Fall 2026

Friends of Curiosity Unlimited,

Allow me to introduce you to Curiosity Unlimited (CU). CU was formed in 1977 by Pikes

Peak area members and University of Colorado alumni. The initial goals were to boost

interest in the relatively new (1965) campus at the University of Colorado at Colorado

Springs (UCCS) through provision of free lectures. The intent was to promote lifelong

learning. Scholarships available to the most deserving undergraduates were then soon

added. In its 50 years of existence, CU has awarded several hundred scholarships.

Please visit our website at www.curiosity-unlimited.org to learn more and view our

scheduled lectures for the 2026-2027 year.

CU is now in its 50 th year of operation and is an officially recognized organization of

UCCS which exists as a 501c3 nonprofit organization subject to the same rules and

regulations as the University of Colorado. CU liaisons with the financial aid and

business development offices at UCCS in funding and administering scholarships and

scheduling lectures.

CU has a diverse six member all volunteer board without paid employees. We currently

have 150 members. Membership is open to all. Annual dues are $35 for an individual

and $45 for a family membership. Our annual budget is $10,000. These dues along with

donor gifts are our only source of funding for our scholarships and to pay for renting the

ENT Center on the UCCS campus where we hold our lectures. We provide nine monthly

lectures during the academic year on topics of general community interest. Speakers

are typically UCCS professors or prominent individuals from the Pikes Peak area. Since

inception, over 200 UCCS professors have lectured.

Our scholarships are awarded yearly to the most academically and financially deserving

UCCS undergraduates entering their senior year. The rationale for the scholarships only

being offered to seniors is that many seniors at UCCS must work to stay in school, and

scholarship availability significantly increases their chance of graduation. This has been

confirmed both by the financial aid office at UCCS and those students who received

scholarships. Any academic major may apply. Students are evaluated by CU members

based on academics, faculty input, community service, honors, campus involvement,

employment history, and personal essays. We typically award three to four scholarships

per year for $5000 each. UCCS annually awards $14 million in scholarships. Annual

tuition at UCCS for in state students is approximately $11,000, and UCCS awards about

2000 bachelor’s degrees each year. CU’s current low level of scholarship funding

allows us to reach only a handful of students.

Other benefits of CU include the Lifelong Learning program at UCCS. This program

allows individuals age 55 and older to enroll in UCCS courses on an audit basis for a

fraction of the tuition cost that a conventional degree earning student would pay. Many

CU members have taken advantage of this outstanding program.

The graduation rate for a bachelor’s degree at UCCS is 45% while the national average

is 55%. With enhanced funding, we can provide more scholarships. This would help to

alleviate student financial strain and close the gap in graduation rates. As CU enters its

second half century of existence, this funding allows us to stay committed to and grow

in our goals of enabling scholarships, lectures and support of lifelong learning.

You may gift stocks, bonds, IRA/RMD’s, etc. in a simple, rapid way through our website

at www.curiosity-unlimited.org.

Checks should instead be sent to:

University of Colorado Foundation

P.O. Box 561690

Denver, CO 80256-1690

State via memo the donation is for:

UCCS Curiosity Unlimited Scholarship Fund

Fund Number D-0027232

These gifts provide tax benefits to the donor. More importantly, they permanently and

positively impact the trajectory of our scholarship recipient’s life. Please contact us

through our website if you have any questions.

Thank you for your consideration,

Bert Willman, M.D.

Vice President – Curiosity Unlimited