One hundred years ago, Mesa County residents voted to tax themselves in order to establish a college in Grand Junction. At the time, the Colorado Legislature initially declined to provide funding, so voters overwhelmingly approved a mill levy and secured additional support from the local Lions and Rotary clubs. On April 10, 1925, Grand Junction Junior College was founded, enrolling 39 students in its inaugural two-year program.

*Photos courtesy of Colorado Mesa University*

A century later, Colorado Mesa University (CMU) is marking its Centennial with another first: bringing Broadway productions to Grand Junction. These shows will take place at CMU’s new, state-of-the-art Asteria Theatre, which opened in 2024.

As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary and Colorado marks 150 years of statehood, CMU’s Century Project will commemorate the university’s 100th anniversary with a yearlong series of events, including special presentations, performances and celebrations throughout the 2025-26 academic year, according to Robin Brown, vice president of development and CEO of the CMU Foundation.

Celebrations kicked off for staff and faculty on Aug. 22, 2025 with a documentary premiere of Long May We Live, produced especially for the Century Project by alumni Herry Fuentes and Jaden Quan of Jhova Media. A public screening is scheduled for Oct. 23 at the Asteria Theatre.

FROM JUNIOR COLLEGE TO UNIVERSITY

In 1937, after a period of steady growth, the two-year Grand Junction Junior College was renamed Mesa College. By the mid-1970s, it had transitioned into a four-year college offering bachelor’s degrees. Another name change followed in 1988, when it became Mesa State College. In 1996, the college introduced its first master’s program.

Finally, in 2011, the Board of Trustees and the State of Colorado officially renamed the institution Colorado Mesa University to reflect its growing student population and more than 100 undergraduate programs, including certificate, associate and bachelor’s-level degrees. Since then, CMU has continued to grow, adding a number of graduate-level programs to its curriculum.

In 2005, the university added a two-year open-admission division at Western Colorado Community College, which has since been renamed CMU Tech. The community college offers technical certificates and associate degrees. Additionally, CMU has a branch campus in Montrose.

Another important CMU milestone is the addition of St. Mary’s Medical Center, which houses the university’s physician assistant, physical therapy and occupational therapy graduate programs. The State of Colorado did not allocate funding for this project, so, “we went out and found philanthropic, local government and private sector support,” says CMU President John Marshall. “It’s a ‘yes’ ethos — a powerful example of how we found a way.”

Tim Foster served as Colorado Mesa University president from 2004 to 2021. He recalls how Mesa State College struggled financially when it was part of a consortium of state schools. When Mesa State College acquired its own governing board in 2003, it gained more control over its finances, which allowed it to grow. Prior to that time, there were not enough dormitories on campus to meet the need, says Foster.

“When I got there, we didn’t have enough housing — we were putting students up in hotels,” Foster recalls. “If you can’t provide housing, students will go somewhere else. We more than doubled the dorm capacity over the years — from 800 to more than 2,000. Being independent allowed us to do that.” Three new dormitories were built, and old dorms were renovated.

HONORING PEOPLE WHO SHAPED CMU

CMU Special Collections and Archives Librarian Amber D’Ambrosio spent a year collaborating with Foster and Grand Junction writer Kristen Lummis on a high-quality coffee table book celebrating notable people and stories from the university’s 100-year history. Among them is Mary Elizabeth Hendrickson, one of the first students to graduate and receive her pilot’s license from the college’s Pavilion Pilot training program, established in 1939. “I found that interesting because women didn’t have a lot of opportunities back then,” D’Ambrosio says. “It was surprising that one of our first aviation students was a woman.”

D’Ambrosio also uncovered a surprising moment in CMU’s history involving former U.S. President Gerald Ford. In 1974, Ford’s visit to Grand Junction happened to coincide with the university’s homecoming weekend — both events were scheduled at Lincoln Park. Rather than rescheduling, the college invited him to take part. “He agreed to be part of the ceremony,” says D’Ambrosio. “President Ford ended up crowning the Homecoming Queen that evening.”

The 192-page coffee table book is available for purchase at the campus bookstore and at CMU Downtown, located at 500 Main St. in Grand Junction. CMU supporter Rock Tope wrote the foreword, and President Marshall contributed both the introduction and afterword.

“As we think about our 100 years, it’s really a story about the people who made this place what it is,” Marshall says. “Mary Rait was one of those remarkable people who had a significant impact on this university.” Rait began teaching at the college in 1925, and became the school’s first vice president in 1937 — a position she held for 23 years. The original women’s dormitory was named for her. While that building has since been demolished, a new dorm has been constructed and named for Rait. A bronze statue of Rait will be installed on campus sometime during the school year.

A YEAR OF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS

An Academic Passport Open House will be held on Oct. 24 from noon to 5 p.m., inviting students, alumni and community members to explore CMU’s academic departments and learn more about its programs.

On Dec. 5, community members are invited to step back in time for a Roaring 20s Party at Davis House, the university’s hospitality venue, located at 1520 N. 7th St. The historic property has been remodeled to resemble a home built in the early 1920s, says Brown. Guests are encouraged to dress up in period attire — think flapper dresses, pearls, pinstripes and fedoras — for an evening of classic cocktails, decadent appetizers, lively music and nonstop dancing. This is a ticketed event.

Coming up in February 2026 is “Becoming CMU: 100 Years in the Making” – a three-part presentation of stories collated by Foster. This presentation will take place at the university’s Black Box Theatre and is free and open to the public.

The Century Project’s grand finale will take place on April 10, 2026, with the CMU Century Gala on the second floor of the University Center. Guests are encouraged to dress in the style of their favorite decade and will move through various rooms, each uniquely decorated to reflect a different era from the university’s 100- year history.

For a schedule of all the events commemorating CMU’s Centennial anniversary year, visit cmucentury.com.

Originally published in the fall 2025 issue of Spoke+Blossom.

Colorado Mesa University Celebrates 100th Anniversary: Presentations, Block Parties, Galas + More Mark Centennial Year

FROM JUNIOR COLLEGE TO UNIVERSITY

HONORING PEOPLE WHO SHAPED CMU

A YEAR OF CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS