Western Colorado University
Western Colorado University is a public university in Gunnison, Colorado, United States. It enrolls approximately 3,000 undergraduate students and 450 graduate students, with about 28 percent coming from out of state. Western offers more than 110 undergraduate areas of study and 8 graduate programs, many of which are available through accelerated degree pathways.
History
Western was established in 1901 and opened for classes in 1911 as the Colorado State Normal School, the first college on the Western Slope. This initial focus as a preparatory college for teachers resulted in a commitment to teacher preparation programs that continues to this day. In 1923 the college's name was changed to Western State College of Colorado in recognition of its expanding programs in the liberal arts at both undergraduate and graduate levels. The college continued to grow, particularly after World War II when returning veterans attended on the GI Bill, and academic and co-curricular programs capitalizing on the college's unique mountain setting were continually added. In 2012, the institution was renamed Western State Colorado University. In September 2018, the institution changed its name to Western Colorado University.Academics
Western offers more than 110 areas of study for undergraduates, with classes averaging 17 students. It also offers 8 graduate programs and 10 graduate certificates, all available in hybrid online and in-person formats. Popular majors include Business Administration, Biology, Exercise & Sport Science, Environment & Sustainability, Recreation & Outdoor Education and Psychology. Western also offers many unique programs, including Petroleum Geology, Energy Management and High Altitude Exercise Physiology.Rankings and recognition
- U.S. News & World Report ranked Western in three categories for 2020: Regional Universities West, Top Performers in Social Mobility, and regional Top Public Schools.
- Forbes designated Western Colorado University as one of the top 100 institutions in the West in 2017. Western has also appeared on Forbes lists in 2019, 2018, 2016, 2015 and 2014.
- Elevation Outdoors magazine named Western the "Top Adventure School in the West" for the third time in 2017.
Faculty
Campus
University Center
The University Center serves as a central hub for student life at Western Colorado University. The facility provides spaces and services that support student engagement, campus activities, and community events.The University Center houses dining options including Rare Air Café and Mad Jack’s Café, as well as a movie theater, meeting rooms, and event spaces. It is also home to several student support and involvement offices, such as LEAD & Orientation, the Multicultural Center, and Residence Life, among others.
Residence halls
Western has 5 on-campus residence halls. Two have traditional, two-person rooms intended for first-year students which are the Escalante Complex and Ute Hall. For returning students, the Mears Complex offers suite style living. Then the Chipeta and Pinnacles apartments are designed for older students and returning undergraduates. All students are required to live on campus for their first two years.Borick Business Building
The Borick Business Building is home to the School of Business, which encompasses the Business Administration, Accounting and Economics programs in addition to the nation's first Outdoor Industry MBA.Taylor Hall
Taylor Hall was the first building on Western's campus. It is LEED-certified and houses Western's administrative offices as well as the Communication Arts, Languages & Literature Department, Welcome Center and WSB radio station.Hurst Quad
The Hurst Quad comprises Kelley, Hurst and Quigley Halls. Kelley Hall houses the Behavioral & Social Sciences and Environment & Sustainability departments. Hurst Hall houses the Natural & Environmental Sciences and Mathematics & Computer Science departments. Quigley Hall, which received significant renovations in 2016, is the center for the Art and Music departments.Rady School of Computer Science & Engineering building
Opened in 2021, the Rady School of Computer Science & Engineering building is a building that houses Western's Engineering Partnership Program, a program that operates in partnership with the University of Colorado Boulder. The steel and glass building's south side overlooks a large quad and symbolizes a positive future for the university.Leslie J. Savage Library
The Leslie J. Savage Library provides access to more than 250,000 printed volumes, 3,500 films, and approximately 80,000 electronic records from around the world. Its Special Collections and Archives house university records, materials related to Colorado history, rare books, and donated papers of regional and institutional significance. The library also includes a 24-hour PC and Mac computer lab, individual and group study spaces, and larger rooms for meetings and academic activities. In addition, the library offers a complimentary bike rental program for students.The Leslie J. Savage Library's West Wing was designed by Temple Buell.
Mountaineer Bowl
The Mountaineer Bowl is a collegiate athletic stadium located at an elevation of 7,723 feet, making it one of the highest-elevation college stadiums in the world. The facility hosts football games as well as track and field events, and it also serves as a central campus venue for major academic milestones, including First Year Orientation and Commencement ceremonies.Mountaineer Field House and Paul Wright Gym
The Mountaineer Field House is a multi-purpose athletic and recreation facility. The 65,000-square-foot complex opened in March 2014 and serves both students and university athletic programs. It features a 200-meter, six-lane indoor track, multiple courts for basketball, volleyball, and other sports, and dedicated areas for strength and conditioning. The facility also includes a 43.5-foot climbing wall, fitness and group exercise rooms, and additional training spaces for a variety of recreational and competitive activities. Mountaineer Field House supports student fitness, campus recreation, and athletic training needs.The Paul Wright Gym is attached to the Mountaineer Field House. At the north end of campus, this 1951 building is the world's highest collegiate gym. It seats 1,800 and various renovations have added Western's indoor pool, a wrestling room, locker rooms, the Hall of Fame trophy room and classrooms for Western's Recreation & Outdoor Education and Exercise & Sport Science departments. It's named for Paul W. Wright, who spent 38 years as a professor, coach and administrator at Western, as well serving as a judge and mayor of Gunnison.
Athletics
NCAA
The Western Colorado University Mountaineers compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference at the NCAA Division II level. Mountaineer teams compete in 11 sports: football, women's volleyball, men's and women's cross country, men's and women's track & field, women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, men's wrestling, and women's swimming & diving. Facilities include Mountaineer Bowl and Paul Wright Gym.The Mountaineers have won 93 RMAC team titles and 15 team National Championships. Individually, Western has produced 990 All-Americans and 30 Academic All-American honors.
In 2016–17, Alicja Konieczek became the first Mountaineer to win four national track and field titles. She has since won four more national titles—the most by any female in Western's history.
Mountain Sports
Western Mountain Sports is an athletic program revolving around outdoor, mountain-based athletics. The program includes disciplines in freeride skiing and snowboarding, freestyle skiing and snowboarding, alpine ski racing, Nordic ski racing, randonnée racing, mountain biking, rock climbing, road cycling and trail running. There is also a media program, where students travel with the teams and document the trips and events through a variety of visual and written media.The program differs from NCAA athletics in that Mountain Sports athletes don't necessarily compete in intercollegiate competition and may carry sponsorships and accept prize money. While technically a club sport program, Mountain Sports distinguishes from club and intramural sports due to the abundance of funding for coaching, travel, equipment and overall popularity.
Three Freeride athletes have qualified for the Freeride World Tour.
Club and intramural sports
Western's Club sports include: men's baseball, men's boxing, women's boxing, men's ice hockey, women's ice hockey, men's lacrosse, men's rugby, women's rugby, men's soccer, women's soccer and coed swimming.Western's intramural sports are all coed and include: slow-pitch softball, flag football, ultimate frisbee, kickball, bubble ball soccer, indoor soccer, floor hockey, pickleball, inner-tube water polo, dodgeball, volleyball, basketball, table tennis/billiards and Quidditch.