$10M Mortenson Family Gift to Strengthen Global Engineering at CU Boulder

Gift establishes two endowed professorships and expands support for research, education and hands-on learning

A new $10 million gift from Alice Mortenson, the Mortenson Family Foundation and Mortenson Construction will expand education, research and partnerships at CU Boulder’s Mortenson Center in Global Engineering & Resilience.

The gift will establish two $1.5 million endowed professorships and provide $7 million in flexible resources for the center’s endowment. The funding supports work in water security, sanitation, energy and sustainable infrastructure.

“The Mortenson Center represents the very best of CU Boulder’s 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.”

Alice Mortenson’s connection to CU Boulder stemmed from her husband, Mauritz “Mort” Mortenson Jr., a CU Boulder civil engineering graduate who died in 2019.

Mort was a longtime supporter of his alma mater who received the University Medal and, as chairman of Mortenson Construction, oversaw work on several CU Boulder campus projects.

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 that 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 University of Colorado 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 Mortenson, 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.”

The gift will establish the $1.5 million Alice Mortenson Endowed Professorship in Global Resilience and the $1.5 million 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.

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 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.

“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 CU Boulder, in the careers of future engineers and in communities around the world where Mortenson Center students and alumni put their education to work.”

The University of Colorado Boulder is Colorado’s leading public research university, transforming lives since 1876. As the state’s flagship university and one of only 38 U.S. public research institutions in the Association of American Universities (AAU), CU Boulder has proudly served Coloradans since the state’s founding. Home to five Nobel Laureates since 1989 and the only university to send space instruments to every planet in the solar system, CU Boulder provides a strong return on investment by aligning efforts to achieve research and creative excellence, global sustainability impact and the success of all students, faculty and staff. Learn more at colorado.edu/about.