A Message from Manya

The Future of Science at CC

Dear CC Alumni,

Did you know that each year, approximately 40% of Colorado College’s graduating class are science majors? Our strength in the sciences may not be what you’d expect from a small, private liberal arts college — but when you consider all the ways a CC education maximizes experiential and applied learning, it begins to make a lot more sense.

The immersive, flexible nature of the Block Plan enables an academic experience our peer institutions cannot match. Our location in the Rocky Mountain West means students can head just up the road to take a snow science course — one of our most popular topics in chemistry — or investigate the cause of the advancing treeline on Pikes Peak. Students can study abroad for just one block or a full semester, researching tropical forests and coral reef ecology in Belize or examining the intersection of cultural change and environmental instability in the Himalayas. And our proximity to downtown provides ample opportunities for students to collaborate with faculty, studying erosion patterns along the Fountain Creek Watershed using GIS analysis or translating neuroscience research into basic lessons about the brain for local K-12 students.

Because we teach the sciences within the framework of the liberal arts, our graduates are more prepared than many STEM majors to address the complex issues facing our world today. Challenges like climate change, communicable disease, even artificial intelligence, cannot be solved in a silo. They require the expertise of leaders in domestic and international policy, economics and business, sociology, education, history, and more. Similarly, a liberal arts education at CC is fundamentally interdisciplinary. Our students are continually reconciling what they learn across multiple fields of study and applying it to real-world scenarios that demand an ability to synthesize diverse knowledge, adapt to changing circumstances, and utilize ethical reasoning.

CC students graduate with the ideal combination of “hard” and “human” skills, pairing data analysis with emotional intelligence, disciplinary writing with cultural awareness. That’s the result of spending three hours daily, plus lab time, in discussion and reflection with peers and professors. It’s what comes of participating in our summer SCoRe program or pursuing independent projects through a Venture grant.

Our commitment to hands-on learning has sparked student interests, and demand for the sciences is rising faster than ever at CC. Many popular courses, especially those in environmental science and computer and data sciences, are seeing long waitlists — and yet, the world needs our students more than ever.

That’s why we are embarking on a capital project to expand and update our science infrastructure — strengthening our academic position while delivering the world-class experiences our students deserve. The main features will be a new building with modern, customizable teaching labs; an airy atrium connecting the new construction to Olin Hall; and a complete renovation of Olin to become multifunctional classroom and office space. The new spaces will be customizable and modular, providing flexibility for faculty and students while emphasizing sustainable construction and inclusive design.

You can learn more about the vision and timeline at www.coloradocollege.edu/sciencebuilding.

This issue of The Peak highlights several alumni who are making a meaningful difference in their communities through the sciences. Each story reminds me of the impact of what we cultivate here at CC. You are the legacy of our first 150 years.

And as our current students tell me about their innovative research — and we plan for an expansion that will benefit generations to come — I feel an even greater sense of excitement for the next 150.

With appreciation,

Manya Whitaker
Interim President