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For Immediate Release


Contact:
Leslie Weddell
(719) 389-6038
Leslie.Weddell@ColoradoCollege.edu

GRANT ALLOWS FOR GREATER COLLABORATION BETWEEN COLORADO COLLEGE, AIR FORCE ACADEMY

 Joint outings, discussion groups, dinners boost cross-institutional dialogue

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Oct.14, 2011 – Colorado Springs hosts two nationally-ranked undergraduate institutions, Colorado College and the Air Force Academy— separated from one another by a short 15-minute drive and wide cultural, scheduling and administrative differences.

However, a recently awarded $6,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation will allow the schools to break down barriers to cooperation through a series of monthly forums that can range from dinners to receptions before or after an event to interdepartmental research seminars. Colorado College and the Air Force Academy have since further expanded the program to include University of Colorado-Colorado Springs students and faculty in program activities.

The initial efforts will focus on building communication and collaboration in three areas: social sciences, humanities and natural sciences, with each division receiving $2,000 for inter-institutional community building.  Although the political science departments of CC and USAFA have a long history of informal collaboration due to their mutual interest in global studies and international relations, their interaction has been irregular due to a lack of resources.  Within the humanities and natural sciences, the USAFA and CC faculty have had less contact. The grant money is aimed at creating new opportunities for network development in all three divisions.  

Although the program was approved only a month ago, the institutions already have made arrangements for a number of collaborative programs. These include:

• A USAFA/CC student discussion group that will attend major speakers events this year at the two colleges
• A joint student outing of biology students to local fossil beds, with a common reading and group discussion relating to evolutionary biology
• A joint dinner of the political science faculties before a lecture from military analyst Andrew Bacevich
• A possible “Super Tuesday” primary event for students and faculty
• Group student/faculty trips to the theater
• A group discussion of Machiavelli’s “Prince”
• A program of activities relating to the theme of “freedom riding and writing”

It is hoped that as the year progresses, the newly found inter-institutional community will develop a forum in which members share information about research interests, areas of potential collaboration, visiting speakers, talented one-year visiting faculty members and academic resources and strategies.  The goal is to create a communal identity—rather than an institutional one; an identity that will produce leaders willing to work on behalf of a community that extends beyond departments and institutions.

For information, directions or disability accommodation at the events, members of the public may call (719) 389-6607.

About Colorado College
Colorado College is a nationally prominent, four-year liberal arts college that was founded in Colorado Springs in 1874. The college operates on the innovative Block Plan, in which its approximately 2,000 undergraduate students study one course at a time in intensive 3½-week segments. The college also offers a master of arts in teaching degree. For more information, visit www.ColoradoCollege.edu <http://www.ColoradoCollege.edu>.