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University of Denver

Former name	Colorado Seminary (1864–1880)
Motto	Pro Scientia et Religione (Latin)
Motto in English	"For Knowledge and Spirit"
Type	Private research university
Established	1864; 161 years ago (1864)
Religious affiliation	Nonsectarian; founded by Methodists
Academic affiliation	CUMU IAMSCU NAICU Space-grant
Endowment	$1.09 billion (2024)
Chancellor	Jeremy Haefner
Academic staff	782 (fall 2022)
Administrative staff	1,773 (fall 2022)
Students	12,813 (fall 2024)
Undergraduates	6,613 (fall 2024)
Postgraduates	6,200 (fall 2024)
Location	Denver , Colorado , United States
Campus	Urban/residential, 125 acres (51 ha)
Newspaper	The DU Clarion
Colors	Crimson and Gold
Nickname	Pioneers
Sporting affiliations	NCAA Division I – The Summit NCHC (Men's Hockey)

The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university. It is located in Denver, Colorado, in the United States. The university was started in 1864. Today, it has about 5,700 undergraduate students and 7,200 graduate students. DU is known for its high level of research. Its main campus is 125 acres big and is located about five miles south of downtown Denver. The campus is also a special garden called an arboretum.

History of DU
Exploring the Campus
Academic Programs
- Schools and Colleges
- Special Programs
Student Life
Sports at DU
- The Pioneers Name Discussion
Famous People from DU
- Alumni
- Faculty
See also

History of DU

Mary Reed Hall and Harper Humanities Garden

The University of Denver began in March 1864. It was first called the Colorado Seminary. John Evans, who was the governor of the Colorado Territory, founded it. Denver was a new mining town back then.

The seminary was not tied to any specific religion. It was run by the Methodist Episcopal Church. In its early years, it faced many challenges. In 1880, it was renamed the University of Denver. The first buildings were in downtown Denver. But people thought the busy city was not good for learning. So, the university moved to its current campus. This land was given by a farmer named Rufus Clark. It was about six miles south of the city center.

The university grew as Denver grew. Before World War II, most students were from the local area. After the war, many soldiers came to study using the G.I. Bill. This made DU's student numbers grow to over 13,000. It also helped the university become known across the country.

Exploring the Campus

University Hall, built in 1890

The campus has many old and important buildings. University Hall is the oldest building. It has been used since 1890. It was built in a style called Richardsonian Romanesque. The historic Chamberlin Observatory is also nearby. It opened in 1894. It is still used today and is open to the public.

Evans Memorial Chapel; built in the late 1870s by John Evans in memory of his daughter Josephine Evans Elbert

The campus also has the Evans Memorial Chapel. This small church was built in the 1870s. It used to be in downtown Denver. It was moved to the DU campus in the 1960s. Buchtel Tower is another old part of the campus. It is all that is left of Buchtel Chapel, which burned down in 1983.

Margery Reed Hall

The main offices are in the Mary Reed Building. This building was a library before. It was built in 1932. Margery Reed Hall was built in 1929. It houses programs for the Daniels College of Business. It was updated in 2014 with new classrooms.

F.W. Olin Hall opened in 1997. It is where students study Biological and Natural Sciences. This building was designed to be strong and beautiful. It has a tall rotunda with a copper dome.

The Daniels College of Business building was finished in 1999. It cost $25 million. This business school is well-known. It is ranked highly for teaching students good ethics.

In 2002, DU opened the Robert and Judi Newman Center for Performing Arts. This center is home to the Lamont School of Music. It has a large concert hall, a recital hall, and a theater. Many professional groups perform here.

Nelson Hall opened in 2002. It is a residence hall for students. It looks like a castle and has a gold-topped tower.

In 2003, DU opened a new building for its College of Law. It is now called the "Sturm College of Law." This building has a large three-story library.

In 2005, the Graduate School of Social Work updated its building. It is now called Craig Hall. It has beautiful stained glass art.

Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management

In 2006, DU opened a new building for the Fritz Knoebel School of Hospitality Management. This school teaches students about hotels and restaurants. The building has classrooms, a wine cellar, and dining rooms. This program helps DU be one of the top hotel schools in the U.S.

Nagel Hall was finished in 2008. It is a five-story residence hall. It has a tower with a copper cone. This building is also very eco-friendly. It has offices for the Psychology Department and a bike repair shop.

DU also has special sports stadiums. The Peter S. Barton lacrosse stadium opened in 2005. The Ciber Field Soccer Stadium opened in 2010.

The Morgridge College of Education building opened in 2010. It is also designed to be environmentally friendly.

In 2013, the Penrose Library reopened as the Anderson Academic Commons. It is a modern study space with lots of technology.

In 2016, the Anna & John J. Sie International Relations Complex opened. It is a five-story building with classrooms and offices. It has a blue-tiled tower.

Also in 2016, the Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science opened. It has classrooms, labs, and offices. It has a unique zinc and limestone dome.

In 2020, the Dimond Family Residential Village opened for first-year students. The Burwell Center for Career Achievement also opened. These buildings are designed to be very energy efficient.

In 2021, the James C. Kennedy Mountain Campus was announced. This new campus will be in the mountains.

Academic Programs

USNWR graduate school rankings
Business	68
Education	83
Engineering	173
Law	80

USNWR departmental rankings
Clinical Psychology	50
English	99
Fine Arts	124
Library & Information Studies	35
Psychology	97
Social Work	11

DU offers many different subjects to study. The Daniels College of Business is a top business program.

F W Olin Hall for Biological and Natural Sciences

Schools and Colleges

DU has several schools and colleges, including:

College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences
College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics
Daniels College of Business
Sturm College of Law
University College
Morgridge College of Education

Buchtel Tower and the Sturm College of Law Tower

Graduate School of Professional Psychology
Graduate School of Social Work
Josef Korbel School of International Studies
Lamont School of Music
Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science

Special Programs

DU also has many special institutes and centers. These include:

Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS)
Conflict Resolution Institute
Center for China-US Cooperation
Pardee Center for International Futures

They also offer unique programs like:

Graduate Tax Program
Joint Doctoral Program in the Study of Religion
Video Game Design (combining Computer Science and Digital Practices)
International Intercultural Communication

Daniels College of Business; the eighth oldest business school in the country

Most of the university uses a "quarter system." This means the school year is divided into three 10-week periods. This allows students to take more classes each year.

Nelson Hall Tower

DU has a great study abroad program called Cherrington Global Scholars. It lets undergraduate students study in another country. They do not have to pay extra tuition or room and board. This program helps students learn about other cultures. Many students go to the United Kingdom, Spain, and Italy.

Margery Reed Hall Ivy

Student Life

DU has many fraternities and sororities. These social groups have been part of the university for over 130 years.

Sports at DU

Magness Arena looking northwest

DU's sports teams are called the Denver Pioneers. The school has had sports teams since 1867. They have won 35 NCAA Division One titles since 1949. This is one of the highest numbers among all schools.

Denver is especially good at winter sports. They are known for skiing and ice hockey. DU has won 24 NCAA national team skiing championships. This is more than any other school. Ice hockey is DU's most popular sport. They have won 10 NCAA titles, including in 2024. The hockey team plays in the 6,000-seat Magness Arena. This arena is part of the Ritchie Center for Sports and Wellness.

Exterior of the Daniel L. Ritchie Center

In 2013, DU's sports teams joined new conferences. Their main affiliation moved to The Summit League. The men's hockey team joined the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The men's lacrosse team joined the Big East Conference. The women's lacrosse team also joined the Big East Conference in 2017. In 2019, they reached the Elite 8 (quarterfinals) of the NCAA tournament. The women's gymnastics team joined the Big 12 Conference in 2015.

The Pioneers Name Discussion

The school has used the "Pioneers" nickname since 1925. Before that, they were called the Fighting Parsons. DU has had different mascots over the years. These include Pioneer Pete, Denver Boone, and Ruckus the red-tailed hawk. Since 2008, the school has not had an official mascot.

The use of the "Pioneers" name has caused some discussion. Some people feel it is not a good name for the university. This is because of the history of the university's founder, John Evans. He was involved in events that harmed Native American communities. In 2014, a study found that Evans was responsible for some actions that led to a difficult event for Native Americans.

Some students and faculty believe the "Pioneers" name celebrates a past that caused pain to Native peoples. They think changing the name would show the university's commitment to being welcoming to everyone. Student groups like #NoMorePios have asked for the name to be removed.

However, many students, fans, and alumni like the "Pioneers" name. They feel a strong connection to it. The university's leader, Chancellor Haefner, decided to keep the name.