Amy Parsons is the sole finalist for the presidency of Colorado State University. Under state law, there is a two-week waiting period before that appointment can be made official. If approved, Parsons will be the second women to serve as the university’s president.
The flagship campus of Colorado State University in Fort Collins enrolls just under 25,000 undergraduate students and more than 7,600 graduate students, according to the most recent figures available from the U.S. Department of Education. Women make up 54 percent of the undergraduate student body.
Since 2020, Parsons has run Mozzafiato, an e-commerce firm that sells Italian luxury brands imported to the United States. Previously, for 16 years, Parsons served in executive roles at Colorado State University – as legal counsel from 2004-2009; as vice president for university operations from 2009-2015; and as executive vice chancellor from 2015-2020.
“There is only one job that could entice me to leave my current role, and that’s this one,” Parsons said. “Much of my life and career have been wrapped up with CSU. My life was truly shaped by people who took the time to invest in me. Now, as the parent of a current student, I’m gaining a whole new perspective on the opportunities and challenges we face. At its core, CSU is about access, excellence, and inclusion – and the dreams that education can make possible. It would be an immense privilege to be able to serve as the chief advocate and champion of this great university and to safeguard the success and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni.”
Born in Colorado, Parsons grew up in Wyoming. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from Colorado State University. She earned a juris doctorate at the University of Colorado.