University of Northern Colorado

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University of Northern Colorado
University of Northern Colorado seal.svg
Former names
State Normal School of Colorado (1889–1935)
Colorado State College of Education at Greeley (1935–1957)
Colorado State College (1957–1970)
MottoSapientia in aeternum est (Latin)
Motto in English
Wisdom is Eternal
Type Public university
EstablishedApril 1, 1889;136 years ago (1889-04-01)
Academic affiliations
 Space-grant
Endowment $119.4 million (2024) [1]
President Andy Feinstein
Provost Kirsten Fleming [2]
Academic staff
686 [3]
Students8,869 (Fall 2024) [4]
Undergraduates 6,480 (Fall 2024) [4]
Postgraduates 2,389 (Fall 2024) [4]
Location
Greeley, Colorado
,
United States
CampusSuburban
260 acres (1.1 km2) [3]
Colors Blue and gold [5]
   
Nickname Bears
Sporting affiliations
 NCAA Division I FCS – Big Sky
MascotKlawz the Bear
Website unco.edu OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
University of Northern Colorado logo.svg
University of Northern Colorado
Academic rankings
National
U.S. News & World Report [6] 352
Normal School, Greeley, Colorado (1902) Normal School, Greeley, Colorado (The Journal of Education, 1902).png
Normal School, Greeley, Colorado (1902)
West Campus, Northern Vision Sculpture. Bishop Lehr Hall is visible on the right, and McKee Hall of Education and Ross Hall of Science are on the left. UNCBEARWEST.jpg
West Campus, Northern Vision Sculpture. Bishop Lehr Hall is visible on the right, and McKee Hall of Education and Ross Hall of Science are on the left.

The University of Northern Colorado (UNCO or UNC) is a public university in Greeley, Colorado, United States. [8] It was founded in 1889 as the State Normal School of Colorado and took on its current name in 1970. Approximately 10,000 students are enrolled in six colleges. Extended campus locations are in Loveland, Denver/Aurora, and Colorado Springs. [9] The university has a long history in teacher education. [10] UNCO's 19 athletic teams compete in NCAA Division I as members of the Big Sky Conference. [9]

Contents

History

On April 1, 1889, governor of Colorado Job A. Cooper [a] approved senate bill 104 that officially established State Normal School of Colorado, with citizens of Greeley raising $11,175 to build the first building, Cranford Hall, named in honor of John P. Cranford who donated 21.3 acres of land for the school. [14] Construction of Cranford Hall, as well as the east and central parts of the school were completed between 1890 and 1895, with the west wing being completed in 1902. [15] The University opened on October 6th, 1890, with Thomas J. Gray acting as the university's first president, and only 4 instructors and 96 students attended the school. [16] On June 5th, 1911, the institution changed its name to the Colorado State Teachers College with House bill 258. After this, the university changed its name three more times. On February 16th, 1935, it changed to Colorado State College of Education, at Greeley, on February 11th, 1957, it simplified to Colorado State College, and on May 1st, 1970, it changed to its current form. [17]

Presidents

The university has had 13 presidents since its establishment: [18]

Campus

UNCO's Snyder Hall, a dormitory on Central Campus Snyder Hall.jpg
UNCO's Snyder Hall, a dormitory on Central Campus

The campus is divided into two main areas: central and west. [20] UNCO's Central Campus includes the areas north of 20th Street and west of 8th Avenue in Greeley, Colorado. The residence halls on Central Campus have been designated a state historic district. [21]

Organization

The board of trustees for the university oversees the administration and approves the university annual budget. Several members of the university's administrative team are ex officio members of the board. [22]

Undergraduate demographics as of Fall 2023 [23]
Race and ethnicityTotal
White 60%
 
Hispanic 26%
 
Two or more races 5%
 
Black 4%
 
Asian 2%
 
International student 1%
 
Unknown1%
 
Economic diversity
Low-income [b] 29%
 
Affluent [c] 71%
 

Athletics

Northern Colorado Athletics wordmark UNC Bears.png
Northern Colorado Athletics wordmark

Sports teams at the school are called Bears. Northern Colorado joined the Big Sky Conference on July 1, 2006. The school mascot is Klawz the Bear and the school colors are navy blue and gold. The Fight Song is the "UNC Fight Song". Northern Colorado's Athletic Director is Darren Dunn.

A number of the university's alumni have gone on to have professional sports careers. Vincent Jackson attended and played football at Northern Colorado from 2001 to 2004 before being drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the 2005 NFL draft. Other football alumni of the school include punter Dirk Johnson, quarterback Kyle Sloter, safety Reed Doughty, and defensive lineman Aaron Smith.

Before upgrading to NCAA Division I in 2006, UNCO was a member of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference from 1923 to 1972 and the Great Plains Athletic Conference (1972–76). Following several years of being conference independent, the university joined the North Central Conference. The Bears have won two Division II Football National Championships in 1996 and 1997. On March 9, 2011, the Bears won the Big Sky Conference tournament championship in men's basketball, clinching a trip to the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, the first in the school's history. The Northern Colorado men's baseball program also ranks among the top 15 schools for most all-time NCAA College World Series appearances, tied with the University of Oklahoma at ten appearances apiece. The Northern Colorado women's softball team appeared in the first eleven Women's College World Series ever held in 1969–1979, advancing to but losing the title game in 1974. [24]

Mascots

The university's mascot, "Klawz" Klawz, University of Northern Colorado mascot, 2005 Homecoming.jpg
The university's mascot, "Klawz"

The bear became UNCO's mascot in 1923. Before the school adopted the bear, athletes used the nickname "the Teachers." [25] The bear was said to be inspired by a bear on top of an Alaskan totem pole donated by an 1897 alumnus in 1914. The totem pole was kept in the University Center, but under the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990, the pole was reclaimed by the Tlingit in 2003.

Klawz is the newest addition to the long line of Bears mascots.

Notable alumni

Notes

  1. ↑ There were 2 governors in 1889: Alva Adams ended his term January 8, 1889, and Job A. Cooper started his term on January 8, 1889. [11] [12] [13]
  2. ↑ The percentage of students who received an income-based federal Pell grant intended for low-income students.
  3. ↑ The percentage of students who are a part of the American middle class at the bare minimum.

References

  1. ↑ "U.S. and Canadian 2024 NCSE Participating Institutions Listed by Fiscal Year 2024 Endowment Market Value, Change in Market Value from FY23 to FY24, and FY24 Endowment Market Values Per Full-time Equivalent Student" (XLSX). National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO). February 12, 2025. Archived from the original on February 12, 2025. Retrieved February 12, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Office of the Provost" . Retrieved June 24, 2022.
  3. 1 2 "About The University of Northern Colorado".
  4. 1 2 3 "2024 Fall Final Enrollment Profile" (PDF). unco.edu.
  5. ↑ UNC Style Guide (PDF). March 1, 2018. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
  6. ↑ "2025-2026 Best National Universities Rankings". U.S. News & World Report . September 23, 2025. Retrieved November 12, 2025.
  7. ↑ "Northern Vision an Sculpture by Dawn Weimer on SculptSite.com". sculptsite.com. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  8. ↑ "About the University of Northern Colorado". About UNC. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  9. 1 2 UNC Impact 2014. University of Northern Colorado.
  10. ↑ The Campus History Series, University of Northern Colorado, by Mark Anderson and Jay Trask, 2010, Arcadia Publishing
  11. ↑ "Job Adams Cooper - National Governors Association". National Governors Association. 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  12. ↑ "Alva Adams Cooper - National Governors Association". National Governors Association. 2026. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  13. ↑ Waldo, Peggy (February 2, 2026). "Historic Hindsights: How John P. Cranford helped build Greeley". Greeley Tribune . Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  14. ↑ Trask, Jay. "Research Guides: Celebrating 125 Years of the University of Northern Colorado: Grounds and Buildings". libguides.unco.edu. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  15. ↑ "Historic Hindsights: How John P. Cranford helped build Greeley". Greeley Tribune. February 2, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  16. ↑ "Alumni History and Traditions". University of Northern Colorado. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  17. ↑ Okayasu, Kate. "Research Guides: UNC History: Past Institution Names". libguides.unco.edu. Retrieved February 6, 2026.
  18. ↑ "Past Presidents".
  19. ↑ "President Andy Feinstein at the University of Northern Colorado". Office of the President. Retrieved July 11, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Our Campus". University of Northern Colorado. Retrieved February 5, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Weld County". Colorado Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. December 28, 2010. Archived from the original on December 28, 2010. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Board of Trustees for the University of Northern Colorado".
  23. ↑ "College Scorecard: University of Northern Colorado". College Scorecard. United States Department of Education . Retrieved June 23, 2025.
  24. ↑ Plummer, William; Floyd, Larry C. (2013). A Series Of Their Own: History Of The Women's College World Series. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States: Turnkey Communications Inc. ISBN   978-0-9893007-0-4.
  25. ↑ Various The Mirrors and Cache La Poudres

Further reading

40°24′17″N104°41′48″W / 40.404853°N 104.696741°W / 40.404853; -104.696741

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