March 2, 2015

100 Coloradans to join nation’s leaders at Capital Conference

Conference is an opportunity for Colorado residents to interact with the nation’s leaders, and provides key insights into how the U.S. Government works

Colorado Capital Conference 2015

The University of Colorado is again joining Colorado Mesa University to present the Colorado Capital Conference, June 3-5, in Washington, D.C.

The conference, also sponsored by Sens. Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet, is an opportunity for residents to interact with the nation’s leaders, and provides key insights into how the U.S. Government works. It is only open to Colorado residents.

CU Anschutz Medical Campus Chancellor Don Elliman will represent CU. “The gathering of citizens to learn about and debate issues, to make their own judgments, and to affect government policy making is the essential process on which our country was founded and our future depends,” Elliman said.

The conference was initiated in the 1990s by former U.S. Sen. Tim Wirth.  Wirth recognized the value in partnering with an institution of higher education in Colorado to host an annual, nonpartisan conference in Washington, D.C. CU became involved with the conference in 1998, when Senator Wayne Allard took it over. He was followed by Sen. Mark Udall in sponsoring the event.

This year, Sens. Bennet (D-Colo.) and Gardner (R-Colo.) have taken the lead. “Events like these allow us to listen to the voices we represent and learn more about what’s most important to them,” Bennet said. “After all, the best ideas for Colorado don’t come from Washington D.C. They come from Coloradans.”

“Without an informed public, representative democracy does not work,” Gardner said. “Events like the Colorado Capital Conference are an essential part of creating that informed public, and I’m grateful to Colorado Mesa University and the University of Colorado for organizing this gathering.”

Applications are due by March 12, and selected attendees will be notified by March 25. If you are a Colorado resident, and are interested in attending, find more information and the application here>>