CSU Pueblo Announces First Graduates from Sturm Collaboration Campus
Release Date: May 11, 2023
Castle Rock, Co. On Thursday, May 11, nine students will receive their bachelor’s degrees at a ceremony held at 4 p.m. at CSU Pueblo’s Sturm Collaboration Campus in Castle Rock, Colorado. This unique group of graduates completed a two-year degree pathway in cybersecurity through a strategic partnership between Arapahoe Community College (ACC) and CSU Pueblo.
“The collaboration between Arapahoe Community College and CSU Pueblo is a testament to the leadership of President Stephanie Fujii and President Timothy Mottet. It was their vision and partnership that brought the 4-year degree program in cybersecurity to fruition,” said representative for the Colorado State University System, Kathay Rennels, Special Advisor to the CSU Chancellor for Rural Initiatives and Interim Vice President of Engagement and Extension.
The idea to create the Sturm Collaborative Campus began with a meeting between ACC and CSU system partners, including Dr. Bruce Raymond, who served as Dean of the Hasan School of Business at the time and encouraged the Computer Information Systems (CIS) faculty to develop degree completion pathways for students and expand enrollment capacity between the two institutions. This potential opportunity eventually launched in 2018 with a total of 12 students enrolled in the first course offered at the Sturm campus. Over the last five years, CSU Pueblo and ACC faculty and staff have worked together to create new opportunities for this student pipeline.
“The Sturm Collaboration Campus is a unique place where collaboration is not just a title – it’s at the heart of everything the faculty and staff do; the hope is that students will move easily into economic opportunities because of the curriculum they are exposed to and the degree they receive,” said Dr. Kristyn White Davis, Interim Executive of the Hasan School of Business and Vice President of Enrollment Management and Extended Studies.
Currently, two bachelor's degree pathways are offered at Sturm: CIS-Cybersecurity and CIS-Secure Software Development. These programs are offered for students who have earned an associate’s degree in CIS or a related field.
“This celebration is the culmination of the hard-work and dedication of both our Front Range area students and our CSU Pueblo faculty,” said Dr. Kathryn Starkey, Dean of Extended Studies. “The pathways provide an excellent opportunity for students who want to expand their skill set and move into higher-paying jobs in the industry. This program is an example of the types of opportunities that exist when vision meets collaboration. The very purpose of Extended Studies is to create programs and strategic partnerships that benefit students throughout the state.”
The Sturm Collaboration Campus opened in 2019 and is a partnership educational center between Arapahoe Community College, Douglas County School District, and the CSU System. This campus allows students in the region to use high school classes and community college credits, including associate degrees, to build toward a four-year degree at CSU Pueblo, CSU Fort Collins and CSU Global.
Colorado State University Pueblo is a comprehensive state university with an enrollment of nearly 4,000 students. With 34 percent of its students Hispanic, it is a designated Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), and a military-friendly university. The university is dedicated to interdisciplinary learning and entrepreneurship that elevates its people and community, creates educational opportunities, fosters unique collaborations, and supports inclusion, access, and affordability as a gateway to the world.
