Bruce D. Benson and is the longest-serving president in more than half a century.
Boulder, CO (April 30, 2019) – BOLDERBoulder, America’s All-Time Best 10K, today announced that the University of Colorado President Bruce D. Benson will be the official starter for the 2019 race.
“We are honored to have one of the University of Colorado’s most accomplished presidents as this year’s official starter,” said BolderBOULDER race director, Cliff Bosley. “The race has a rich history with CU and our relationship with Bruce and the university is part of the magic of the BOLDERBoulder.”
In 1981, Arnold Weber, the then-President of the University of Colorado, and Athletic Director Eddie Crowder approached race founder Steve Bosley about moving the BOLDERBoulder finish line to the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field. Since 1981, more than 1.3 million participants of the race have finished in the stadium, fulfilling Dr. Weber’s vision that the race would provide runners and spectators exposure to CU and showcase the state’s flagship university in a way that otherwise would not be possible.
“Almost 40 years since that first meeting with the University of Colorado, it is our honor to have Bruce Benson the President of the University of Colorado to serve as the official starter,” said race founder Steve Bosley. “It is appropriate that the race is being started by another President
whose charge is to lead this University and this legacy of community, dedication and service to and for the University of Colorado.”
Benson joins an esteemed group of race official starters over the years including; Olympic Gold Medalist Frank Shorter, Denver Broncos’ wide receiver Ed McCaffery, famed columnist Rick Reilly and other CU legends like Tad Boyle, Mike Bohn, Mark Johnson and Gary Barnett.
“I very much appreciate being selected for this prestigious honor,” Benson said. “The BOLDERBoulder and CU have had a wonderful partnership over the years and I welcome the opportunity to deepen those ties. I look forward to spending Memorial Day with tens of thousands of people who have made the race and the university part of their holiday tradition.”
As one of the longest serving presidents in the university’s history, Benson has enhanced CU’s standing as one of the nation’s leading public universities, advancing the economy, health and culture of Colorado and beyond. During his tenure, CU’s researching funding has reached record levels and it has seen its best 10 fundraising years. He oversees a system with four campuses (Boulder, Colorado Springs, Denver, Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora) with some 70,000 students and more than 35,000 employees.
Benson is set to retire in July of 2019 and the University of Colorado is currently searching for its next president.
About BolderBOULDER
The BolderBOULDER, named America’s All-Time Best 10K by Runner’s World, is the 3rd largest running race in the United States and the 7th largest in the world. The race attracts over 50,000 runners, joggers, walkers and wheelchair racers, and draws professional athletes from around the world to compete for one of the largest non-marathon prize purses in road racing. The 2018 race winds through Boulder neighborhoods with live music and entertainment at every corner. The race finishes at the University of Colorado’s Folsom Field and attracts over 100,000 runners and spectators. The 41st annual BolderBOULDER will be held on Memorial Day, May 27th, 2019. For more information please visit: www.bolderboulder.com
About the CU System
The University of Colorado is a premier public research university with four campuses: the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, the University of Colorado Denver and the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. With more than 67,000 students (and another 7,000 taking courses for credit) and over 7,200 full-time instructional faculty members, CU is the largest institution of higher education in the state of Colorado. With an annual budget of $4.5 billion, CU generates a remarkable economic impact of $12.35 billion annually for the state. CU researchers attracted more than $1.05 billion in sponsored research funding in fiscal year 2017-18. The university’s Technology Transfer Offices have helped launch 190 startups since 1994. Academic prestige is marked by CU’s five Nobel laureates, 10 MacArthur “genius” Fellows, 20 astronauts and 20 Rhodes Scholars. For more information about the CU system, and to access campus resources, go to www.cu.edu