Colorado State University honors the Everitts as part of Founders Day

On Wednesday, Feb. 11, Colorado State University will honor the creation of the institution, the values that have sustained it, and its mission of service through teaching, research and engagement with a Founders Day celebration.

As part of the 145th anniversary of Colorado’s own land-grant institution, the university will honor Bob and Joyce Everitt with the prestigious Founders Day Medal beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Lory Student Center Ballroom on campus. Bob was one of the first industry partners of the College of Business, and was instrumental in spreading the word about the college within the industry. The Everitts’ commitment to fostering business education through partnerships with businesses resulted in the creation of the Everitt Real Estate Center within the college.

Bob is known to many as the best example of a “founding father” of Fort Collins, because of his family’s long history of real estate and community development. The original Everitt Lumber Company, founded in 1953, has grown into the Everitt Companies, which has developed numerous residential subdivisions and commercial buildings throughout Northern Colorado, such as the Foothills Fashion Mall.

The Everitts’ philanthropic, community, and business contributions to Fort Collins and CSU are too numerous to list. They include an early history of partnering with Don Dobler, the first dean of the CSU College of Business, to help raise funds for program development and scholarships. The Everitts also started the Summit Fund, a student investment fund in the College of Business that exposes students to real-world investing decisions.

Other events will occur at both the state Capitol in Denver and on campus in Fort Collins.

Denver

Beginning at 8 a.m., there will be a legislative reception with CSU System Chancellor Michael Martin, CSU President Tony Frank, CSU Global President Becky Takeda-Tinker, and CSU-Pueblo President Lesley Di Mare, in Community Room 0109 of the Capitol.

The 34-member CSU Chamber Choir will perform on the third floor rotunda of the Capitol, as well as in both the House and Senate chambers. Several lawmakers will present a proclamation in honor of CSU Founders Day, which will be read on both the House and Senate floors.

Fort Collins

Students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends are invited to join CAM the Ram and the CSU cheerleaders on the plaza of the main campus for CSU’s birthday celebration. The celebration begins at 1:45 p.m. in honor of the 145 years CSU has been in existence. A photo booth also will be available to commemorate the event.

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