business owner. Mentor. Entrepreneur. 2015 Criminal Justice graduate. Current online MBA student. Roadrunner.
Meet Leon
Damarley Liange
International student. First-generation. Scholarship recipient. Student Employee. Extrovert. Roadrunner.
Meet Damarley
Ashley Hernandez
Latina. First-generation. Roadrunner Promise recipient. Hard-worker. Roadrunner.
Meet Ashley
Derek Brekken
Aspiring lawyer. 2021 Public Relations graduate. Podcaster. Story-teller. Proud alumni. Roadrunner.
Meet Derek
Hakeem Khaleel
Aspiring pilot. Student leader. Scholarship Recipient. Aviation Enthusiast. Roadrunner.
Making an Impact Through Giving
MSU Denver celebrates breaking ground on new Health Institute simulation lab
Nurses are in short supply in Colorado and MSU Denver’s facilities are limited. That’s why the University has received $10 million to assist in funding for health care sim labs to build a state-of-the-art facility, paving the way for a one-third increase in students and graduates in health care programs. Private donors are also necessary to complete the project. Read More.
The gift of representation
MSU Denver alumnus Russell Noles understands firsthand the impact of representation in the classroom. When Noles was a student at George Washington High School in Denver, Colorado, his mother suggested he consider going into accounting. Initially unsure, he says everything changed when three Black accountants were guest speakers in one of his classes. Read More.
The key to good health? Representation
Attorney and activist Dawn Bookhardt, J.D., is dedicated to helping Metropolitan State University of Denver educate a diverse health care workforce in the fields of speech, language and hearing. The chair of the MSU Denver Foundation board of directors recently made a transformational $1 million gift toward the construction of a new 70,000-square-foot health education building that will allow the University to bring its health-related academic programs under one roof. Read More.
Supporting student success
To say Barb Grogan is passionate about Metropolitan State University of Denver is a bit of an understatement. In conversation, her infectious enthusiasm for all things Roadrunner bubbles over, making it impossible not to get swept away in the excitement. From faculty and staff to University leadership, she loves it all – but there’s nothing she loves more than the students. Read More.
Join the Race
Join the over 4,500 Roadrunner donors and make a gift in support of MSU Denver today!
Make a Gift
Ferd and Christy Belz make transformative commitment to Metropolitan State University of Denver Student Success Endowment
During a celebratory donor event on March 9, Metropolitan State University of Denver announced a transformational gift from longtime University supporters Ferd and Christy Belz that will build sustainable funding for the Student Success Endowed Fund.
Read More
