Colorado College Alumni

10/08/2026

This building is iconic, and is filled with the stories of generations of CC students. It's been 30 years since The Glass House was established as a permanent multicultural residence, and we can't wait to see you at the anniversary celebrations this Homecoming Weekend!

Join us Friday (Oct. 9) from 3-5 p.m. for the Glass House Open House (at Lennox House), and Saturday (Oct 10) from 4-4:45 p.m. for a special panel discussion event Commemorating 30 Years of the Glass House (at Edith Kinney Ga***rd Cornerstone Arts Center, 131). Learn more about registration at coloradocollege.edu/other/homecoming/

10/07/2026

Mike Taber '86, professor and associate chair for the Department of Education, is one of this year's Gresham Riley Award recipients for his dedication to CC's students, history, and future excellence. The award recognizes faculty and staff who have made a significant difference to the Colorado College community through outstanding service, commitment, and accomplishment.

He will be honored at the Alumni Association Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 10 as part of Homecoming Weekend 2026. Learn more about the weekend at coloradocollege.edu/other/homecoming/

As the son of a former faculty member and a CC alum himself, Taber has been part of the CC community his whole life. In that time he has built a deep knowledge of CC's history, which he drew from when he co-chaired Colorado College’s Sesquicentennial Committee in 2024, making strides to connect with faculty, staff, alumni, students, and the community to ensure all voices were heard for a meaningful and inclusive commemoration.

Through his service, leadership, and unwavering dedication to the institution, Taber has strengthened the Colorado College community and helped chart a course for its future.

10/07/2026

10/06/2026

Kate Holbrook, Colorado College Chaplain, is one of this year's Gresham Riley Award recipients for her commitment to supporting students' wholistic well-being. The award recognizes faculty and staff who have made a significant difference to the Colorado College community through outstanding service, commitment, and accomplishment.

She will be honored at the Alumni Association Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 10 as part of Homecoming Weekend 2026. Learn more about the weekend at coloradocollege.edu/other/homecoming/

Integrating contemplative and compassion-based practices is central to Holbrook's work as she helps students develop their spiritual, ethical, and religious identities. She takes the time to create a supportive space for their diverse needs. Through her support, students engage in spiritual and contemplative practices that help them stay grounded and find a deeper sense of belonging and community.

As part of this work, Holbrook invites the wider Colorado Springs community to participate in campus life through partnerships with local spiritual communities and groups. She delights in being present with students, faculty, staff, retirees, and alumni as together, cultivating inner wisdom and a sense of belonging to and with this amazing community.

10/03/2026

🏙️🎷🫘 Chicago-area alumni! You're invited to join President Manya Whitaker for a Colorado College Meet-Up at Lonesome Rose in Andersonville on Thursday, Oct. 22 (6-9 p.m., CT).

Enjoy a causal evening mixing and mingling with fellow Chicago-area alumni and President Whitaker over complimentary heavy hors d'oeuvres and beverages. We hope to see you there! Register by Thursday, Oct. 15 at tinyurl.com/4xj7zrh5

10/02/2026

📈✏️ CC is participating a national alumni survey with a number of other colleges and universities around the country to better understand alumni perspectives. As a valued member of the Colorado College community, your insights are important to us. If you have not already taken the survey, a link to it will arrive in your inbox today. Please check your other, spam, or junk folders for a message from VP of Advancement Molly Bodnar (via alchemer.com) if it is not in your inbox.

We’re excited to contribute to and learn from a broader national perspective and appreciate your participation.

09/30/2026

Cynthia Gilbert ’82 and Henry Shires ’82 are this year's Spirit of Adventure Award recipients for their ongoing commitment to not only enjoying their own physical adventures, but also using their liberal arts education to enhance the adventures of others with their Tarptents.

They will be honored at the Alumni Association Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 10 as part of Homecoming Weekend 2026. Learn more and register for the weekend at coloradocollege.edu/other/homecoming/

When Shires couldn't find a commercially available tent suitable for his Pacific Crest Trail trek from Mexico to Canada, he solved the problem by designing his own using what he learned from CC physics courses. The next year, Gilbert borrowed the tent and returned with feedback. Following a redesign with these improvements, the pair launched the Tarptent website and received an astonishing number of orders on day one. Since then, they have thoughtfully integrated user feedback to continue enhancing the product.

In founding and nurturing the growth of Tarptent, Gilbert and Shires have improved the comfort of backpackers and have logged almost 35 years of physical, intellectual, and social adventures of their own.

09/28/2026

Gordon Aoyagi '67 is this year's Lloyd E. Worner Award recipient for his dedication to supporting CC students and alumni, as well as a lifetime of service to his whole community.

He will be honored at the Alumni Association Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 10 as part of Homecoming Weekend 2026. Learn more and register for the weekend at coloradocollege.edu/other/homecoming/

Aoyagi has served his community as a devoted public servant, worked in local government for decades, and served in Vietnam as an Army Military Intelligence Officer. Throughout his career, he has shown unwavering support of Colorado College and the liberal arts by staying engaged with the College, fostering relationships with other CC alumni, and through his own generous philanthropy, and has created financial opportunities and support for students.

Recently, Aoyagi connected CC students studying the experience of Japanese Americans during WWII with a rich, immersive learning experience by arranging for them to meet with descendants of Japanese American World War II veterans and other community members in Hawaii. He has demonstrated exceptional loyalty, service, and generosity to Colorado College through decades of volunteer leadership, philanthropy, and alumni engagement.

09/28/2026

Eric Boltz '89 is one of this year's Louis T. Benezet Award recipients for his contributions to community betterment and his indomitable spirit in the face of challenge. He learned at CC that what seemed impossible was actually within reach, a lesson he has carried with him throughout his life.

He will be honored at the Alumni Association Awards Ceremony on Saturday, Oct. 10 as part of Homecoming Weekend 2026. Learn more and register for the weekend at coloradocollege.edu/other/homecoming/

At CC, Boltz discovered a lifelong love of physical adventure which never faded. He continued getting outside even as he became president and owner of Marathon Sensors Inc. and successfully negotiated its merger with for other companies to co-found United Process Controls. A paralyzing spinal cord injury in 2015 brought unexpected challenges, and Boltz met them with the resilience and determination embodied in a liberal arts education.

Together with his wife and partner Yvonne, Eric co-founded BoltzStrong, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit where they live in Loveland, Ohio to offer adaptive cooking and farming classes for the disabled community. Since opening in August 2022, BoltzStrong has hosted over 250 adaptive classes, serving around 400 individuals alongside their families and caregivers.

09/28/2026

Colorado College Alum Jim Rosenthal (‘70) was recently mentioned in a The New York Times article after his co-creation, The Corsi-Rosenthal Box, was suggested as a solution to worsening air quality in the city after recent wildfires.

A Corsi-Rosenthal Box is a do-it-yourself air purifier made from high-efficiency furnace filters, a standard box fan, and duct tape. It costs about $50 to $150 to build, takes roughly 15 minutes to assemble, and effectively traps dust, pollen, wildfire smoke, and virus-carrying aerosols.

Now CEO of Tex-Air Filters, Jim Rosenthal also co-teaches a course at CC with Professor Andrea Bruder, which includes instructing students and staff how to create their own Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes and distributing them around campus. (Students can sign up in Banner for Half Block 2027: Environmental Health and Science of Indoor Air | GS222).

Read the New York Times article here: https://tinyurl.com/39kxymmd