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A Year in Review

Jan. 14, 2021

Members of the CSU community began to receive COVID-19 vaccinations from Larimer County. As of December 2021, more than 90% of students and employees are fully or partially vaccinated. read more

Jan. 18, 2021

CSU and the Fort Collins community celebrated Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a variety of virtual events, including a video featuring President Joyce McConnell and community leaders. watch video

Jan. 20, 2021

As a new president was inaugurated, CSU music alumnus and trumpet player Staff Sgt. Robert Bonner performed in the inauguration ceremony in “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band. read more

Feb. 11, 2021

To help observe the 151st anniversary of its founding, CSU bestowed the 2021 Founders Day Medal on Professor Emeritus John Matsushima, a legendary scientist in beef-cattle nutrition whose innovations have influenced the global food system and exemplify the University’s land-grant mission. read more

Feb. 26, 2021

The final steel beam was laid on the first building of the CSU Spur campus in Denver. The Vida building, which will open in January 2022, is one of three CSU buildings at the campus and part of the future National Western Center. watch video

March 13-14, 2021

This snowstorm was one for the books. Fort Collins officially received 19.6 inches of snow, and 2.31 inches of much-needed precipitation during the storm, according to the Colorado Climate Center. For comparison, the 10-year average snow total for the entire month of March is 4.9 inches. view photos

March 25, 2021

A small group gathered at the Temple Grandin Equine Center for a ribbon cutting and celebration, which included CSU President Joyce McConnell, College of Agricultural Sciences Dean James Pritchett, Head of the Department of Animal Sciences Keith Belk, Temple Grandin Equine Center Director of Administration and Outreach Adam Daurio, and the building’s namesake, Professor Grandin. read more

March 30, 2021

CSU introduced President Joyce McConnell’s Courageous Strategic Transformation, a comprehensive strategic planning process focusing on a sustainable, thriving planet and a flourishing humanity. It will be completed by the end of the calendar year and presented to the board in February 2022. learn more

April 5-9, 2021

It was a graduation like no other. The Spring Class of 2021 took to the historic Oval the week before Spring Break to be recognized for their accomplishments and completing their degrees during this pandemic year. view photos

April 16, 2021

A team of CSU scientists, led by veterinary postdoctoral fellow Dr. Anna Fagre, detected Zika virus RNA in free-ranging African bats. RNA, or ribonucleic acid, is a molecule that plays a central role in the function of genes. The study was published April 16 in Scientific Reports, a journal published by Nature Research. read more

July 23 to Aug. 8, 2021

Five former or current Rams – thought to be the most in one single Olympics – competed alongside the world’s best athletes in Japan. This included current student Lauren Gale, who was part of Canada’s 4×400-meter relay team. read more

Aug. 11, 2021

As the U.S. began to end military operations in Afghanistan, what began as a conversation between Kat Ernst and former student Mahmod Shamsi about potential job opportunities in Fort Collins turned into an international bid to save his and his family’s lives. read more

Aug. 16-18, 2021

A campus that was quiet during the COVID-19 pandemic was full of activity once again and just in time for the newest Rams to arrive in Fort Collins. More than 6,000 students moved into CSU’s residence halls. view photos

Sept. 1, 2021

As students returned to campus full-time after 18 months of an ongoing pandemic, President Joyce McConnell invited the CSU community to join in a collective moment of reflection. “You’re here today, an essential part of this resilient, hopeful CSU community,” McConnell said. read more

Sept. 13, 2021

Perseverance. That’s what Temple Grandin hopes people see when they look at the new sculpture of her at CSU’s Animal Sciences Building. “I think what’s really important is inspiring students to persevere,” said Grandin at the celebration for the bronze sculpture. read more

Sept. 17, 2021

In a peaceful protest, more than 100 CSU students and staff called for University officials to do more to protect them from hate speech, discrimination and harassment on campus, particularly in free-speech zones such as the Lory Student Center Plaza. read more

Sept. 25, 2021

CSU lost a giant in the Ram community — Walter Scott, Jr. Through his unrelenting support and philanthropy to his alma mater, Scott helped propel CSU to new heights. While he may be gone, his legacy continues through the students and faculty at the engineering college that bears his name. read more

Sept. 29, 2021

The CSU Salazar Center’s Virtual International Symposium hosted U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who unveiled a comprehensive set of investments to address challenges facing the country’s agriculture producers, including market disruptions, climate change and animal disease prevention. watch video

Oct. 9, 2021

After a year away, the CSU community gathered in person once again for traditions that have defined the Ram experience for decades. From the Homecoming bonfire to the 5K to the big turnout at Canvas Stadium for the Rams’ 32-14 win over San Jose State, it was a weekend to remember. view photos

Oct. 19, 2021

CSU celebrated the grand opening of the Panacea Life Sciences Cannabinoid Research Center, housed in the Chemistry Building in the heart of campus. The one-of-a-kind center boasts state-of-the-art chemical separation and analysis instrumentation to enable foundational research in the chemistry of cannabinoids. read more

Nov. 5, 2021

NASA announced a $177 million Earth science mission led by CSU that will study the behavior of storms in the Tropics, with the goal of better representing these storms in weather and climate models. read more

Nov. 8, 2021

CSU was once again named the top overall performer among doctoral institutions in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s 2021 Sustainable Campus Index. It's CSU’s second consecutive year earning the highest ranking and the fourth time in seven years. read more

Nov. 12, 2021

CSU alumnus Daniel Dominguez provided remarks at the closing plenary of the Conference of the Parties in Glasgow, Scotland. Dominguez was selected to represent Research and Independent NGOs that develop strategies to address the causes and consequences of global climate change. read more

Nov. 19, 2021

Tough but compassionate. Someone who made you think. Over the years, those are a couple of ways people have described Bernie Rollin, a University Distinguished Professor at CSU widely known as the father of veterinary medical ethics. Rollin passed away at the age of 78. read more

Nov. 29, 2021

Progress on the new CSU Spur campus continued throughout 2021. CSU Day at the National Western Stock Show is right around the corner on Jan. 15, and the grand opening event for the Spur campus is scheduled for the same day. read more

Nov. 30, 2021

CSU shattered records for research expenditures this year, spending $447.2 million to acquire knowledge to protect people from disease, recover drought- and fire-ravaged communities, and respond to the climate emergency. read more

Dec. 7, 2021

The Iris and Michael Smith Alumni Center was packed for the introduction of Jay Norvell as CSU’s 24th head football coach. Norvell said his late parents would be "beaming with pride" about his new job. read more

Dec. 7, 2021

An international coalition co-led by CSU announced a $19 million research project aimed at understanding how a farmer or rancher’s grazing management decisions impact soil health on pasture and rangeland (commonly called grazing lands) and – in turn – how soil health can positively impact a producer’s land and well-being. read more

Dec. 17-18, 2021

Commencement was back at Moby Arena for the first time since the pandemic started. The University honored the 2,300-plus students who have navigated the challenges of 2020 and 2021 to earn degrees. view photos