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2018 Colorado Capital Conference Seeks Participants

Colorado- U.S. Senators Cory Gardner and Michael Bennet together with Colorado Mesa University, the University of Colorado and Colorado State University invite all Colorado residents to apply to the Colorado Capital Conference held in Washington, D.C. on June 12-14, 2018.

One hundred Coloradans from a diverse cross-section of our state will be selected through a highly competitive application process to participate in this bipartisan conference. During the event, they will have an opportunity to hear from and interact with our nation’s leaders in an informal setting.

“Without an informed public, representative democracy does not work. Events like the Colorado Capital Conference are an essential part of creating that informed public, and I’m grateful to CMU, CU and CSU for organizing this gathering. This conference gives Coloradans an opportunity to interact with and learn from academics, business leaders, and policymakers, and, more importantly, gives those of us in public life a chance to hear and learn from Coloradans,” Gardner stated.

"The Colorado Capital Conference allows us to hear from Coloradans and better understand what issues are most important to them," stated Bennet. "We are grateful to our partnering universities and Senator Gardner for helping to arrange this conference. It's an excellent opportunity to connect with more of the people who make Colorado a great place to live and work."

Colorado Mesa University President Tim Foster is pleased that the university is again a sponsor. “A healthy republic relies upon active, informed citizen participation in every level of government,” Foster said. “This conference gives Coloradans an audience with key decision-makers in Washington, D.C.”

University of Colorado Colorado Springs Chancellor Venkat Reddy believes the conference provides numerous benefits to Colorado residents: “Our democracy works best when we have informed and engaged citizens, and the Capital Conference helps achieve both those imperatives. It is an excellent overview of how the legislative process works and it provides insight into how our government works. We are proud to partner with Senators Bennet and Gardner, as well as President Tim Foster and Colorado Mesa University, and President Tony Frank and Colorado State University to make this opportunity available.”

CSU’s Dr. Tony Frank agrees: “Citizen participation is the cornerstone of representative democracy, and that requires that people have the information, insight, and confidence to speak up and engage in our government. The Colorado Capital Conference is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for Colorado citizens to get a close-up look at the legislative process, learn more about important issues affecting our state, and share ideas with decision makers. We are grateful to Senators Bennet and Gardner for their leadership in organizing the conference for the citizens we all serve, and we’re proud to partner with two great Colorado universities to support it.”

All applications must be received no later than March 21, 2018. Conference participants will be announced no later than April 16. Participants are responsible for their own accommodations (at a group rate) and airfare. There is a $375 registration fee, which covers most meals and conference materials. For more information on the conference or to apply, visit www.coloradomesa.edu/capitalconference or call 970.623.9388.

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