Parent Programs

The CU Parents Association (CUPA) sponsors a variety of excellent activities and programs that assist parents, students, and the university.

• Freshman Scholarships and Continuing Student Scholarships – Primarily through the Parent Fund, CUPA conducts fundraising activities whose proceeds are used for freshman and continuing student scholarships. In addition, we provide LEAD Alliance scholarships for students of color and first generation students. The continuing student scholarships are cooperatively given with the CU Alumni Association. CUPA Board members select our scholarship recipients.
  
  
• Grant Application – CUPA annually provides special funding to assist the university in enhancing the college experience of undergraduate students. These grants are available to departments within the Division of Student Affairs and student groups and help in such areas as safety, diversity, career services, community building, and civic engagement.
  Download Grant Application (MS Word Document). CUPA Board members select our grant recipients.
  
  
• Marinus Smith Faculty/Staff Recognition Award – Named for Marinus Smith, a Boulder resident who was instrumental in establishing the University of Colorado in Boulder, these awards recognize faculty and staff who have had a significant, positive impact on the lives of one or more CU-Boulder undergraduates.

  The CU Parents Association (CUPA) is asking your help identifying worthy nominees for this honor.  Please ask your CU student to identify a person at CU who is deserving of this recognition, and to indicate how this person has made a positive impact on their life.  Tell us about this outstanding faculty or staff member by downloading and completing the nomination form below.  Please return your nomination form by mail, fax or email no later than January 31, 2010.

  Office of Parent Relations
  The University of Colorado-Boulder
  120 UCB
  Boulder, Colorado 80309-0120

  Fax:  303-492-0039

  Email: parents@colorado.edu
  

  Please note that the CUPA Board of Directors will review all nominations to ensure that they are consistent with CUPA goals.  Moreover, the CUPA Board reserves the right to decline a nomination if it does not meet this basic criterion. 

  Those individuals chosen for this recognition and their nominators will be invited to a spring 2009 luncheon/recognition ceremony.

  Download Marinus Smith Award Nomination Form
  
  

• The CU Proud Award
  

  The CU Proud Award recognizes students who make CU proud by virtue of exemplary acts of character, courage or compassion, on or off the CU campus, in Boulder or elsewhere in the world. Any fulltime CU-Boulder student whose exemplary acts make CU proud to call him/her one of its own is eligible for the award.
  
  Purposely, there are few constraints on the criteria necessary to qualify for a CU Proud Award.  It was developed to provide an opportunity to recognize students’ actions and accomplishments where no other means existed. For example, the CU Proud Award is not given for academic merit. Recognition programs already exist for achievement in this area. The award recognizes students whose behavior or actions set a standard for other students to strive for. The CU Proud Award hopes to encourage acts of character, courage, compassion, generosity, inclusion, initiative, integrity, humanitarianism, personal responsibility and/or service.
  
  Nominations will be accepted from any person (within or outside the University) who has verifiable knowledge about the student’s behavior.
  Download CU Proud Process and Criteria
  Download CU Proud Award Nomination Form
  
  Please send completed nomination forms to the Office of Parent Relations via e-mail, fax or regular mail
  
  Office of Parent Relations
  Attn: CU Proud Award
  University Club Suite A-4, 120 UCB
  Boulder, CO 80309-0120
  
  Fax: 303-492-0039, Attn: CU Proud Award
  
  Email: parents@colorado.edu
   
  Nominations will be considered monthly during the academic year. Award winners and their nominators will be notified by the CU Office of Parent Relations. A CUPA Board member committee assists in the selection of CU Proud recipients.

• CU Parent Newsletter – CUPA publishes a great newsletter dedicated to keeping parents informed of current campus activities, information, and issues. IT is mailed to your student's permanent address they have put in their academic records.

• CU Parent E-Connection Newsletter - All CUPA members will receive this email update on a regular basis, usually every two weeks and more often as needed.

• Twitter - CUPA members can follow George "Barney" Ballinger and the Office of Parent Relations at CUBuffParents.
  
  
• Information and Referral – Office of Parent Relations staff can answer parent questions and concerns, and help them navigate through the university system. For assistance, call 303-492-1380 or email parents@colorado.edu. For information about planning your visit to Boulder, including hotel accommodations, explore Visit Colorado.
  
  
• Other Parent Volunteer Opportunities - National Alumni Admissions Assistance Program, Minority Network and Parent Volunteers in Support of Admissions