It was an unprecedented year at Colorado State University. The events that transpired across the country in 2020 were unimaginable just a few months before the start of the year. Still, amidst the uncertainty, the campus community remained stalwart, blazing new trails in research, scholarship and social justice — embodying what it means to be a CSU Ram. Take a look back at an unforgettable year at Colorado State University.
National Western Complex, Jan. 18, 2020
The CSU community sported their boots, hats and Ram pride as they took part in the annual CSU Day at the National Western Stock Show. This year’s NWSS was extra special as CSU celebrated its sesquicentennial.
Photo by CSU Photography
Old Town Square, Jan. 20, 2020
Hundreds of CSU and Fort Collins community members took part in the annual march and celebration honoring the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. The 1.2-mile march on Jan. 20 began in Old Town Square and ended with a celebration in the Lory Student Center with a keynote by Ryan E. Ross, president and CEO of the Urban Leadership Foundation of Colorado. read more
Photo by William A. Cotton/CSU Photography
Jan. 20, 2020: The first confirmed case of COVID-19 is reported in the United States.
Lory Student Center, Feb. 11, 2020
Former U.S. National Security Advisor and UN Ambassador Susan Rice, who President-elect Joe Biden recently tapped to run the White House Domestic Policy Council, visited campus as part of CSU’s Founders Day celebrations. The event was part of the Global Engagement Distinguished Speaker lecture series presented by the Office of International Programs and the Provost’s Sesquicentennial Colloquium Series, with generous support by Women & Philanthropy.
Photo by CSU Photography
Foothills Campus, Feb. 10, 2020
CSU broke ground on the Temple Grandin Equine Center on the Foothills Campus. The new facility will be home to what may be the leading equine-assisted activities and therapy research program in the world. It will serve children with autism, veterans with PTSD and seniors with Alzheimer’s or other dementias. read more
Photo by William A. Cotton/CSU Photography
Infectious Disease Research Center, March 4, 2020
U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet toured CSU’s Infectious Disease Research Center with Ray Goodrich, executive director of the Infectious Disease Research Center; and Alan Rudolph, CSU vice president for research, to learn more about CSU’s approach to researching a vaccine for the novel coronavirus. read more
Photo by CSU Photography
March 16, 2020: CSU announces a move to online instruction for the remainder of the Spring 2020 semester
Infectious Disease Research Center, March 24, 2020
CSU leadership, faculty and students came together to start producing hand sanitizer for the campus community. The initiative has expanded to include help from two local businesses — Gilded Goat Brewing Co. and CopperMuse Distillery. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
Online, April 13, 2020
Students Sarah Greichen and Brianne Lauro were in for a surprise when President Joyce McConnell crashed online meetings with their deans to inform them that they had been named Truman Scholars, a highly competitive graduate fellowship program for students pursuing public service careers. read more
Video by CSU Social
School of Advanced Materials Discovery, April 16, 2020
Tony Vindell, a Ph.D. student in the School of Advanced Materials Discovery, tests lab gowns for strength, water repellency and flammability. CSU’s Smart Textiles and Nanotechnology Research Group, led by Associate Professor Vivian Li in the Department of Design and Merchandising, is performing a variety of tests on fabrics that could be used for the medical gowns. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
CSU Spur Campus in Denver, May 5, 2020
The CSU System broke ground on a new Denver campus — called Spur, which brings the expertise of the three CSU System campuses to the public and serves as a platform for other organizations. read more
Video by CSU System
The Oval, May 11, 2020
In the lead-up to graduation, CSU students posed for photographs on The Oval to celebrate their hard work. Students took the time to ensure they were wearing masks and practicing social distancing, something they continued throughout the year.
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
Department of Biomedical Sciences, May 29, 2020
Dr. Izabela Ragan, a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, said the research team she is on has shown that a relatively simple process can kill the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in whole blood and plasma products. read more
Photo by Ron Bend/CSU Photography
May 25, 2020: George Floyd is killed by police in Minneapolis.
Fort Collins, June 2, 2020
A week after George Floyd was killed by a Minneapolis police officer, more than 1,000 Colorado State University and Fort Collins community members peacefully marched to condemn injustice and racism, and promote unity and solidarity. The Black Lives Matter and Racial Unity March started on the CSU Oval, and participants walked to Fort Collins City Hall. read more
Photo by William A. Cotton/CSU Photography
Fort Collins, July 2, 2020
CSU senior engineering students worked to complete the custom-designed and -built swing for Dylan Bush, a Fort Collins man with autism. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
Claim Building site, July 31, 2020
Over the summer, archaeology students helped to solve a long-buried CSU history mystery. They uncovered the first building on campus that had been lost – the Claim Building, which had one job: to secure Fort Collins as the site of Colorado’s land-grant college once the territory became a state in 1876. Students also received a special visit from President Joyce McConnell. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
Aug. 13, 2020: The Cameron Peak fire is first reported by hikers.
Campus, Aug. 17-21, 2020
The start of the 2020-21 academic year was like no other in the University’s 150-year history as students got settled in residence halls. President Joyce McConnell, Provost Mary Pedersen, and Vice President for Student Affairs Blanche Hughes were among those personally welcoming families to campus.
Photo by CSU Photography
Campus, Sept. 6, 2020
Civil and environmental engineering faculty and students sample wastewater from one of 17 on-campus collection sites to be tested for COVID-19. CSU developed a targeted monitoring and testing program built on research by faculty scientists and implemented by a team of on-campus experts to manage the university’s rapid response to COVID-19. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
Mountain Campus and Horsetooth Reservoir, Sept. 11, 2020
Photographer Bill Cotton accompanied a crew from CSU to the Mountain Campus to assess the situation of the Cameron Peak Fire, which continues to burn and has consumed more than 100,000 acres. read more
Photo by William A. Cotton/CSU Photography
CSU Spur Campus in Denver, Sept. 18, 2020
A group of graduate student artists successfully completed their mural on a building that will adjoin the future CSU Spur campus as part of CRUSH Walls. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
Visual Arts Building, Oct. 12, 2020
CSU kicked off a new educational initiative as the words “Black Lives Matter” were painted in yellow on the pavement north of the Visual Arts Building. The inaugural installation of the “Engaged Art Walk,” the BLM painting launched a series of events and projects integrating art, education and civic engagement. read more
Aerial shot by Joe Mendoza and Ron Bend/CSU Photography
Behavioral Sciences Building, Oct. 21, 2020
The CSU chapter of Active Minds, a student-run mental health advocacy organization, brought its message that the university is “Here for You” to campus in a big way. The club posted the slogan in a mural made from 800 sticky notes in the window of the Behavioral Sciences Building. read more
Photo by William A. Cotton/CSU Photography
U.S. Route 287, Nov. 4, 2020
Not even COVID-19 could stop the annual Bronze Boot Run. ROTC cadets from Colorado State University and the University of Wyoming completed their annual game ball relay from Laramie, Wyoming, to Canvas Stadium. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
Campus, Nov. 12, 2020
The sun sets over the Student Recreation Center, home to the largest solar installation on campus. On Nov. 9, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education ranked CSU as its top overall performer in the category of Doctoral Institutions in its annual Sustainable Campus Index, besting Stanford University and Cornell University, among others. read more
Photo by John Eisele/CSU Photography
The Oval, Nov. 16-20, 2020
After all the challenges and uncertainties of the past year, CSU students graduating in 2020 received a very special gift before Fall Break: A week of glorious Fort Collins weather (with a bit of wind) to celebrate their accomplishments with a ceremonial Commencement Walk on the historic Oval. read more
Photo by CSU Photography
Colorado State University, Nov. 23, 2020
Fall Break marked a milestone for CSU as noted by President Joyce McConnell: “To everyone in the CSU community, I want to offer my gratitude for your hard work and resilience during these past months. Your strength of purpose has allowed us to complete the in-person-teaching portion of fall semester as planned.” read more
Instagram post by CSU Social