°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÀúÊ·¼Ç¼
Our Mission & Vision
The Center of the American West isÌýa recognized hub for illuminating the role of the western United States in regional, national and global issues.ÌýWeÌýbring people together to explore the ongoing complexities of and challenges facing the western United States through education, research, programs, and projects.
Our Guiding Values,ÌýPrincples, and Strategic Priorities
GuidedÌýby 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 °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ campus community, and to (4) engage with audiences and stakeholders in Colorado and beyond.
Our Programs
In ourÌýAcademic 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 ourÌýWestern American Studies Certificate Program,ÌýGrace Kempton Student Dinners,ÌýInternships,ÌýHoffman Scholars,ÌýThompson Awards for Western American Writing, and theÌýBeardsley 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 includeÌýenergy, immigration, public lands,Ìýwater, wildfire, and much more! We have a library ofÌý¸é±ð²õ´Ç³Ü°ù³¦±ð²õÌýto help the public navigate the often complicated underlying issues we face.
In addition, the Center has published numerous books, includingÌýthe influentialÌýAtlas of the New West, and a series of lively, balanced, and to-the-point reports on compelling Western issues, includingÌýThe Nation Possessed,ÌýÌýHydraulic Fracturing Glossary,ÌýGlosario del Fracturamiento Hidráulico,ÌýWhat Every Westerner Should Know °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ Energy,Ìý,ÌýK-12 Education Resource SetsÌýandÌýWhat Every Westerner Should Know °ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÀúÊ·¼Ç¼ Energy Efficiency and Conservation. Our film,ÌýThe Lover’s Guide to the West, chronicles the past, present, and future of America’s love affair with energy.Ìý
History
°ÄÃÅÁùºÏ²ÊÀúÊ·¼Ç¼’s Center of the American West was founded in 1986 by Patty Limerick, and CU Law Professor Charles Wilkinson.ÌýIn 2022, Tom Zeiler became the interim Faculty Director.