President's Update
October 2025
Dear FRCC Community,
As temperatures drop and the leaves begin to change, I hope you’re all getting into the groove of fall semester. I’ve noticed a renewed energy at events around campus, especially in the ways our community comes together to celebrate culture and student success.
From música and comida to film festivals, these gatherings highlight the vibrant traditions, stories and skills of our students, colleagues and friends. (Don’t forget to check out our blog for stories of identity, resilience and impact featuring alumni and colleagues!)
Top Stories
Integrated Building Design Program
I want to thank everyone who was able to join us last week for the launch party for FRCC’s new first-in-the-nation Integrated Building Design bachelor’s degree program. It was truly a magical day that gave us the opportunity to celebrate all the hard work and collaboration that brought this program to life.
Our new interdisciplinary degree gives students advanced training in design, collaboration, workflow and project management using cutting-edge, emerging technologies that are shaping the industry. FRCC is leading the way by pioneering a groundbreaking program that will fuel the workforce pipeline for Colorado’s thriving design, building and construction sectors. Read more about our innovative new IBD program.
Enrollment on the Rise
FRCC’s enrollment is growing, and our fall semester count of students has now reached 22,305—the largest number of students in the past 10 years (an 18% increase over that time period). The FRCC campus with the largest enrollment continues to be Westminster, followed by Larimer.
Our student body includes 39% who are the first in their family to attend college, 27% Hispanic/Latine, and 20% who are Pell eligible. The largest area of growth continues to be in concurrent enrollment with a recent increase in first-time students.
These data are critical in helping us to identify specific areas where we, as an institution, need to focus. The data not only help guide our path forward, but show us where progress is being made, what needs improvement and when we have developments to celebrate.
Improvements & Opportunities
The college is improving retention rates across our programs and for subgroups of students who we serve—such as Latine and first-generation students. The data show us that continuing to advance our retention to support higher completion rates is an area of opportunity for FRCC—one that will help us work toward our strategic priority of success for every learner.
The greatest enrollment is across associate degrees (13,076 students, which equates to 84% of undergraduate enrollment). For associate degree seekers, one area of opportunity is in support for our Pell eligible students. For students who are enrolled full time, their one-year retention rate is 55%, as compared to non-Pell eligible students, of whom 64% were retained. The one-year retention rates for full-time Latine students increased three percentage points in the last year to 59%, and we also saw an increase of five percentage points to 45% for part-time Latine students.
Institutional Research at FRCC
While our work at FRCC is clearly mission-driven, data serves as a critical tool to advance our mission, vision and values. Data is the fuel that helps us move more effectively toward our North Star.
Institutional research offers a framework to make that possible: from designing stronger programs and identifying emerging workforce needs, to helping students plan for long-term success and equipping staff with the insights they need to serve our community. IR enables us to use data to empower decisions that reflect who we are and who we serve.
Innovation, Collaboration: AI University
Our students at LC now have a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience with artificial intelligence (AI) while solving real-world challenges faced by local small businesses and our Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
Larimer SBDC, which is housed at FRCC, is part of a Google-funded partnership to establish a new AI University. The program provides foundational AI training and 1:1 coaching to small businesses seeking to leverage AI’s potential.
As part of AI University, the SBDC is now launching a Student AI Innovation Project
About the Project
Students will work to explore how AI can:
- Help local small businesses (e.g., AI-assisted marketing, business planning, competitor research)
—or—
- Improve SBDC services (e.g., chatbots, client support tools, trend analysis)
Participating students can receive $500-$800 stipends (per team) for their work as a way to encourage them to develop these future-ready skills. Students will also gain:
- Resume-building experience with applied AI
- A chance to directly impact local small businesses
- Opportunities to present their work
Who Can Apply
Larimer campus students are welcome, especially those in business, marketing, computer science, data analytics, or related programs.
Timeline
- Kickoff: Oct. 13
- Project length: ~6-7 weeks
- Final Presentation: Week of Dec. 1
How to Apply
Students can submit their interest form here: Online Application Form. Please encourage students to apply and share this opportunity with your classes, advisees or student groups.
Resources for the FRCC Community
Don’t forget, as the host institution for both the Larimer and North Metro Small Business Development Centers, FRCC employees and students have access to all SBDC services, both before and after graduation. They offer a variety of applied business education and one-on-one, no cost, confidential advising year-round.
Employee Spotlights
Mary Ann Grim
As part of an effort to spotlight the great work happening across FRCC, we’re proud to highlight Mary Ann Grim, a full-time faculty member who brings passion and advocacy to every aspect of her work, inside and outside of the classroom.
Since joining FRCC in 2008, Mary Ann has left a lasting impression on students through her courses in history and women’s studies, as well as through her leadership in student organizations like the Feminist Uprising Club. Read more about Mary Ann’s impact on her students on the FRCC blog.
Employee, Student Win Governor's Awards
FRCC employee Krista Boddy and her intern Katherene Lucero-Esquivel earned the Governor’s Summer Job Hunt Award. This program connects students with local employers to gain hands-on training, build essential skills and explore career pathways.
The duo received their awards from Colorado Governor Jared Polis at a ceremony at his official residence last month. FRCC is honored and proud to support the next generation of Colorado's workforce. Krista and Katherene were nominated by the Larimer County Economic and Workforce Development internship program, which supports youth through internships, training and work-based learning experiences.
Krista is our Assistant Director of Admissions for Adult Learners and Katherene is in her second semester working toward an Associate of Science degree in wildlife technology. After she completes her degree, Katherene plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in wildlife biology and she hopes to work in wildlife conservation and disease control.
Spread the Word
Meet the (Colorado) Press
Colorado Public Radio host Ryan Warner is coming to our Westminster Campus to record an episode of the popular daily news show Colorado Matters this month. Join us while he and a panel of media experts field questions from FRCC student journalists about the news Coloradans rely on—or don’t—in their lives.
The live recording will take place in the Rocky Mountain Room from 1:00-2:15 PM on Wednesday, October 29. If you can’t make it in person, you can listen on the CPR website.
Supporting Our Teams
Extended IT Hours
IT support is now available until 8 pm Monday through Thursday to support evening classes. Additionally, the Computer Commons hours of operation, which used to end at 5 pm, have also been extended to 8 pm Monday through Thursday for students.
The IT office on each campus still closes at 5 pm, but a technician will staff the Computer Commons from 5 pm to 8 pm—Monday through Thursday—whenever classes are in session. So, if you’re looking for FRCC IT assistance after 5 pm, you can now find an IT staff member working out of the Computer Commons.
This change provides an evening IT resource for students and employees—and directly support our strategic priority of success for every learner by increasing access, support, equity and student engagement. Kudos to our IT teams for helping remove barriers to the resources and assistance students need to thrive academically!
College Updates
Foundation Breaks Record With $1.9 Million in Scholarship Distributions
The FRCC Foundation is advancing the goal of education for all by creating equitable, student-centered opportunities that break down barriers to higher education. In the 2025 fiscal year, the foundation awarded more than 1,300 scholarships, distributing more than $1.9 million in support—an increase of more than $700,000 from the prior year.
Sixty-one percent of scholarship recipients were first-generation college students and 67% were Pell-eligible, showcasing FRCC’s commitment to affordability and access.
Emergency student funding and simplified scholarship processes—along with programs that foster belonging and inclusion—help ensure that students from all backgrounds can meet their goals. With a scholar completion rate of 88% and an average GPA of 3.3, FRCC is demonstrating that students thrive when financial and systemic barriers are removed. Through donor generosity and community partnership, the FRCC Foundation is building pathways for learners of every background to achieve academic success and long-term stability.
Around FRCC
And the Winner Is...
A big thank you to everyone who participated in FRCC’s third annual Hispanic Heritage Month office decorating contest. Your beautiful displays brought so much vibrancy and life to our hallways, office spaces and beyond!
Without further ado, the winners of this year's contest are:
- Honorable Mention: Multicultural and Identity Center at LC
- Tied for 2nd Place: Human Resources at LC and Wolf Central at WC
- 1st Place: Academic Advising at BCC
Our 1st place winner will receive a trophy to display proudly in their office suite. We truly appreciate the work that our colleagues put into creating these meaningful displays—you help make FRCC a great place to work!
To wrap up, I want to remind folks that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open. The funding our students get by filling out the FAFSA has a huge impact on their ability to complete college credentials. In recent years, more than two-thirds of our students who applied for financial aid received grants that fully covered their entire tuition and fees.
With the FAFSA application period now open for the upcoming academic year, let’s all encourage students to apply. Filling out their FAFSA early increases a student's eligibility for limited federal and state grants because aid is often awarded on a first-come, first-served basis from a finite pool of funding.
Lastly, for our students who are thinking about transferring to a four-year institution here in Colorado, October 7-9 are Free Application Days. All 32 public colleges and universities—and several private institutions—will waive their application fees, making it free for anyone to apply. Please make sure our students know about this fantastic opportunity to start the ball rolling on their four-year degree.
Thank you, everyone, for sharing these resources with our students.
With Gratitude,
Colleen Simpson, EdD
President
Questions?
Larimer Campus
303-555-1212 | email us
Boulder County Campus
303-555-1212 | email us