About

Image of American Bison on sage grass prairie

Our Mission & Vision

The Center of the American West is a recognized hub for illuminating the role of the western United States in regional, national and global issues. We bring people together to explore the ongoing complexities of and challenges facing the western United States through education, research, programs, and projects.

Our Guiding Values, Princples, and Strategic Priorities

Guided by our values and principles of Inclusivity, Community, Commitment, Collaboration, and Curiosity, our strategic priorities are to (1) educate students, (2) enable research collaborations, (3) connect with our CU Boulder campus community, and to (4) engage with audiences and stakeholders in Colorado and beyond.

Our Programs

In our Academic Programs, we sponsor a wide range of opportunities, giving students the chance to venture beyond classrooms and textbooks and to interact with leading scholars, writers, public servants, and faculty members. These opportunities include our Western American Studies Certificate Program, Internships, Hoffman Scholars, and the Beardsley Family Scholarship.

Our Projects and Publications

The Center of the American West works on a variety of regional issues as diverse as the West itself. They include energy, immigration, public lands, water, wildfire, and much more! We have a library of Resources to help the public navigate the often complicated underlying issues we face.

History

CU Boulder’s Center of the American West was founded in 1986 by Patty Limerick, and CU Law Professor Charles Wilkinson. In 2022, Tom Zeiler became the interim Faculty Director. In July 2024, Thomas Andrews stepped in as permanent Faculty Director.