Giving in Action

Meadowlark Optics invests in CU Boulder's quantum scholars

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:42:22 +0000

Meadowlark Optics invests in CU Boulder's quantum scholars Megan M Rogers Mon, 02/02/2026 - 11:42

College of Arts and Sciences

Local company Meadowlark Optics, founded by alum Tom Baur, is generously supporting $70,000 in new scholarships for CU Boulder undergraduates exploring the quantum field.

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When staff and philanthropy unite: A path to empower future engineers

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 18:38:26 +0000

When staff and philanthropy unite: A path to empower future engineers Megan M Rogers Mon, 02/02/2026 - 11:38

At the Campos Student Center, dedicated staff and visionary donors are transforming students' lives, proving that compassionate leadership and philanthropy can open doors to possibility, purpose and belonging.

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Buckley Center renamed SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education

Megan M Rogers — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 18:24:00 +0000

Buckley Center renamed SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education Megan M Rogers Wed, 01/21/2026 - 11:24

Left to right: Vice �Թ�� for Sustainability Andrew Mayock, alumnus and donor Spike Buckley, and �Թ�� Justin Schwartz at the signing ceremony.

The Buckley Center for Sustainability Education at CU Boulder, launched last summer with a transformative $10 million gift from alumnus Spike Buckley, has been renamed the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education to reflect dynamism and its growing role as a hub for sustainability learning and leadership on campus and beyond.

Established with a $10 million, venture-style investment to accelerate sustainability education at CU Boulder, the center was created to integrate sustainability concepts across courses and disciplines; support faculty innovation in sustainability teaching; and empower students with experiential learning, civic engagement and leadership opportunities. The center serves as an accelerator to expand sustainability curriculum, advance faculty impact and prepare students to address the urgent environmental challenges of our time.

“This support has allowed us to build a dynamic, collaborative space that will help students and faculty bring sustainability into every corner of campus,” said Andrew Mayock, vice chancellor for sustainability at CU Boulder. “Renaming the center honors the vision and continued commitment of John ‘Spike’ Buckley as this work continues to grow.”

With the new name in place, the center is also unveiling updates to its suite of programs, which will now be branded under the SPIKE umbrella to strengthen identity and coherence across initiatives. These include:

SPIKE Faculty Fellows
SPIKE Curriculum Ambassadors
SPIKE Faculty Affiliates
SPIKE Student Emissaries
SPIKE Student Scholars

“Our SPIKE programs are designed to empower learners at every level, from first-year students to advanced scholars, to bring sustainability into their work, communities and careers,” said Max Boykoff, faculty executive director of the SPIKE Center. “By connecting teaching, curriculum and experiential learning through the SPIKE Center to partners in research and practice, we are helping CU Boulder not just respond to the climate crisis, but to transform how education equips people to shape a more just and resilient future.”

The renaming coincides with a phase of strategic expansion for the center as it deepens partnerships across campus units and with community, state, national and international collaborators. The SPIKE Center continues to advance CU Boulder’s leadership in sustainability education by supporting course development, teaching collaborations, and new tools and modules that help integrate sustainability into curricula across academic programs.

CU Boulder’s ongoing focus on sustainability education builds on a strong institutional legacy of environmental leadership, from early achievements like launching the nation’s first campus recycling program, to maintaining a STARS Gold rating for sustainability excellence.

Looking ahead, the Office of the Vice �Թ�� for Sustainability and the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education invite faculty, students, staff and community partners to engage in shaping the next phase of sustainability education, helping to educate the climate leaders of the future and advance solutions for a thriving, equitable and sustainable world.

Get more details on programs and opportunities to get involved.

The Buckley Center for Sustainability Education has been renamed the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education to reflect dynamism and its growing role as a hub for sustainability learning and leadership on campus and beyond. The center launched last summer with a transformative $10 million gift from alumnus Spike Buckley,

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Reisher Scholars Program launches at CU Boulder with $4.2M in scholarships

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 12 Jan 2026 16:43:07 +0000

Reisher Scholars Program launches at CU Boulder with $4.2M in scholarships Megan M Rogers Mon, 01/12/2026 - 09:43

Beginning this year, the �Թ�� of Colorado Boulder will become the 10th institution in the state to offer the prestigious Reisher Scholars Program through The Denver Foundation. With this milestone, CU Boulder joins one of the largest scholarship programs in Colorado, serving a projected 914 students statewide by the fall of 2026.

CU Boulder will offer $4.2 million in scholarships through a new partnership with The Denver Foundation and the Reisher Family Foundation. This transformative program at CU Boulder will connect transfer and continuing students to scholarships and wellness resources to help them complete their degrees.

“We are deeply grateful for the Reisher Scholars Program and its generous support,” said �Թ�� Justin Schwartz. “This investment directly addresses students’ real challenges to help them stay on track, graduate and thrive. At CU Boulder, we believe that access to education should lead to degree completion. The Reisher Scholars Program strengthens our commitment to student success and ensures that more Buffs can finish college ready to achieve their next steps.”

Expanding access to education

Many scholarships help students gain access to college through funding during their first year. While vital, students also need ongoing support throughout their educational experience. The Reisher Scholars Program specifically targets students after their first year by offering financial support for students to complete their undergraduate degrees.

The program focuses on highly motivated students with financial need who are likely to contribute positively to society as demonstrated by their community service, leadership activities, work experiences and other distinctive accomplishments.

Colorado residents who attend or plan to attend CU Boulder may apply for the program as a rising sophomore or transfer student from a community college. Each selected student may qualify for up to $22,000 per year to cover their cost of attendance. Recipients can also access free mental health support through Talkspace, an online therapy provider.

“Receiving this scholarship will be truly transformational. It will allow some of our hardest-working students to complete their degrees when financial barriers might otherwise have forced them to step away,” said Jennifer Fisher, director of the Office of Scholarship Services. “The Reisher Scholarship provides more than just financial support. It fosters a community of driven individuals dedicated to building a better future for themselves and their communities, both during their time in school and as engaged alumni.”

A legacy of generosity

Roger and Margaret Reisher started the Reisher Scholars program in 2001 because they credited their education for their success and wanted to expand that opportunity to others. Roger graduated from CU Boulder with an accounting degree in 1950, and Roger and Margaret Reisher were the first in their families to earn college degrees. The Reisher Scholars Program at The Denver Foundation is now one of the largest scholarship programs in Colorado. In 2025-2026, the Reisher Scholars Program is on track to give nearly $10 million in scholarships to 712 undergraduate students.

The Reisher family established the program at The Denver Foundation in 2001. This year marks The Denver Foundation’s 100th anniversary, with Nov. 30, 2025, recently named “The Denver Foundation Centennial Celebration Day.” Adding CU Boulder as a partner university of the Reisher Scholars Program demonstrates the Reisher family’s and The Denver Foundation’s longstanding commitment to higher education.

“With the addition of CU Boulder to the Reisher Scholars Program as our 10th partner institution, we are continuing to expand our reach to Colorado students and help them complete their degree,” said Sharon Harper, senior director of scholarships for The Denver Foundation. “Our hope is that more Colorado students see themselves as belonging in the higher education landscape, and this partnership with CU Boulder allows the Reisher Scholars Program to reach even more students engaged in a wide variety of educational pursuits, while making college accessible and achievable for Colorado learners.”

Building the first cohort of CU Boulder Reisher Scholars

The program will launch at CU Boulder this fall with 40 students in the first cohort, with a plan to grow to 80 students in the second year and 100 in the third. Starting in the fourth year, the Reisher Scholars Program will provide $1.8 million in annual contributions to sustain the program.

To be considered for the scholarship, interested students can apply by March 15 for rising sophomores and June 15 for transfer students.

Through initiatives like the Reisher Scholars Program, scholarship support makes a college education accessible to high-achieving students with financial need — helping Colorado’s best and brightest students reach their full potential.

Read more CU Boulder impact stories.

CU Boulder will become the 10th institution in the state to offer the prestigious Reisher Scholars Program through The Denver Foundation, funded with a $4.2 million commitment to connect transfer and continuing students to scholarships.

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From stages to stars: Generosity connects community to culture at CU Boulder

Megan M Rogers — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 14:29:16 +0000

From stages to stars: Generosity connects community to culture at CU Boulder Megan M Rogers Mon, 12/22/2025 - 07:29

CU Boulder's cultural programs, like CU Presents, the Art Museum and Fiske Planetarium, connect campus and community through art, science and wonder. See how philanthropy powers these experiences and why your support matters.

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Colorado Combined Campaign: Your chance to give back

Elizabeth Lock — Mon, 10 Nov 2025 17:36:28 +0000

Colorado Combined Campaign: Your chance to give back Elizabeth Lock Mon, 11/10/2025 - 10:36

Open through Dec. 12, Coloradans can support hundreds of vetted charities through the Colorado Combined Campaign, securely giving to causes that feed families, protect natural resources, uplift communities and more.

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Private philanthropy spurs sustainability initiatives at CU Boulder

Elizabeth Lock — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 12:48:08 +0000

Private philanthropy spurs sustainability initiatives at CU Boulder Elizabeth Lock Wed, 10/08/2025 - 06:48

CU Boulder's momentum in sustainability continues to build with its third significant gift in this area within the past few months.

CU Boulder recently received a generous $1.15 million commitment from the Walton Family Foundation to support two sustainability initiatives: The Water Desk within the Center for Environmental Journalism and the Western Water Policy Program in the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources.

This award—along with a gift from alum Spike Buckley to establish the Buckley Center for Sustainability Education and a donation of the 476-acre Spruce Gulch Wildlife and Research Reserve from alum Linda Holubar Sanabria—demonstrates the power of donor support to drive sustainability initiatives at the university.

"Sustainability is a core priority of CU Boulder because we want to help every community enjoy access to clean air, fresh water, abundant food and a vibrant natural environment," said CU Boulder Vice �Թ�� for Sustainability Andrew Mayock. "We are grateful for partners like the Walton Family Foundation who help us make progress toward that vision through innovative programs like The Water Desk and the Western Water Policy Program. Journalistic coverage of water issues and sound policy development are absolutely vital to our understanding of water issues in the West and preservation of critical resources like the Colorado River.”

Advancing Western water policy

The Walton Family Foundation's commitment will support programs that directly address Western water issues, specifically in those affecting the Colorado River Basin.

A portion of the award will bolster impactful journalism at The Water Desk—a program within the College of Communication, Media, Design and Information. The Water Desk is editorially independent and connects journalists with resources to help them understand and cover issues related to water policy in the West. In doing so, it informs the public and policymakers with fact-based reporting.

Luke Runyon, co-director of The Water Desk, said this grant comes at a critical time for both journalism and water in the West.

"The news industry is facing budget shortfalls and staff cutbacks, while climate change continues to upend how the water cycle functions in our region," Runyon said. "In-depth, high-impact reporting on the Colorado River Basin is more important than ever. The Walton Family Foundation's generous, continued support of The Water Desk gives us the ability to grow a network of media outlets that provides coverage across the West.

"This philanthropic funding for water journalism is essential for informing citizens and decision-makers about problems and potential solutions."

The support will also help the Western Water Policy Program in the Getches-Wilkinson Center for Natural Resources, Energy and Environment within Colorado Law, and shape the policy and leadership of new river operating rules. The funding will support the center's annual conference, revitalize the Colorado River Research Group and mentor future water leaders in water law and policy.

"Communities need trusted, fact-based journalism and ideas to help make decisions about how to protect water, nature and the people who rely on them," said Ted Kowalski, Colorado Initiative lead for the Walton Family Foundation's Environment Program. "This support for The Water Desk and the Western Water Policy Program will connect local ideas to local leaders."

Leading in sustainability-based programs

Today's students seek opportunities to incorporate sustainability and environmental leadership into their education. Programs supporting water policy align with these student goals and position CU Boulder as a leader in sustainability-based education and research.

Continued donor support helps the university attract top students, support their educational progress, expand their educational experiences on campus and set them up for success after graduation. And sustainability touches more than scientific academic areas: Recent support through private philanthropy demonstrates how disciplines across campus can incorporate programs and initiatives that address society's greatest environmental challenges, empowering the next generation of policymakers, journalists, researchers and innovators to lead in this space.

Buffs achieve record-breaking fundraising year

Megan M Rogers — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 20:09:07 +0000

Buffs achieve record-breaking fundraising year Megan M Rogers Thu, 09/25/2025 - 14:09

Donors helped CU Boulder achieve a record-breaking fundraising year through transformative gifts supporting student achievement, sustainability leadership, research excellence and community partnerships.

These philanthropic investments ensure the university continues to support students, faculty and the broader community by aligning donor interests with institutional priorities. Many gifts are guided by gift agreements that ensure expenditures align with donor intentions and cannot be reallocated to cover other funding losses.

During CU Boulder’s 2025 fiscal year (July 2024–June 2025), 44,055 donors contributed a total of $228.9 million, making it the university’s most successful fundraising year to date. Generosity from alumni, community members, staff, faculty and student donors reflects the power of private philanthropy in fueling CU Boulder’s mission to transform lives as Colorado’s leading public research university.

From life-changing scholarships to groundbreaking sustainability initiatives and widespread community support, every gift, large or small, demonstrates a shared commitment to the university’s vision and drives momentum as CU Boulder heads into 2026—its 150th year celebration.

Empowering student success 

Last fall, political science alum Michael Klump made a landmark $15 million gift motivated by his experience at CU Boulder. His investment is transforming the Real Estate Center and strengthening the campus’s student wellness services to prepare graduates to lead in a rapidly evolving world. 

“I owe a lot of my success to attending the �Թ�� of Colorado, where I had the privilege of meeting inspiring individuals and forming lifelong connections across the country,” said Klump. “These experiences have deeply motivated me to give back and set an example. I hope my contribution to CU Boulder will inspire others to join in the spirit of generosity and make a meaningful impact.” 

Klump’s hope was realized earlier this year when a friend from college and fellow alum, John Cumming—who graduated with a degree in French from CU—contributed to the Leeds School of Business through the Cumming Foundation. The gift will amplify applied learning, immerse students in real-world business challenges alongside industry leaders, and, like the gift from Klump, enhance well-being initiatives for students.

Student success and belonging are at the heart of CU Boulder’s mission—from health and wellness programs to scholarships and experiential learning. Philanthropic support eases financial barriers, bolsters mental health resources and expands programs that prepare students for success in college and beyond. 

Leading in sustainability

Earlier this year, Spike Buckley, a CU Boulder alum who studied economics, made a $10 million gift to establish the Buckley Center for Sustainability Education. The center will support campuswide initiatives that build upon the over 400 sustainability-related courses, world-class research institutes and a refreshed Climate Action Plan, guiding new course development, faculty fellowships, curriculum ambassadors, professional development and recognition for outstanding sustainability educators.

CU Boulder’s long-standing reputation for advancing sustainability inspired Buckley’s philanthropic support. “It is my fervent hope that CU students, faculty and alumni will ultimately see the Center for Sustainability Education as their vehicle to make the world a better place for future generations,” he said.

Read more impact stories

Advancing research excellence

For nearly 25 years, faculty and students have conducted research at the Spruce Gulch Wildlife and Research Reserve—a living laboratory for ecological discovery. In June, Linda Holubar Sanabria, an arts and sciences alum, donated the 476-acre Boulder County reserve and created an endowment to support ecological research and academic work at the site. The $10.4 million gift ensures future generations of university researchers and students can continue and expand the research legacy at Spruce Gulch.

As one of the nation’s top public research universities, CU Boulder is a hub of discovery and innovation. With a dozen research institutes and over 75 interdisciplinary centers, the university’s research mission drives hands-on learning, cross-disciplinary collaboration and global impact. 

A year of impact and a future of possibility

This year’s philanthropic success and impact are the result of broad donor support. The 2025 Buffs All In campaign marked the university’s most successful giving day on record. In just 24 hours, CU Boulder raised over $1 million from 2,499 donors with an average gift of $433—thanks to the collective effort of generous alumni, students, faculty and staff uniting around initiatives that benefit student success, research and the campus community.

Private philanthropy touches all aspects of the university, propelling its mission forward and preparing students to become tomorrow’s leaders. This positions CU Boulder to advance research, academic excellence, sustainability and student success to solve humanity’s greatest challenges.

Join fellow Buffs supporting higher education. Explore the many ways you can make a difference through CU Boulder.

CU Boulder donors gave a record-breaking $228.9 million this year, fueling student success, sustainability and research that will shape the university's future.

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CU engineering center renamed in honor of Campos Foundation's $5M gift

Megan M Rogers — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 19:05:47 +0000

CU engineering center renamed in honor of Campos Foundation's $5M gift Megan M Rogers Fri, 08/15/2025 - 13:05

The College of Engineering and Applied Science has received $5 million from the Campos Foundation, founded by alumnus and longtime donor Marco Campos, to support the BOLD Center and amplify its impact on student success. In recognition of this generous investment, the college is renaming the center as the Campos Student Center.

An engineer can define life on their own terms, and that’s powerful. I want that for everybody.” –Marco Campos, alumnus and donor

The center will continue its existing mission—to support engineering students’ success by expanding access to opportunities, community and leadership. To amplify this work, the Campos Foundation's gift will create a permanent endowment to secure the center’s long-term future and bolster its programming, including academic support, leadership development, professional programs and networking.

“The Campos Foundation’s generous gift is a powerful example of how philanthropy can create meaningful impact,” said CU Boulder �Թ�� Justin Schwartz. “By investing in our students’ futures, this gift will help ensure the Campos Student Center remains a beacon of opportunity for generations to come, empowering CU Boulder’s engineering students to become the leaders and innovators our world needs.”

When fully funded over the next five years, the endowment will provide $200,000 annually to strengthen the center's programs, which serve students from all backgrounds.

“Engineering is hands-down the best undergraduate degree you can get,” said Campos, who graduated in 1998 with a degree in civil engineering. “You learn how to think critically, to take calculated risks—you learn common sense, how to build, how to sequence things. An engineer can define life on their own terms, and that’s powerful. I want that for everybody.”

Continuing the BOLD legacy

The BOLD Center was founded in 2008 when the college combined two existing programs: the Multicultural Engineering Program and the Women in Engineering Program. Since then, the center has made significant progress in supporting and retaining engineering students from a variety of backgrounds, earning recognition as a top engineering college for women and Indigenous students.

The Campos Student Center focuses on undergraduate engineering students who have a scholarship from the center or a partner-affiliated scholarship, as well as those who are members of various student societies.

Through scholarships, academic support and professional programs, the center equips students with the skills, mentorship and networks necessary to succeed in engineering and address complex societal challenges.

“The Campos Foundation's gift will ensure the Campos Student Center’s long-term sustainability and excellence,” said Keith Molenaar, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. “With this support, we can continue to provide the engineers of tomorrow with the tools, communities and resources to help them succeed—both while they’re here at CU and after they graduate, ready to make a positive impact in their communities.”

Campos Student Center fast facts

2,500 unique student participants

1,700 engineering undergraduate participants (about 25% of the college's undergraduate population)

9 affiliated student societies

Over 1,000 student society participants

265 student tutoring participants

Support the Campos Student Center

The partnership between the Campos Student Center and the Campos Foundation represents a shared vision and commitment to student success—all of which would not be possible without the unwavering dedication of the center’s staff. Their commitment to fostering a positive environment has been crucial in creating a space where students can thrive—and where the foundation’s significant gift can continue that impact.

“The center’s incredible staff and faculty have cultivated an environment where students feel seen, supported and empowered to achieve their academic and career goals,” said Amy Moreno-Sherwood, senior director of the Campos Student Center. “This gift allows us to build on that momentum and carry it well into the future.”

From scholar to supporter

Marco Campos and the Campos Foundation have been critical partners in supporting engineering student success at CU Boulder and in schools, colleges and universities around Colorado.

The Campos Foundation is financially supported in whole by Campos Companies, a portfolio of energy infrastructure companies focused on engineering, construction and fabrication throughout North America. Campos Companies donates 1% of its revenues to supporting underrepresented communities in STEM through the Campos Foundation.

A CU graduate and first-generation college student himself, Campos is committed to giving back to other aspiring engineers.

“My first day of college was the first time I’d ever been on a college campus,” he said. “The BOLD Center—then the Multicultural Engineering Program—was a fabulous asset for me throughout my college career.

“As a foundation, we've made it one of our purposes to support student success centers [like CU Engineering’s Campos Student Center] because we know they’re so meaningful. They’re a powerful mechanism to elevate students and improve retention.”

Campos’ support for CU Boulder has included funding for the EngiNearMe program, $1 million for the renovation of the BOLD Center in 2020 and scholarships for the first cohort of the Lattice Scholars Program in 2023.

Earlier this year, he even surprised a graduating senior by agreeing to pay off his remaining student debt at the civil, environmental and architectural engineering recognition ceremony.

By investing in the next generation of engineers, CU Boulder and the Campos Foundation are helping to ensure all students have access to the mentorship, resources and community they need to thrive and lead.

Said Campos: “I want people to understand that a first-gen student like me, who didn’t have much, can do it. If you bring passion, grit and skillset to the table, these students can do whatever they want.

“I hope students are inspired by my story and know I’m just a regular guy who cares about them—and that they learn to pay it forward.”

Read more impact stories.

The BOLD Center is getting a new name—the Campos Student Center—and will continue its mission of broadening engineering student opportunities, community and leadership.

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Spruce Gulch land gift enhances future ecological and academic studies at CU Boulder

Megan M Rogers — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 17:41:33 +0000

Spruce Gulch land gift enhances future ecological and academic studies at CU Boulder Megan M Rogers Tue, 08/12/2025 - 11:41

Jessica Winter

CU Boulder has received a momentous 476-acre land gift, the Spruce Gulch Wildlife and Research Reserve, alongside endowment funds to support ecological and academic work at the site. Donated by Linda Holubar Sanabria (A&S’67), the gifts are valued at a combined total of $10.4 million and managed by the university’s Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR). INSTAAR’s faculty and students have conducted research at the Spruce Gulch Reserve for almost 25 years, and the gifts will support current and future on-site studies across the sciences, humanities and fine arts.

The donated land, located in Boulder County, was previously owned by Holubar’s family for almost 100 years. Holubar’s grandmother, Irma Freudenberg, purchased part of it in 1927, and Holubar’s parents, Alice (A&S’33) and LeRoy Holubar (ElEngr’36), expanded it. The site was once hunting grounds for Indigenous peoples like the Arapaho, but later sustained mining and logging operations, grazing and agriculture, plus wildfires and floods.

After inheriting the land in 1994 and managing it as a natural reserve since 2001, Holubar and her spouse, Sergio Sanabria (A&S’66; Arch’70; MArtHist’75), concluded a conservation easement with the county prior to donating the site to CU Boulder. The wildlife reserve and endowment funds were officially transferred to the university on June 24.

“Our gift to the university was conditional on the easement and additional preservation terms,” said Holubar. “Having grown up on this land and having it be a part of my family for almost a century, I view it as my heart and soul and want nothing more than to protect it.”

The donations consolidate Holubar’s dedication to environmental conservation and CU Boulder’s long-standing relationship with the wildlife reserve.

“The Spruce Gulch property has had a real impact on CU Boulder research studies over the years, and it’s inspiring to consider the ways in which this will continue to grow,” said �Թ�� Justin Schwartz. “Through her land and endowment gifts, Linda Holubar is fostering hands-on learning opportunities and strengthening the university as a leading research institution.”

A symbiotic friendship

For nearly 25 years, CU Boulder has carried out ecological research studies on the Spruce Gulch Reserve, led by ecology and evolutionary biology Professor Emeritus Tim Seastedt from INSTAAR. The university’s symbiotic relationship with the land began in 2001, when Holubar contacted Seastedt for assistance with an invasive plant on the land.

“My lab had just reported the results of a successful demonstration project, in which biological control insects could reduce densities of a particular weed infestation,” said Seastedt. “Those using this approach saved thousands of dollars in management costs.”

At the time, a similar plant was dominating over 50 acres of the Spruce Gulch Reserve. Seastedt and his lab group thought they could help while avoiding the use of toxic herbicides, which would have contaminated the drinking water and wells.

“Linda’s enthusiasm and persistence to use non-chemical management approaches was inspiring,” said Seastedt. “We organized volunteer groups to assist our insects and set up monitoring plots where the only treatment was the presence of the insects. The projects were often a lot of fun, empowering and certainly good exercise.”

Over time, and with the assistance of volunteer weeding efforts, the project proved successful and Holubar agreed to CU Boulder conducting more experiments on the property. As of early 2025, the Spruce Gulch site has aided CU faculty and students in research for 29 scholarly publications, plus chapters in six doctoral dissertations, three master’s theses and four undergraduate honors theses.

Volunteers from a co-sponsored U.S. Forest Service event remove invasive spotted knapweed from an upland meadow on the Spruce Gulch Reserve. (Photo: Tim Seastedt)

“Field ecologists don’t pass up opportunities to leverage a new field site, and this one is special,” said Seastedt, who serves as director of the reserve.

The varied landscape of the wildlife reserve includes canyons and cliffs intermixed with forest, savanna and prairie meadows. In addition to offering multiple research opportunities, the land also provides “solitude and adventure,” said Seastedt.

Land of possibilities

While CU Boulder has primarily used the property for ecology studies, the gifts open new educational possibilities across disciplines.

“Sergio was a professor of architecture for 42 years and understood the necessity of weaving many disciplines into his teaching,” said Holubar. “It seemed particularly important to extend that approach to a research site where ecology would be a central discipline. We wanted to discourage an inevitable disciplinary blindness by opening the site to as many different world views as possible.”

Holubar’s long-term vision for the wildlife reserve is that its complex landscape offers intellectual and creative opportunities across the university. The reserve and its endowment will enrich and support studies by academics of many departments—from biologists to visual artists. CU affiliates and other local organizations can inquire with Seastedt about research, education and conservation initiatives and opportunities on the land, which is not open to the public.

The endowment will mainly fund student and faculty research projects, and it will also aid in the maintenance of access trails and the future construction of a modest educational center and research support facility.

Through her gifts, Holubar hopes CU Boulder will steward her family’s legacy of environmentalism into the future.

“The history of CU’s environmental efforts includes some of the largest and most significant contributions to our understanding of high-elevation systems,” said Seastedt. “The acquisition of Spruce Gulch now allows us to pursue essential science relevant to the grasslands and foothills region, where most of us live. Therein lies the magnitude of this gift.”

To learn more about the Spruce Gulch Wildlife and Research Reserve, or to inquire about research and conservation opportunities on the land, visit the INSTAAR Spruce Gulch Reserve webpage.

Reference the Alumni Association's degree abbreviations.

Preserving a century of family legacy, a transformative $10.4 million land and endowment gift will turn CU Boulder's Spruce Gulch Wildlife and Research Reserve into a living laboratory for generations of scholars, scientists and artists.

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