College of Arts & Sciences

Top 10 most popular majors at �� Boulder

Anna Tolette — Mon, 11 Aug 2025 20:18:31 +0000

Top 10 most popular majors at �� Boulder Anna Tolette Mon, 08/11/2025 - 14:18

Julia MacLean

Choosing a major is one of the biggest decisions college students make, and at �� Boulder, certain programs consistently lead the pack. Here are �� Boulder’s Fall 2024 most popular undergraduate majors by enrollment, which shows where students focus their time.

1. Psychology

Provides a fundamental understanding of the principles of human cognition, emotion, behavior, social interactions and mind-brain relationships.

2. Integrative Physiology

Includes the study of organisms as functioning systems of molecules, cells, tissues and organs. Focuses on whole-body function and its applications to human health and disease.

3. Finance

Emphasizes financial management, money and capital markets, investments and derivative securities, and financial institutions.

4. Aerospace Engineering

Teaches how to design, test and operate complex aerospace and related systems. Develops new technologies for use in commercial aviation, defense systems and space exploration.

5. Mechanical Engineering

Encompasses the general areas of design and manufacturing, fluid and solid mechanics, and thermal and materials science.

6. Marketing

Focuses on identifying customer needs and wants, developing products and services to meet those demands, establishing communications to promote products and services, and monitoring transactions and customer responses to guide future activities.

7. Computer Science

Emphasizes knowledge of computing at all levels, including circuits and computer architecture through operating systems, programming languages and large application systems.

8. Management

Focuses on business leadership and technical disciplines like sustainability, supply chains, operations, analytics, strategy and talent management.

9. Strategic Communications

Teaches students to be forward-looking communicators with the analytic, strategic, creative, critical thinking and tactical skills necessary to identify and solve problems.

10. Political Science

Includes how public policy is formulated, how laws are made, and the social and economic impact of those laws and policies.

As alumni, you can make a powerful impact on the success of students through mentoring, career talks or student networking events. Your support helps students in every major reach their fullest potential and navigate their futures with confidence.

Learn about volunteer opportunities

Traditional

White

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with Amanda Giguere (MThtr'06; PhD'10)

Anna Tolette — Thu, 31 Jul 2025 20:43:16 +0000

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with Amanda Giguere (MThtr'06; PhD'10) Anna Tolette Thu, 07/31/2025 - 14:43

What can one of history’s most famous playwrights teach us about preventing violence? Forever Buff Amanda Giguere’s work as the Director of Outreach at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (CSF) has turned this idea into a mission for change through theatre.

Amanda leads education programs that bring Shakespeare to life for thousands of Colorado students each year, using the power of theater to build empathy, foster dialogue and create safer communities.

Since joining CSF as a graduate student in 2004, Amanda has helped the theatre education program reach more than 300 Colorado schools and nearly 140,000 students. Her latest project, Shakespeare & Violence Prevention: A Practical Handbook for Educators, shares this innovative work with a national audience.

Read more about how Amanda’s time at �� Boulder helped inspire her and how you can help bring the transformative power of Shakespeare to even more communities.

What is your favorite part of your role as the Director of Outreach for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival?

I love the variety of this work. I get many opportunities to interact with people of all ages and varying experience levels with Shakespeare. No matter how many times I encounter the plays, I always learn something new from watching others encounter them. We all bring our unique perspectives to the plays. 

Reflecting on your theatre studies at �� and becoming a full-time staff member, what experiences helped shape the path you’re on now?

I encountered Shakespeare as a child (around 10 or 11) in a Shakespeare camp, and I was hooked.

I began teaching for the same Shakespeare camp when I was in college. After college, I taught for a couple of years in Hong Kong and then felt the pull of graduate school. I wanted to expand my knowledge of theatre, and I applied to one school – �� Boulder – because of its connection to CSF. I knew I wanted to do something with Shakespeare and children, though I didn’t have a clear career path. Even as I pursued my MA and PhD, I never felt the traditional academic path of a tenure-track position was for me. I began working at CSF as a graduate student, and after completing my doctorate, I returned to CSF as a full staff member. I feel lucky to be doing work I’m passionate about and that aligns with my skill set.

Now, when people tell me, “Your job is so cool, I want it!” I smile, thinking, “I agree! This job is VERY cool.”

Thinking about your new book, what part are you most proud of, and what do you hope readers will walk away thinking or feeling?

I wrote the book because, after many years of running a Shakespeare & Violence Prevention program in K-12 schools, I realized that teachers across the country could be doing this work. So many educators already teach Shakespeare. But they may not realize that teaching Shakespeare can also teach violence prevention – I saw an opportunity to share this work beyond the limits of where our CSF van could travel. I hope readers walk away feeling they play a part in preventing violence. Maybe it’s through encountering Shakespeare, or perhaps it’s through connecting with their fellow humans in ways that light them up.

I also hope it debunks the myth that Shakespeare is too hard, too fancy, too far out of our reach to grasp the meaning. These plays have so much to teach us about our world. 

How do you see the arts as an agent for social change? Where do you see potential for more change?

The area of change I think about most frequently is funding for the arts, particularly arts education. We are seeing the impact of federal funding cuts and the increasing difficulty of grants. We at CSF are relying more heavily on philanthropic support.

I see the value of these programs firsthand – exposure to theatre as a child can help build confidence, improve public speaking and heighten a child’s social-emotional competencies. It’s not just about training actors. If more young people had access to arts education, I imagine we’d see an increase in those skills that also prevent violence: empathy, teamwork, connectedness.

That’s why I decided to donate all the royalties from the book sales to the CSF Education Endowment. This fund helps provide operational support to CSF’s education programs. 

How can Forever Buffs support your work?

Please tell a language arts teacher, a Shakespeare fan or a school administrator about this book! Buy them a copy for their classroom.

And support your local arts organizations — see a play, attend a concert. The arts help connect us to our fellow humans in vital ways. 

Support the Colorado Shakespeare Festival

Forever Buff Amanda Giguere’s work as the Director of Outreach at the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (CSF) has turned this idea into a mission for change through theatre.

Off

Traditional

White

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with ForeverGold Scholar, Adriana Espinoza

Anna Tolette — Mon, 24 Feb 2025 18:08:14 +0000

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with ForeverGold Scholar, Adriana Espinoza Anna Tolette Mon, 02/24/2025 - 11:08

Dani Martinez

A Thornton, Colorado, native, Adriana Espinoza (MCDBio’27) has embraced every opportunity to lead, learn and uplift the Forever Buffs community. As a Senior Resident Advisor in Baker Hall, a research assistant and a leader of the Public Health Hub, she has embraced experiences to grow and give back.

Each year, ForeverGold supports twelve students by providing renewable scholarships. These scholars demonstrate a commitment to excellence through academic achievements, leadership and involvement on campus.

Adriana has learned that individual success is built through collective and meaningful connections. Whether collaborating with professors on research, engaging in student organizations, or working alongside peers who challenge and inspire her, Adriana has discovered that community is the foundation for growth.

What motivated you to attend �� Boulder?

I was very interested in the research that the College of Arts and Sciences conducts. The Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB) department especially caught my attention, and I have enjoyed being part of this major.

How has being a ForeverGold Scholar impacted your �� experience?

Being a ForeverGold Scholar has been a transformative experience for me. Beyond the financial support, which has allowed me to focus more on my studies and passions, this scholarship has given me a sense of belonging and responsibility. It has also motivated me to give back to my �� community, knowing that others have invested in my success.

What would you say to Forever Buffs who support scholarships?

Thank you — not just for the financial support but for believing in students like me. Your generosity doesn’t just help cover tuition or expenses; it gives us the confidence and resources to dream bigger, take on leadership roles and pursue opportunities we might not have otherwise had.

This experience has allowed me to engage with alumni who have navigated similar paths, given me access to leadership development and reinforced the importance of giving back.

How does giving back to the Forever Buffs community and supporting students like you contribute to making �� an even better place?

Giving back strengthens the �� community by creating more opportunities for students to thrive. When we invest in scholarships, mentorship programs and student initiatives we create a more inclusive, supportive and vibrant university. Giving back means paying forward the opportunities we’ve been given, ensuring that future generations of Buffs have the same, or even better chances to succeed.

What does being a Forever Buff mean to you?

Being a Forever Buff means carrying the values of �� Boulder beyond graduation. It means that I have a lifelong commitment to learning, giving back and staying connected to a community that has shaped me. It means being part of something bigger than myself and recognizing that the relationships, lessons and opportunities I’ve gained here will stay with me forever.

Off

Traditional

White

College of Arts & Sciences

Top 10 most popular majors at ���������� Boulder

1. Psychology

2. Integrative Physiology

3. Finance

4. Aerospace Engineering

5. Mechanical Engineering

6. Marketing

7. Computer Science

8. Management

9. Strategic Communications

10. Political Science

Related Articles

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with Amanda Giguere (MThtr'06; PhD'10)

What is your favorite part of your role as the Director of Outreach for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival?

Reflecting on your theatre studies at ���������� and becoming a full-time staff member, what experiences helped shape the path you’re on now?

Thinking about your new book, what part are you most proud of, and what do you hope readers will walk away thinking or feeling?

How do you see the arts as an agent for social change? Where do you see potential for more change?

How can Forever Buffs support your work?

Off

Forever Buffs Impact: Q&A with ForeverGold Scholar, Adriana Espinoza

What motivated you to attend ���������� Boulder?

How has being a ForeverGold Scholar impacted your ���������� experience?

What would you say to Forever Buffs who support scholarships?

How does giving back to the Forever Buffs community and supporting students like you contribute to making ���������� an even better place?

What does being a Forever Buff mean to you?

Off

Top 10 most popular majors at �� Boulder

Reflecting on your theatre studies at �� and becoming a full-time staff member, what experiences helped shape the path you’re on now?

What motivated you to attend �� Boulder?

How has being a ForeverGold Scholar impacted your �� experience?

How does giving back to the Forever Buffs community and supporting students like you contribute to making �� an even better place?