[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 44 (Thursday, March 29, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E491-E492]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      HONORING THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO--125 YEARS OF EDUCATING

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. MARK UDALL

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 29, 2001

  Mr. UDALL of Colorado. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of an 
institution that has improved the lives of thousands of people, the 
University of Colorado. The university is celebrating 125 years of 
providing a superior education to the people of Colorado, the Nation, 
and individuals from around the world.
  The university, which was established in 1876, opened its doors on 
September 5, 1877, with just one building, 2 instructors, and 44 
students. Since its founding, the University of Colorado has grown from 
one building in Boulder to four different campuses throughout the 
State. The Boulder campus alone has nearly 200 buildings and includes 
10 colleges and schools. Over the course of the university's proud 
history, more than 200,000 degrees have been earned. It is this 
continued commitment to education and improving people's lives that we 
celebrate today.
  America has been built on the ideas and intellect of an educated 
society. CU has played an important role as a catalyst--helping minds 
grow and providing students with opportunities to learn about subjects 
as diverse as space flight dynamics and African-American history. The 
inspiration and knowledge that CU's students gain today will change the 
way we all will live tomorrow.
  CU has helped countless students find their paths in life. Many of 
them went on to make important contributions to our country. Although 
it's not possible to name them all, I'd like to acknowledge a few of 
CU's most outstanding alumni:
  Byron White--Not only was he CU's first all-American football player, 
but after an outstanding career at the Justice Department, he was 
appointed as a Supreme Court Justice.
  Scott Carpenter--As one of just thirteen CU graduates to travel to 
outer space, Scott was one of the original seven Mercury Astronauts and 
flew the second American manned orbital flight.
  Cynthia Lawrence Calkins--the world-renowned opera star.
  Three-term Colorado Governor Roy Romer and former U.S. Senator Hank 
Brown.
  CU played a significant role in helping these alumni become leaders 
in their fields.
  In addition to training young minds, the University of Colorado is 
also a leading research institution. As one of just 34 public research 
universities invited to join the prestigious Association of American 
Universities, CU has more than 900 separate research investigations in 
progress--in such areas as biotechnology, superconductivity, 
information technologies, telecommunications, and environmental and 
space sciences. The University of Colorado also ranks eleventh among 
public universities in the country in Federal research support.
  CU's research programs are at the cutting edge of scientific inquiry, 
producing award-winning science that is transforming the way we live. 
The discoveries of CU biochemistry professor Thomas Cech, for instance, 
have helped us understand the catalytic properties

[[Page E492]]

of RNA. Prof. Cech was awarded the 1989 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for 
his efforts.
  I am very proud of CU and its accomplishments, and expect to hear 
about amazing new contributions that future CU graduates will make to 
our economy, to our knowledge base, to our society, and to our world. 
The continued excellence of CU's teachers, faculty, and students 
guarantees another successful 125 years for the University of Colorado.

                          ____________________