Quenching Curiosity for 20 Years

Every year when back-to-school season returns, I feel a spark of excitement when I see the aisles of bright highlighters and pristine, freshly lined notebooks in stores. I am nostalgic for the sense of potential in a new season of learning.

How fortunate we are to have the Enrichment Program ready to fulfill those nostalgic dreams and give perpetual life to the best aspects of education: discovery, intellectual reach, personal growth and the joy of community.

For 20 years, the Enrichment Program has served as a sort of friendly “front door” to the University of Denver for anyone in the metro area who wished to benefit from the rich knowledge held by the university’s prestigious faculty. In fact, part of the motivation to create the Enrichment Program in 2003 was to build a stronger bridge between DU (and the noteworthy learning that takes place here) and the communities that surround it.

Over that time, the program has more than fulfilled that mission. Through these convenient and thoughtprovoking courses, you can cultivate an existing interest, explore new intellectual frontiers, and practice new skills that may bring enjoyment for years to come.

The Enrichment Program is one important facet of University College, DU’s college of continuing and professional studies. The college serves adult learners in many ways, including the non-credit Enrichment Program and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at DU (for adults age “50 or better”). We also deliver for-credit graduate education, including career-focused certificates and topranked master’s degree programs, all in formats that work for busy adults. All these offerings are designed to provide DU’s exceptional education in ways that meaningfully augment your quality of life.

This landmark 20th year of the Enrichment Program is a wonderful time to indulge your curiosity and join us in a fascinating course (or five)! We hope you enjoy.

A lot can happen in 20 years.

When the Enrichment Program was launched in 2003, social media was in its infancy, smartphones were relatively rare, the Euro became the currency of the EU, network TV was king and streaming music did not exist. In 2003, the Medicare prescription drug program was launched by President George W. Bush, and the Human Genome Project was completed, profoundly changing the role of genetics in disease diagnosis and management.

Since then, we have experienced the great recession, watched as decades-long laws have been overturned, celebrated a rebirth in the space program, elected the nation’s first Black president, witnessed heart-wrenching mass shootings and lived through a pandemic. Wow.

Meanwhile, the Enrichment Program has grown and adapted to the changing times as well. Initially launched with a handful of on-campus lectures, today’s Enrichment Program offers over 100 short courses and lectures annually covering everything from history to literature to current events. Students of all ages are encouraged to participate on campus, via Zoom or in the community for experiential learning from some of DU’s renowned faculty, industry experts and cultural partners. Enrichment Program students can also learn about the cutting-edge research taking place at the university through the R1: Research With Impact lectures.

Our 20th anniversary gift to you is the Feed Your Curiosity lecture series this August. And we hope you enjoy the new look of this catalog and the treasures contained within including Blues and Rock ‘n’ Roll, Colorado’s Chicano/a/x Movement, Putin and His Wars, Exploring Alaska, and so much more. Twenty years have flown by, and we are excited to see where the next twenty take us. Thank you for being a part of the future and bringing your curiosity along for the ride.

Make every day a learning day,

Michael McGuire Dean, University College

Lynn Wells Director, Enrichment Program