The Luff family of Boulder, Colorado is committed to “follow” their charitable giving, meaning that they actively engage in the organizations they sponsor by volunteering their time, energy, and creativity to ensure success.

For instance, the family’s latest multi-year financial commitment to the University of Colorado Boulder Conference on World Affairs (CWA), accompanies many years of volunteering and engagement. Robin Luff has generously served in various volunteer capacities with the CWA since 2015, and is currently the 2020-21 community program vice-chair.

Over this period, Robin has been responsible for helping to recruit a diverse and prestigious set of speakers from across the globe to attend the CWA, but her most distinctive contribution is her relentless commitment to involve CU students and to ensure that CWA programming is of interest to the student body. 

The Luff family -- Robin and Kevin and their two sons Kerrick and Aidan (both students at CU Boulder) -- also support the community through their championing of Watson Institute and Emergency Family Assistance. They have also worked closely with a small group of low-income students to ensure their successes and support their challenges while attending CU.

When asked about the recent decision to make a second, 4-year commitment to the CWA, Robin shared, “We have great enthusiasm for where CWA is going as an organization and I’m most energized to see the CU student involvement growing.”

“With the reality of state funding for higher education being reduced, we want to make sure CWA can hold their own and continue providing a forum for important dialogue about the current, collective issues we face as a community,” said Robin. “CWA is incredibly valuable for the Boulder community and the students of the university; we want to see it continue to grow for another 70-plus years.”

For his part, CWA faculty director John Griffin emphasizes the critical contribution to the CWA that the Luff family has made in recent years. “We’re incredibly indebted to the Luffs and especially to Robin for the confidence shown in the CWA and the emotional investment made.  Over the last 6 years, Robin cas been absolutely central to making the CWA possible and to helping us thrive.”     

Every spring, the CWA presents hundreds of panels and performances to an audience of students and community members featuring diverse experts from across the globe. The program is curated by a vast network of dedicated student and community volunteers and is free and open to the public. CWA has also now added monthly events open to the public, to extend the CWA experience throughout the year.

To become involved as a CWA volunteer or support the CWA by making a tax-deductible contribution, visit www.colorado.edu/cwa.