GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — Colorado Mesa University is a driving force in our community, bringing in thousands of students from all across the nation.

Tina Kleespies, the director of annual giving, tells western slope now the CMU Foundation is the nonprofit branch of the college.

Even smaller universities come with big expenses, meaning for some students, scholarships are essential. CMU is lucky to have an impressive 5700 donors, which provided 4.1 million dollars in scholarships.

CMU Foundation invites scholarship recipients and puts on a donor event every fall to thank their sponsors. This year’s event starts September 14th.

Everybody will meet, get some dinner, listen to President Marshall’s speech, and tour the Health and Sciences building.

One of several, including a new theater going up, also thanks to generous donors.