Colorado Women’s College was founded in 1888 but did not hold its first classes until 21 years later in 1909. The founder had hoped to establish a women’s college in the western United States that would obtain the prestige of one of the Seven Sister colleges in the East.
Facing financial difficulties, the college closed in 1982 and its assets were purchased by the University of Denver. The university renamed the institution the Women’s College of the University of Denver. In 2001, the women’s college was moved to the main campus in Denver. In 2013, the name Colorado Women’s College was brought back.
Last year the college announced that after the 2015-16 academic year it would transition from a traditional stand-alone college for women to a new educational model that is still in development. Linda Olson, interim dean of Colorado Women’s College is in charge of the process that will determine the future course of the institution.
Dean Olson told the University of Denver Magazine that “While the traditional stand-alone college for women is coming to an end, CWC will be expanding its reach to become even more relevant to the 21st-century educational needs, aspirations and contributions of women at DU and in the world beyond.”
Dr. Olson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota and a doctorate from the University of Denver.