Overnight visit gave students a firsthand look at campus life
Fort Morgan High School students traded their Eastern Plains classrooms for a day in western Colorado’s Grand Valley this month for a taste of college life, embarking on an overnight trip to Colorado Mesa University on March 6-7. The visit, sparked by an invitation from CMU President John Marshall during his fall Colorado Rural Promise Tour Stop at their school, gave 40 students a firsthand look at the opportunities awaiting them at CMU.
The group arrived in Grand Junction, greeted by admissions staff Melissa Tolson and Mathias Malumba. They kicked off their visit with lunch at CMU Dining in the University Center, joined by current CMU student leaders. From there, admissions ambassadors led a morning-long campus tour, showcasing CMU’s facilities and ending at the Maverick Welcome Center.
President Marshall met with the group in the Welcome Center, continuing his message from a previous September visit to Fort Morgan High School. Marshall shared insights about the CMU Promise of Affordable Education, which offers tuition-free education to Colorado residents from households earning $70,000 or less starting in Fall 2025.
“Seeing these students here, exploring what CMU has to offer, is exactly why we’re out there connecting with communities like Fort Morgan,” Marshall said. “We promise to teach them how to think, not what to believe, as a gateway to a better life through education.”
The afternoon continued with a student panel featuring CMU ambassadors who answered questions about campus life and shared their experiences. Then, the group headed to Unity Field to cheer on the Mavericks women’s lacrosse team and experience a bit of Maverick spirit.
After the game, the students returned to The Caf for dinner before capping the evening with a performance of Ride the Cyclone at Asteria Theatre.
Friday began with a 9 am breakfast at The Caf followed by a quick bus trip to CMU Tech. A tour of the technical and job training programs offered a glimpse into CMU Tech’s hands-on, high-income degree and certificate options. Before heading home, the students grabbed to-go lunches and CMU swag bags prepared by the admissions team and departed for Fort Morgan at noon.
“This visit was about showing these students they belong here,” said Kim Medina, Assistant Vice President of Admissions. “From meeting our president to cheering at a game, they got the full Human Scale University experience.”
The trip builds on CMU’s outreach to rural Colorado, a mission Marshall has championed since launching his statewide tour last fall. For Fort Morgan High School Principal Clint Anderson, the connection is already paying off.
“Our students came back buzzing about CMU,” he said. “It’s exciting to see them take that next step.”
