Farewell, Chancellor Horrell

The pandemic has robbed us of many of the big and small celebrations of achievements at the university, from in-person commencement ceremonies to milestones for faculty and staff. One we will miss that is particularly disappointing is gathering together to celebrate the career of CU Denver Chancellor Dorothy Horrell, who is retiring at the end of the month.

Dorothy has not only been an exceptional leader of energy and passion at CU Denver, she also has had a remarkable and successful career in many educational endeavors. She and I have a special affinity, having both grown up in small towns (she is the pride of Holyoke, Colorado) and both benefitted from deep involvement with 4-H as youngsters.

But it is in the big city of Denver where she made a special mark. As chancellor, Dorothy elevated the Denver campus to be one of the premier public urban research universities in the country. She fostered important connections and collaborations with the city’s businesses, nonprofits and government entities, all of which benefitted our students and faculty. She also worked with her team to ensure that CU’s most diverse campus (some 42% percent of students are students of color) provided access, resources and opportunities to all students.