University of Denver

The University of Denver (DU) was founded as the Colorado Seminary, in 1864, twelve years before Colorado became a state. For over 150 years, DU has been a part of the Denver community, providing educational opportunities for men, women, professionals, and the working community. The original campus in frontier Denver eventually moved to a treeless prairie donated by Rufus Potato Clark. The move was partially motivated by the fear that the saloons and other distractions of Denver were not conducive to study. In 1982, the institution incorporated Colorado Women’s College, and the site became the Park Hill Campus with the law and music schools. DU’s concerted efforts to provide its students, and the wider region, with a first-class education are made evident by the tales of resiliency told by faculty, staff, and students as the school overcame brushes with bankruptcy and countless other internal and external threats.