The Colorado Constitution at 150

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The CMU Civic Forum and the Benson Center invite the campus and broader community to commemorate a historic milestone: the 150th anniversary of the Colorado Constitution's adoption.

As the United States Constitution approaches its 250th anniversary, the Centennial State marks its own constitutional sesquicentennial. Join us for an illuminating exploration of how Colorado's founding document has shaped state governance, influenced national debates, and reflected the values and challenges of its citizens across fifteen decades.

Speaker: Dr. Josh Vandiver, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs

Dr. Vandiver brings both scholarly expertise and deep Colorado roots to this topic. A fifth-generation Coloradan born in La Junta and raised in Swink, he holds degrees from Harvard and Princeton and teaches American and European constitutional law and political theory. Most recently, he edited and published The Essential Colorado Constitution (2025), the first pocket-sized edition of the state constitution.

This event reflects the CMU Civic Forum's commitment to engaging speakers on topics of civic responsibility and current events, and the Benson Center's mission to foster dialogue about fundamental values through free inquiry and open debate. As leading universities representing Colorado's diverse regions, CMU and CU Boulder are united by a shared commitment to open inquiry, civic responsibility, and the public good.