University of Northern Colorado facts for kids
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Former names
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State Normal School of Colorado (1889-1935) Colorado State College of Education at Greeley (1935-1957) Colorado State College (1957-1970) |
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| Motto | Sapientia in aeternum est (Latin) |
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Motto in English
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Wisdom is Eternal |
| Type | Public university |
| Established | April 1, 1889 |
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Academic affiliations
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Space-grant |
| Endowment | $111.9 million (2023) |
| President | Andy Feinstein |
| Provost | Mark Anderson |
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Academic staff
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686 |
| Students | 9,881 |
| Undergraduates | 6,979 |
| Postgraduates | 2,902 |
| Location |
,
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United States
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| Campus | Suburban 260 acres (1.1 km2) |
| Colors | Blue and Gold |
| Nickname | Bears |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division I FCS – Big Sky |
| Mascot | Klawz the Bear |
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The University of Northern Colorado (UNC) is a public university located in Greeley, Colorado. It was started in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado. For a long time, it was known for training teachers.
Over the years, the university changed its name a few times. It became Colorado State College of Education in 1935, then Colorado State College in 1957. Since 1970, it has been known as the University of Northern Colorado. Today, about 10,000 students attend UNC, studying in six different colleges. UNC also has locations in Loveland, Denver/Aurora, and Colorado Springs. Its 19 sports teams compete in NCAA Division I as part of the Big Sky Conference.
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Exploring the UNC Campus
The University of Northern Colorado campus has two main parts: Central Campus and West Campus. Central Campus is located north of 20th Street and west of 8th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado. The buildings where students live on Central Campus are so old and important that they are now a special historic district.
How UNC is Organized
A group of people called the board of trustees helps run the university. They make sure everything works well and approve the school's yearly budget. Some members of the university's leadership team are also part of this board.
Leaders of UNC: The Presidents
Since it began, the university has had many presidents. These leaders help guide the school and make important decisions. Here are some of the people who have served as president:
- Thomas J. Gray — 1890–1891
- Zachariah Xenophon Snyder — 1891–1915
- John Grant Crabbe — 1916–1924
- George Willard Frasier — 1924–1947
- William Robert Ross — 1947–1964
- Darrell Holmes — 1964–1971
- Richard R. Bond — 1971–1981
- Robert C. Dickeson — 1981–1991
- Herman Lujan — 1991–1996
- Hank Brown — 1998–2002
- Kay Norton — 2002–2018
- Andy Feinstein - 2018 – present
College of Performing and Visual Arts
The College of Performing and Visual Arts (PVA) is a place for students who love art. It brings together artists, teachers, and learners from many different art forms. UNC has always been known as a strong arts school. The main offices for this college are in Guggenheim Hall, which is one of the oldest buildings on campus.
UNC Sports: The Bears
The sports teams at UNC are called the Bears. Northern Colorado joined the Big Sky Conference on July 1, 2006. The school's mascot is Klawz the Bear, and the school colors are navy blue and gold. Their fight song is called the "UNC Fight Song."
Many UNC athletes have gone on to play sports professionally. For example, Vincent Jackson played football at Northern Colorado before joining the San Diego Chargers. Other football players who came from UNC include Dirk Johnson, Kyle Sloter, Reed Doughty, and Aaron Smith.
Before 2006, UNC was part of different sports conferences. The Bears won two national championships in Division II Football in 1996 and 1997. In 2011, the men's basketball team won the Big Sky Conference tournament. This win sent them to the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament for the first time ever! The men's baseball team has also been to the NCAA College World Series ten times, which is a lot! The women's softball team played in the first eleven Women's College World Series from 1969 to 1979. They even made it to the championship game in 1974.
Meet the Mascots
The bear became UNC's mascot in 1923. Before that, the athletes were sometimes called "the Teachers." The idea for the bear mascot came from a bear on an Alaskan totem pole. This totem pole was given to the university in 1914 by a former student. However, in 2003, the totem pole was returned to the Tlingit people, who are its original owners, because of a special law.
Klawz is the newest bear mascot to cheer on the UNC teams!
Famous UNC Alumni
Many people who went to the University of Northern Colorado have become successful in different fields. These former students are called alumni.
