Rankings and Recognitions

Congratulations to Historic Preservation Specialist Betsy Kellums, former Greeley museums curator Peggy Ford Waldo, and Hazel E. Johnson for receiving the Women in American History Certificate and Medal by the Centennial State Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. Annually, local chapters honor women who are making a difference in their community and who serve as an example through their contributions in the areas of education, religion, social, scientific or cultural innovation. Katie Ross, Greeley Museums’ Curator accepted the award in memory of Hazel. Bobby McDonald accepted the award on behalf of her aunt, Peggy. 

Another congratulation to Mayor John and Patty Gates for receiving the 2022 Sonny Mapelli Distinguished Citizen Award by the Adventure West Council Boy Scouts of America. The Mapelli award recognizes individuals who embody the ideas of scouting and who work to improve their community.

Gov. Jared Polis has signed Senate Bill 56, clearing the way for the University of Northern Colorado to develop a not-for-profit college of osteopathic medicine at the Greeley campus. Polis signed the Bill after it reached his office with bi-partisan support of UNC’s mission to start the school as a way to address anticipated shortages of healthcare professionals and physicians statewide in the coming years, including in some rural areas of Weld County. The passage of the bill was necessary because of a longstanding state statute granting the University of Colorado the right to be the only public medical school in the state. 

University of Northern Colorado senior Daylen Kountz has been named a National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District first team honoree for District 6. He was a unanimous first-team All-Big Sky selection as well. 

University of Northern Colorado golfer Jack Castiglia has earned yet another Big Sky Golfer of the Week. This is his fifth career Player of the Week award, three of those this season. Additionally, Northern Colorado men’s golf junior TJ Shehee has received Big Sky of the Week honors, his second career award.

Hensel Phelps in Greeley was named a 2021 National Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity Excellence Award winner by Associated Builders and Contractors. The annual award recognizes members that display exemplary IDE leadership in their company, workforce, supply chain and community with best-in-class recruitment policies, retention practices, and training and mentoring programs. 

The Accounting and Computer Information Systems Department at the University of Northern Colorado’s Monfort College of Business has been ranked as the number one program in the world, and the number one in Colorado, for experimental research in Accounting Information Systems by Brigham Young University Accounting rankings. More than 630 universities were measured. AIS has become one of the fastest-growing and most important segments of the accounting profession.

The Greeley Police Department has received renewal of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police Professional Standards Accreditation with community relationships as an area of strength. Law enforcement agencies must renew their status of the accreditation program every five years and fully demonstrate compliance with 26 categories with numerous subcategories.

Congratulations to Brenden Folsom, Rasheed Garza-Archuleta and Ali Lone of Greeley West High School, Lucero Cervantes Andazola from Early College Academy, George Paladichuk from Northridge, and Garrett Yackey from Frontier Academy for winning Daniels Scholarships from the Daniels Fund. Daniels Scholars receive up to $100,000 over four years toward their undergraduate degree, depending on family need, and may use their scholarship at any accredited nonprofit college or university anywhere in the United States. More than 2,000 students applied for Daniels scholarships this year. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, Greeley has one of the fastest growing high-tech sectors in the country. Between 2015 and 2020, employment in high-tech industries climbed by 30.8%, compared to 8.9% nationwide. The growth was led by surging employment in the pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing industry, which reported 421% job growth over the same period. 

Former University of Northern Colorado athletic director, Jim Fallis, has been named to the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Hall of Fame for his efforts from 1993 to 2004. During his time at UNC, the Bears earned 31 conference championships and the football team won NCAA Division II national championships in 1996 and 1997. Fallis hired the school’s first female head athletic trainer and worked to implement men’s golf, women’s golf, and softball at the school.

Herminia Bocanegra, a senior at Northridge High School, and Yahir Chairez-Salazar, a senior at Greeley Central High School, have been selected to receive the prestigious Boettcher Scholarship. The Boettcher Foundation awards 40 scholarships per year that pay the full cost of tuition at any four-year college or university in Colorado, as well as fees, a book allowance and an annual stipend for living expenses. Thousands of students undergo a rigorous application and interview process to compete for this prestigious award. Students are selected based on their superior scholastic abilities, evidence of leadership and involvement, service to the community and their school, and outstanding character. Both seniors plan to attend the Colorado School of Mines to study engineering. 

The University of Northern Colorado has been ranked #1 in social mobility in Colorado, according to CollegeNet’s 2021 Social Mobility Index. The Social Mobility Index measures the extent to which a college or university educates more economically disadvantaged students (with family incomes below the national median) at lower tuition and graduates them into good paying jobs. 

First National Bank of Omaha has awarded a $10,000 Impact Grant to the University of Northern Colorado Foundation to support the East Colorado Small Business Development Center. An additional $10,000 Impact Grant to Greeley-Weld Habitat for Humanity will support their affordable homeownership program that helps provide a permanent pathway out of poverty for individuals and their families. FNBO grants support programs dedicated to affordable housing and neighborhood stability, as well as entrepreneurship and small business development.

Congratulations to Bryn Shirley, Frontier Academy; Karen Lovera, Greeley West, and Ashlyn Schall, University High School for their Colorado All-State Band selection. The University of Northern Colorado School of Music and the Colorado Bandmasters Association hosted the All-State program and concert held in Greeley.