The newly built Clifton Community Campus’ grand opening took place over the summer on June 22, 2024.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate this new extension of Colorado Mesa University (CMU), seeing a variety of important local figures in attendance, including County Commissioner Janet Rowland, Chair of CMU’s Board of Trustees Tim Fry, Regional Director Janeth Stancle and many more who spoke at the event.
Funding for this project came from U.S. Senator Hickenlooper with $2.5M, The Colorado Trust with $1M, the Colorado Department of Local Affairs with $300K, the Daniels Fund with $100K, the Gates Family Foundation with $70K, the Boettcher Foundation with 70K, the Caring For Colorado Foundation with $50K, the El Pomar Foundation with $25K and the Goodwin Foundation with $12.5K.
“Clifton has been very overlooked and very under-resourced in our community,” said President John Marshall. He also spoke about the vision behind the new campus.
“There are preconditions in improving the health of a neighborhood. One of them is education.”
Marshall noted that CMU’s partnership with the new community campus is small, but important.
The Clifton Community Campus provides a broader spectrum of resources within the Clifton area than CMU’s main campus. Its main goal is to provide access to education for those who did not previously have easy access to classes, whether it be due to distance, transportation, lack of ability to pay for the cost of collegiate education or scheduling conflicts in people’s personal lives..
“With respect to CMU, there are specific classrooms for adult education classes,” said Board of Trustees Chair Tim Fry. “The campus will also allow for student summer camps. Hopefully students in the area will get thinking about what comes after high school.”
Right now, roughly 50% of District 51 graduates are not seeking any form of degree beyond a high school diploma.
“Our mission is to increase the percentage of students achieving some level of higher education,” Fry said.
Another goal of the Clifton Community Campus is to promote workforce development. Mobile learning labs located outside of the building offer hands-on manufacturing courses such as welding and mechatronics. Many courses offered will also be at no cost to the student.
“College can be much more than a four-year degree,” President Marshall said. “We’re excited to reach out to families and look forward to being able to meet people where they’re at.”
Aside from its partnership with the university, the Clifton Campus will also be offering various public services, including the new Clifton Childcare Center, a rentable outdoor pavilion, a gymnasium, three training rooms and an after-school room.
It will also serve as a partner and host for a multitude of community events, including the Clifton Farmers Market, The Grand Valley Dressage Horse Show and Food Bank of the Rockies Mobile Pantries.
This new facility has the ambition to become the door to a new beginning for Clifton, and to build a stronger community with exciting events, fun activities and educational opportunities for those of all ages.
