The road less traveled
The easiest thing to do, when faced with the opportunity to create a new college 10 years ago, would have been to do nothing鈥攖o leave our established programs on their own, rather than spending tremendous energy creating a culture that encouraged boundary-breaking teaching, collaboration, creativity and research.听

But this college has never done the easy thing when it had the chance to do the right thing. And designing a college that so closely mirrors the professional world鈥攚here problems are solved by critical thinkers who bring different perspectives to emerging challenges鈥攈as created significant advantages for our graduates. I鈥檓 excited when young alumni tell me how their education equipped them for early-career success.听
The next important step for our college is ensuring a CMDI education prepares our graduates not just for success, but for impact鈥攅specially in areas that matter most.听
One of those areas is sustainability. And when I say 鈥渟ustainability,鈥 I don鈥檛 only mean what鈥檚 good for the environment鈥攊t鈥檚 also about access to trustworthy journalism, robust communication technology, affordable housing and more.听
CU students have a history of leadership in environmental sustainability鈥攊ncluding the nation鈥檚 first student-led recycling program (1976) and the first purchase of renewable energy credits (2000). Just this year, our campus leadership identified 鈥渁chieving global leadership in sustainability impact鈥 as one of our four institutional priorities. I鈥檓 confident CMDI will play an integral part in challenging our community, our nation and our world to pursue actions that create impact.听
In a world made increasingly immediate by touch screens, always-on services and instant delivery, it鈥檚 easy to not ask ourselves how the choices we make impact sustainability. At CMDI we ask the tough questions because we believe they鈥檙e the right ones. It鈥檚 how we got where we are鈥攁nd it鈥檚 how we鈥檒l continue to create impact long into the future. I can鈥檛 wait to see where we go from here!听
Lori Bergen, PhD听
Founding Dean听
College of Communication, Media, Design and Information