Colorado State University's The Next 150 With President Amy Parsons

Colorado State University is entering a new era. In this special episode of The Next 150, guest host and STATE magazine writer Tony Phifer is joined by President Amy Parsons and CSU Director of Athletics John Weber '91 for an inside look at a significant moment in university history: CSU's move to the Pac-12. Together, they discuss why this transition is about far more than athletics. From expandi...

CSU's connection to the Peace Corps dates back to the agency's founding, when our faculty wrote the feasibility study that laid the groundwork for the international development program. Today, CSU continues to rank among the top Peace Corps volunteer-producing universities in the country. On this episode of The Next 150, former Peace Corps Director and CSU Presidential Executive in Residence Carol...

Recorded at Advancing Board Excellence's 2026 National Conference on Trusteeship in Denver, this episode of The Next 150 picks up where President Parsons' panel — "At the Intersection of Sports and Democracy" — left off. She's joined by three of the most influential leaders in college and Olympic sports: Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould, United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) Gen...

In this special episode of The Next 150, President Parsons and Governor Roy Romer traveled to southeastern Colorado to celebrate 100 years of the Romer family's John Deere legacy.  The trip took them to Holly, the small town where the family opened their first dealership in 1926. That single store would eventually grow into 4Rivers Equipment, whose agricultural operations are now part of 21st Cent...

There's no better time to celebrate two of CSU's most accomplished poets than during National Poetry Month.  In this episode of The Next 150 , President Amy Parsons sits down with University Distinguished Professor of English Camille Dungy, and University Distinguished Teaching Scholar Dan Beachy-Quick — both Guggenheim Fellows and treasured members of CSU's creative writing faculty. Camille and D...

The Next 150 podcast is about what's ahead — but this episode starts by looking back. As Colorado marks 150 years of statehood, the nation approaches its 250th birthday, and CSU's Archives and Special Collections celebrates 50 years of preserving the university's history, we sat down with two people who know how CSU's history fits into that shared story better than anyone — Mark Shelstad, Head of...

Anderson Cooper with 60 Minutes visited CSU’s campus to learn more about the groundbreaking work led by Dr. Stephanie McGrath and Dr. Julie Moreno, researchers in CSU's College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences working alongside aging dogs and their owners to better understand how dementia develops. At CSU, those lived experiences are fueling a first-of-its-kind effort to understand b...

Six-time Olympic gold medalist Amy Van Dyken returned to Colorado State University to be inducted into CSU Athletics’ inaugural Ring of Honor, a recognition reserved for the most influential athletes in Ram history. While back on campus, Amy joined President Amy Parsons for a wide-ranging and deeply personal conversation about the moments that shaped her journey, from nearly quitting swimming befo...

In this episode of The Next 150 , President Amy Parsons sits down with CSU alumnus Norman “Norm” Harris ’99 at Spangalang Brewery in one of Denver’s most historic neighborhoods. A second-generation Ram and fifth-generation Five Points native, Norm shares how transferring to CSU shaped his confidence and direction, and how a 20-year career at Janus led to a bold pivot toward community leadership. ...

How does a CSU chemistry student from New York end up leading one of the largest liquefied natural gas export facilities in the world? In this episode of The Next 150 , President Amy Parsons sits down with Michael Smith, founder, chairman, and CEO of Freeport LNG. Michael shares the pivotal moments that shaped his path—from studying chemistry and math at CSU in the 1970s to founding Basin Explorat...

How do you balance more than a century of tradition while preparing for what comes next? That’s precisely what Wes Allison has been doing since he stepped into his new role as President and CEO of the National Western Stock Show last May. In preparation for the Stock Show kicking off this week, the Next 150 podcast hits the road to the National Western Center's new Legacy Building to talk with Wes...

Shortly after winning her third WNBA championship as coach of the Las Vegas Aces, CSU Women's Basketball legend Becky Hammon '99 returned to campus to receive Colorado State University's Founders Day Medal, which recognizes an individual, family or group whose service and contributions have created a significant, lasting impact on the University's history and progress toward future goals. While in...

Dr. Kwane Stewart — CSU veterinary medicine alum, 2023 CNN Hero of the Year, Netflix’s animal safety advisor, and co-founder of Project Street Vet — returned to campus to accept a Distinguished Alumni Award during CSU's 2025 Homecoming and Family Weekend. While in Ram Country, he joined President Parsons for a meaningful and grounding conversation about purpose and compassion. Kwane shares how one...

What does it take to lead thousands of students and still make time for midterms? Just ask Jakye Nunley and Shay Wilson . On the next episode of The Next 150 , CSU President Amy Parsons sits down with the student body presidents from CSU Fort Collins and CSU Pueblo for a powerful and engaging conversation about leadership, belonging and self-discovery. Together, Jakye and Shay share how the Divine...

Mike Katz, President of Marketing, Strategy and Products at T-Mobile — and proud CSU alum — joins President Amy Parsons for an energizing conversation recorded at T-Mobile headquarters in Bellevue, Washington, ahead of the CSU vs. University of Washington football game. Mike shares how his start selling cellphones in retail stores while at CSU launched him into a 27-year career that’s shaped one o...

What happens when a modern land-grant university and a global tech leader join forces? In this episode of The Next 150 , CSU President Amy Parsons visits Microsoft’s headquarters in Redmond, WA, for a wide-ranging conversation with Chris Barry, Microsoft's Corporate Vice President for U.S. Public Sector Industries.  Chris leads Microsoft’s national engagement across federal, state, and local gover...

Before co-founding New Belgium Brewing and redefining purpose-driven, people-first entrepreneurship, Kim Jordan was a CSU student balancing social work classes, driving a school bus, and carving out a vision for her future. On this episode of The Next 150, President Amy Parsons sits down with Kim during her return to campus to receive an honorary doctorate degree during CSU’s commencement ceremony...

In this conversation, recorded during CSU's inaugural Professional Bull Riders’ The Last Cowboy Standing , President Amy Parsons sits down with Rodeo legend Flint Rasmussen and standout CSU Rodeo Team member Ral'Shaun "YD" Descheny.  From Flint’s storied career as the most iconic entertainer in Western sports to YD’s rise as a student-athlete and top roper, this episode covers CSU's deep rodeo roo...

In this standout episode of The Next 150 , President Amy Parsons welcomes two of Colorado State University’s most accomplished alumni: Senator Polly Baca and Dr. Nate Easley . Both guests serve as members of the CSU System Board of Governors , and their journeys from CSU students to state and national leadership roles reflect the power of public higher education to shape lives and drive change. Th...

What does it mean to lead with purpose? How does access to education change lives? In this episode of The Next 150, CSU President Amy Parsons sits down with Katie Kramer, President and CEO of the Boettcher Foundation and a former Boettcher Scholar, along with Andrea Donlucas, a current CSU student and scholar. Together, they explore the life-changing impact of the Boettcher Scholarship, the role o...

Before Eugene Daniels was serving as editor of the POLITICO playbook, co-host of MSNBC’s “The Weekend,” and president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, he was a defensive end and student journalist right here at Colorado State University. On this episode of The Next 150 , Eugene returns to campus as CSU’s 2025 commencement speaker and reflects on the journey from CSU's student media...

After a year of seeing him on the sidelines cheering on our Rams, it's finally time to sit down with Denver Broncos legend Terrell Davis in our next episode of The Next 150. From sleeping in his equipment before his first-ever football practice as a kid to becoming a Super Bowl MVP and Pro Football Hall of Famer, this episode dives deep into TD’s story of resilience and grit. He tells defining sto...

From battling childhood asthma to summiting the highest peaks in the world, Luis Benitez has never followed a traditional path—and he doesn’t think you should either.  While on campus for CSU's Outfitting Tomorrow Summit, Luis Benitez joined President Amy Parsons on this episode of The Next 150 podcast. Luis is a globally renowned adventurer, the first director of the Office of the Outdoor Recreat...

Tuberculosis is one of the oldest and deadliest diseases, but it’s not just history. On this episode of The Next 150, President Amy Parsons sits down with CSU’s own Dr. Karen Dobos and Dr. Marcela Henao-Tamayo, co-directors of the Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, to talk about the future of infectious disease research and the role CSU is playing in shaping disease prevention. Hear how their pat...

The Associated Students of Colorado State University (ASCSU) President Nick DeSalvo and Vice President Braxton Dietz sit down with President Parsons to talk about their journeys to CSU and their experiences in student government. From tackling major policy issues like U+2 to balancing student life with big responsibilities, Nick and Braxton share what it’s really like to advocate for their fellow...