by Libby Kyer

Founded in 1864 by Governor John Evans, the University of Denver was established well before Colorado became a state. Now the oldest independent university in the Rocky Mountain region, DU draws its students from around the nation and around the globe. To accommodate their continued growth and quality, DU launched an extensive $350 million capital expansion program that swung into high gear in 1997. To date, they’ve provided a new sports and arts center, fitness and wellness center, new and refurbished class and lab facilities and new residence halls.

GNSI conference-goers reap the benefits of this ambitious program. We’ll be housed in Nelson Hall, the newest residence facility. Nestled into the tree-shaded campus, NELSON has 5 floors of 2 and 4 bedroom suites and apartments. Structured around a central courtyard, the Hall has many amenities, including an outdoor dining patio; full kitchens in apartments; common kitchens on each floor for suites; numerous well-appointed lounge areas; high-speed Internet access; cable TV; mini-fridges; parking and secured access to the building at all times. The relaxed atmosphere and amenities build a sense of community among residents that will lead you to new networks of peers and new friends.

Sturm Hall is the site of most of our workshops and meetings. Just a quick walk from Nelson Hall, and named in honor of donors Donald and Susan Sturm, the hall serves as a focal point for teaching and scholarship in the liberal arts. The renovation allowed the bulk of the university's arts, humanities and social sciences departments to be consolidated under a single roof for the first time.

Don’t limit yourself to the 2 blocks of our residence and lecture halls. The campus is beautifully landscaped and will be awash in the sights and sounds of mile-high summertime. The living is not only easy; it’s full of promise. Search out the Chamberlin Observatory for a slice of history. Astronomy at DU has remained continuously active since 1880, in the pursuit of research, teaching and community outreach. The original description of Chamberlin Observatory and its large refractor appear in an article by Prof. Herbert A. Howe in the 1894 Astronomy & Astrophysics (a precursor to the Astrophysical Journal). The original building still stands and is still in use. Observatory Park is a favorite picnic site for Denverites.

Keep your eyes and ears peeled. Urban wildlife includes a plethora of birds, the occasional raccoon, coyote or fox. The Williams Tower 65 bell carillon is played for regular concerts heard all over campus. The campus is conveniently located just south of the city center, and regular bus routes take you easily and inexpensively into LoDo (Lower Downtown) for a ball game, great suds, fine food or just strolling the sidewalks.

Now’s the time to get set….reserve the week, plan your activities and field trips, make your reservations for travel. Before you know it, it’ll be time to GO!

Denver/DU Factoids:
In hopes of gaining political favors, local boosters named the frontier mining camp on the South Platte River "Denver" after Kansas Territorial Governor James Denver. They never received any favors -- by the time they named the town, Denver had already resigned.

Denver was born during the great "Pikes Peak or Bust Gold Rush" of 1859 when some flakes of placer gold were found where the South Platte River meets Cherry Creek.

The Colorado Rockies opened on April 9, 1993 before 80,277 fans, the most to ever witness an opening game in baseball history. The team went on to break 11 Major League Baseball records including most single season fans -- 4,483,350 -- the most to ever attend any American sports team in a single season.

In 1884, the first DU graduation class consisted of one student – John Hipp, who wrote his own class slogan and was cheered with (of course) “Hipp, Hipp, hooray” at commencement.

DU’s Penrose Library holds the Husted Collection of 8,000 cookbooks, tracing 300 gears of culinary delights. If you can’t find that lost recipe here, you’re just not looking hard enough. Bon appetit.

The DU Ski Team won the NCAA Championship in 2002, making DU first nationally for the 3rd year in a row.

Screenwriter Scott Rosenberg (Men in Black), the legendary newsman Lowell Thomas, and comedian Sinbad (David Adkins) are DU grads.

The Williams Tower is 215 feet high with a gilded roof and a 65-bell carillon. Regular concerts are heard around the campus.

The 270-foot sea mosaic in the Natatorium has 16,000 tiles, designed by DU professor Maynard Tischler.

Ritchie Center features a state-of-the-art fitness center, Olympic pool, tennis courts, ice arena and concert facilities, giving new meaning to the words “multi-tasking.”

The DU rose, cultivate in 1913 by botanist Ira Atler, blooms in brilliant red and gold – the school colors – at commencement time in the spring.