Q&A with John Marshall, President of Colorado Mesa University

John Marshall is the 11th president of Colorado Mesa University (CMU) in Grand Junction. He also serves as an instructor in CMU’s early start programs and as a lecturer of political science. 

Marshall came to Grand Junction and CMU in the late 1990s as a college student. It was here he met his wife, Linde, and the two of them have settled here to build their life and raise a family. 

Spoke+Blossom was happy to connect with him about living in Western Colorado and CMU’s presence in the community. 

Photo courtesy John Marshall/CMU

S+B: What are some things you love about living and working in Western Colorado?  

JM: I love that the valley is named after the union of two rivers. The Colorado and the Gunnison are different in nature, but where they mix, something unique and special is created. I see it as a great metaphor for our community. We have a blend of natives, newcomers and everything in between. At our best we’re connected and in community with one another.  As we watch disunity and strife surround us nationally, I believe our community and region can be a place where we take a different approach — and often do!

S+B: What would you say is the role of Colorado Mesa University in boosting economic development in our community and region?  

JM: Communities on the front range might observe that Western Colorado approaches opportunities in a different manner. I hear my Front Range friends sometimes speak of a unique approach called the “Grand Junction Way.” Leaders at the City of Grand Junction, Mesa County, St. Mary’s Hospital, Community Hospital, economic development partners and numerous other organizations recognize the symbiotic relationship between these organizations, and that relationship’s role in the success of our community. Partnerships are central to this so-called “Grand Junction Way” and are essential for our joint success. Our role in economic development is making sure CMU maintains robust programs and curricula that meet workforce needs locally, regionally and beyond. The students that experience and graduate from our programs are so incredibly talented, and I am excited to work with the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce and all our economic development partners in providing students with meaningful job opportunities once they finish at CMU.

S+B: Can you please share your vision for CMU moving forward? 

JM: CMU is a cultural and intellectual hub in Western Colorado. We committed many years ago to fulfill our mission as a teaching institution where faculty members engage in small classes and come to know their students. In my mind, CMU is a scale model of the type of nation we all want to live in. This human-scale university is a place where we know each other’s names, where we listen and learn and challenge one another with big ideas that have potential to make the world better. With two thirds of CMU students being students of color — and/or the first in their family to attend college — the work we do on our campus has power to change the trajectory of families for generations to come. My vision for CMU is to build on past successes and continue challenging our students to think critically as Mavericks even after they walk across the stage at graduation and become our next community leaders.  

Originally published in the Fall 2021 issue of Spoke+Blossom.