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Around the world, access to safe water, reliable infrastructure and sustainable resources can shape lives. At ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������, the Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience works alongside communities to address these needs and improve lives globally.������

A new $10 million gift from Alice Mortenson, the Mortenson Family Foundation and Mortenson Construction will help the center continue and expand this important work.��

The gift builds on a longstanding family commitment to ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ and the Mortenson Center by funding two new professorships and adding flexible resources to the center’s endowment.��

Together, the investments will help advance the center’s mission to improve development tools and practices in ways that benefit vulnerable people and their environment.����

“The Mortenson Center represents the very best of ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ mission in action, combining education, research and partnership to address critical needs,” said Chancellor Justin Schwartz. “Philanthropic support is a powerful catalyst for accelerating this kind of world-impacting work, and the Mortensons’ gift will allow us to expand the center’s reach and advance solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing communities around the globe.”����

A legacy of service, education and giving back��

Alice Mortenson’s connection to ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ originally stemmed from her husband, Mauritz “Mort” Mortenson Jr., a ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ civil engineering graduate who passed away in 2019.������

Mort was a deeply engaged supporter of his alma mater and received several CU honors, including the Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award, the George Norlin Award and the University Medal. As chairman of Mortenson Construction, he also helped strengthen ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ built environment through projects including the Champions Center, Indoor Practice Facility and Visual Arts Complex.��

In 2009, a gift from Mort and Alice endowed and named the Mortenson Center, then known as Engineering for Developing Communities. The program has since expanded to 30 countries and more than 80 global partners, working with communities to improve water security, sanitation, energy and sustainable infrastructure.��

Alice said the new gift honors Mort’s legacy and builds on their family’s past support.������

“It was a combination of our backgrounds that taught us it is more beloved to give than to receive, and what our responsibility was to others,” said Alice. “The University of Colorado takes that very seriously when designing its programs.”����

Earlier this year, the CU Board of Regents recognized Alice with an honorary degree for her contributions to education, public service and global development. She celebrated the moment alongside her grandson, Peter, who earned his undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering.��

“It gives me goosebumps,” said Alice. “To be reconnected with students’ excitement and dreams, their hopes, plans and struggles, is so lovely and heartwarming. And to have the means to affect someone’s life—it’s a privilege, and it gives back in abundance.”��

Investments for global impact����

The gift will establish two $1.5 million endowed professorships: the Alice Mortenson Endowed Professorship in Global Resilience and the Mort Mortenson Endowed Professorship in Global Engineering. The positions will help the Mortenson Center attract and retain faculty who prepare students to work with communities on complex global challenges.����

The center has announced that Assistant Research Professor Denis Muthike will hold the inaugural Alice Mortenson Endowed Professorship, and Associate Teaching Professor Carlo Salvinelli will hold the Mort Mortenson Endowed Professorship. Dedicated resources will allow both faculty members to deepen their teaching, research and partnership work.��

The endowed positions will strengthen the center’s ability to support faculty who bring research, teaching and field experience together across areas such as water, food, energy and resilience. Their work will help prepare students to carry practical engineering solutions into communities around the world.����

The remaining $7 million will support the Mortenson Center’s endowment, giving the center flexibility to respond to emerging needs, pursue practical research and expand hands-on learning opportunities.��

This support will help students and faculty turn knowledge into practical solutions that advance the center’s vision of a world where everyone has safe water, sanitation, energy, food, shelter and infrastructure.��

“The Mortenson Center has helped prepare generations of engineers to work on some of the world’s hardest challenges, from clean water and food security to climate resilience and infrastructure,” said Evan Thomas, director of the Mortenson Center. “This gift recognizes the power of engineering education to create practical, lasting impact.��

“Alice’s generosity will be felt at ���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������, in the careers of future engineers and in communities around the world where Mortenson Center students and alumni put their education to work.”��