Brand Proof Points

Brand Guide

DU is a special community, built and sustained by inspired and steadfast visionaries. But how do we tell the world? Although there are a million ways DU is different, four distinct, unique value propositions (UVPs) distill and uplift our brand. Already storied and supported by real outcomes with room for future growth, these themes, when used consistently, will enable us to clearly tell our story and shine a light on the perspectives, programs and future offered at the University of Denver.  

Our Proof Points

4D Experience

University of Denver students—past, present and future—benefit from an experience that builds a life of purpose and develops their intellectual growth, character, well-being and careers. 

  • DU Mentorship Programs: These programs help students complete their undergraduate degrees while providing insight and resources to help them reach their career development goals. 

  • Center for Community Engagement to Advance Scholarship & Learning: DU connects all of our campus community members to programming that promotes far-reaching and sustainable outcomes for the public good. 

  • First-Year Seminar Program (FSEM): FSEM courses invite students to explore engaging topics alongside fellow first-year students in small-class environments to hone the academic skills necessary for successful college work. 

  • Pioneer Leadership Program (PLP): A transformational learning experience that combines coursework, a residential community, civic engagement and professional networks aimed at developing 21st century leaders.

  • Living & Learning Communities: LLCs are first-year programs that combine academic learning, residential life and hands-on experiences. These programs deepen student learning and help establish lasting friendships and community connections. 

  • 90% of undergrads are employed after graduation, with a mean salary of $51,598. (2021 Advancement Career Center)  

  • DU has 18 D1 Athletic Teams and is home to the Ritchie Center for Sports & Wellness, where fitness classes, personal training and open recreation sports are available for all DU community members. 

  • Average student/faculty ratio: 22/1 

  • DU students gain real-world experience, with more than 70% gaining an internship during their time at the University, providing them with a professional network upon graduation and a higher potential starting salary.  (2021 Advancement Career Center) 

Campus & Location

With campuses embedded in both the Rocky Mountains and near Denver’s vibrant downtown, the University is a perfect setting for learning, reflection and meaningful connections.  

  • Kennedy Mountain Campus​: The extension of the DU experience to a mountain learning environment is an opportunity that’s unique to DU and offers the chance for students to create memories and traditions (alumni events) that will last long after graduation.  

  • City of Denver​: Denver has a thriving startup scene, 300 days of annual sunshine and a vibrant arts and culture center. DU students will quickly discover why it's one of the best cities in the nation for new careers and livability. Also, many grad students are embedded in the community to improve job prospects. 

  • Chester M. Alter Arboretum: Encompassing much of the DU campus, the Alter Arboretum is home to about 2,100 trees and thousands more woody plants, representing more than 427 species and varieties. The urban forest advances our mission to promote the relationship between people and their environment, provides spaces for memorable and enriching experiences, and furthers our commitment to sustainability on campus.  

  • Newman Center for Performing Arts: The Newman Center offers a kaleidoscopic assortment of innovative, diverse and thought-provoking performance and education opportunities, and serves as a crucial point of community engagement through performing arts.  

  • Community Commons: The Community Commons is a central hub where students can workshop ideas over lunch, meet a new friend for coffee, catch a concert, leverage a one-stop shop for support services and enjoy the best views of the Rockies on campus.

  • RTD: Denver’s extensive bus and light-rail system is free to students and enhances the accessibility to Downtown Denver, Denver International Airport and numerous other destinations throughout the Denver metroplex.

  • Diversity of Denver: The city of Denver is progressively diversifying year after year, with new populations moving to the city. These diverse groups are bringing fresh business ideas and a variety of career opportunities.

  • Denver is #14 in best places to live in U.S. (2021 US News Real Estate)

  • Denver is the #3 fastest growing city in the U.S. (2020 Forbes)

  • 66% of undergrad graduates remain in CO for first job. (2021 Advancement Career Center)

Collaborative Problem-Solving

Our community collaborates on research that breaks new ground, enhances knowledge, addresses inequities and channels passions to serve the public good.  

  • DU Prison Arts Initiative​: DU generates creative and collaborative learning experiences that enrich the lives of people who are incarcerated and shift the conversation about prison. Their programs deliver arts-based experiences that are educational, therapeutic and reflective.  

  • CCESL Collective Impact Cohorts​: This initiative unites diverse entities (e.g., departments at DU or agencies across Denver) in a way that supports the collective good, focusing on issues like crime and safety, migration, housing and food insecurity, and urban environmental sustainability. 

  • COVID Research & Collaboration with National Jewish Health: DU and National Jewish Health, one of the country’s leading respiratory hospitals, have collaborated as an integrated task force, building COVID safe initiatives for bringing the DU community back to campus.

  • CiBiC Research Center: The Consumer insights and Business innovation Center at the Daniels College of Business engages DU students, faculty and members by providing a multi-functional space for collecting and interpreting data about how humans feel, think and behave.

  • Sturm Center: This clinic is both an academic clinical training site and a community behavioral health center for veterans, service members and their families, providing high-quality, evidence-based and confidential services.

  • Center for Orthopaedic Biomechanics: Teams of engineers at the DU Center for Orthopaedic Biomechanics work with patients, clinicians and orthopedic companies to help improve the future of orthopedic treatment. With current grants from NSF, NIH, implant manufacturers and research foundations, the Center is performing state-of-the-art research and has a strong record of publication and external support.

  • SEED Research Center: A community of students, postdocs and faculty, aim to advance SEED Science - an approach to understanding stress, early experiences and development that promotes intergenerational health, wellbeing and resilience.

  • DUGC Urban Sustainability Cohort: The Urban Sustainability Cohort brings faculty, staff, students and regional community leaders together to create a world where ecosystems and societies can thrive. 

  • Daniels Community Outreach Program: The Daniels Community Outreach Program develops partnerships of students, faculty, nonprofit, for-profit and government agencies to foster civic engagement and strengthen educational experiences. 

  • R1 Research Opportunities: As an R1 institution, DU can offer opportunities to professors who take the very latest knowledge back into the classroom to share with their students. 

Global Citizenship

At the University of Denver (DU), we inspire communities to think and act globally, inclusively and equitably invested in addressing our planet’s most pressing problems and advancing social justice.  

  • Study Abroad: DU’s robust study abroad offerings guide intercultural learning and provide diverse support for our students and partners abroad. With 75% of students taking advantage, DU is ranked 8th nationally for study abroad program participation(2021 Office of Internationalization). 

  • Josef Korbel School of International Studies​: Through scholarship, teaching and public engagement, The Korbel Schools works to create a more secure, equitable, just, democratic and sustainable world. 

  • Cherrington Global Scholars Program​: This scholarship program offers eligible students the chance to study abroad at a cost comparable to a term at DU, which provides more students with the chance to broaden their horizons and fully participate in a global community. 

  • Sié Center: The Sié Chéou-Kang Center for International Security and Diplomacy advances knowledge and practice around global security, prosperity, and social justice through innovative research, interdisciplinary education, and thoughtful engagement with others who strive for a more just, prosperous, and peaceful world.  

  • DEI Initiatives: Individuals and partnerships across campus strive to make equitable and inclusionary changes for the campus community to modernize and optimize our culture.  

  • Daniels Leadership Experience: The Daniels College of Business offers a 5-day, transformational workshop designed to challenge students to think and perform differently to reach their leadership potential through improved self-awareness, collaboration, energy management and culture-setting. 

  • Institute for Comparative and Regional Studies: The Institute conducts research, facilitates dialogue and provides advanced instruction in comparative and regional studies to address the pressing global challenges. 

  • Pardee Center for Global Futures: The Pardee Center uses data and tools to analyze our complex world and the long-term dynamics of change in human, social and natural systems to improve our global future.  

  • Global Master’s Program: Consisting of three years at DU and two years abroad, this program allows students to seamlessly earn both their Bachelor's and Master's degrees while gaining immersive experience in communities around the globe.  

  • MBA International Business Programs: All MBA candidates go on global trips to work with businesses internationally while learning about business in global environments. 

  • Tribal Wills Project: Denver Law students travel to American Indian reservations at the invitation of the tribes to spend a week drafting much-needed wills, medical powers of attorney, living wills and burial instructions for tribal members. 

What Are We Missing?

Is there another compelling proof point you're aware of that's not listed here? Let us know and we'll add it, so all DU communicators can tell the strongest stories possible about the University.

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