Athletics

WHOLE Student-Athlete™ program elevates Buffs on and off the field

Anna Tolette — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 21:08:25 +0000

WHOLE Student-Athlete™ program elevates Buffs on and off the field Anna Tolette Fri, 02/13/2026 - 14:08

April Driver

When Johnny Homsy was injured in the spring of 2025, he faced an uncertainty familiar to many student-athletes navigating recovery. A third-year member of the �鶹��Ѱ��’s track and field team, he suddenly found his season paused.

Thanks to his hard work and the support of the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program, Homsy not only recovered but returned stronger.

Donor support helps make stories like Homsy’s possible. The Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program elevates the �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder student-athlete experience by offering vital services that enrich their lives as competitors, scholars and emerging leaders.

Holistic model redefining college athletics

Launched in 2021 through the generosity of the Crawford Family Foundation, the WHOLE Student-Athlete Program — an acronym for Wellness Health Optimal Life Experience — brings a comprehensive, evidence-based model of support that spans physical, psychological, academic, leadership and career well-being.

This integrated approach is one-of-a-kind in college athletics. Instead of compartmentalizing services, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder student-athletes benefit from a multidisciplinary team that collaborates to cohesively support long-term wellness and success. The result is a campus environment where athletes are empowered not only to perform, but to thrive.

Empowering student-athletes to succeed

The Crawford Family’s transformational gift made this innovative program possible. Their vision was clear: Give student-athletes the tools, knowledge and resources they need to find success in college and the confidence and skills to shape their lives after graduation.

Homsy is just one of many Buffs who have felt the impact firsthand.

“The structures and resources that �鶹��Ѱ��provides to support the WHOLE Student-Athlete™ has created an environment of success for me both in the classroom and on the track,” he shared. “After suffering a season-ending injury last spring, I was provided healthcare assistance, on-site therapy sessions and one-on-one work with trainers for the months following surgery. Now I am back on the track.”

His recovery wasn’t the only area where he felt supported.

“Outside of athletics, our Leadership and Career Development team has provided events to push me professionally, helping build connections for my internship while also helping me expand my leadership experience,” he said.

Whether facing an unexpected injury, balancing the busy schedule of athletics and academics, or navigating the transition into life after graduation, the program surrounds student-athletes with care, guidance and community.

Transforming Buff athletics through philanthropy

This holistic, coordinated model is trailblazing.

"�鶹��Ѱ��leads the way — across the conference, across the country — in its WHOLE-istic, embedded, cohesive approach to care, services and programming through this program,” said Theresa D. Hernández, director of the Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program. “We support optimal physical, psychological, academic, leadership and career health among all of our student-athletes, providing them with life experience and sustainable skills that can be relied upon even beyond their time at CU.”

Ongoing philanthropic support ensures �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder can continue to provide this nationally leading model of student-athlete health and well-being. It fuels innovative programming, strengthens mental and physical health resources, and supports career and leadership development that prepares athletes for life after sports.

A competitive advantage for �鶹��Ѱ��Athletics

A strong student-athlete experience strengthens the entire athletic department and positions �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder as a destination for top recruits nationwide.

The Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program has become a differentiator for families, coaches and prospective students. �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s comprehensive approach to well-being is a reason many student-athletes choose to become a Buff.

Join us in supporting the WHOLE student-athlete

The Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program is made possible through philanthropy. Its continued growth depends on donor partnerships. Together, we can ensure every �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder student-athlete receives the holistic support they need to excel today and lead tomorrow.

Give now to support �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Athletics

Impact in Action

The Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program serves every �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder student-athlete. The program includes access to the Herbst Academic Center and the Scripps Leadership and Career Development Program to support students’ academic and career success.

More than 350 student-athletes directly benefit each year from the program.

�鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s student-athlete cumulative GPA is 3.296 as of the fall of 2025.

In the spring of 2025, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder student-athletes had an 88% graduation rate.

94% of student-athletes who graduated in May 2025 are employed or in graduate school.

�鶹��Ѱ�� track and field team member, Johnny Homsy

Powered by philanthropy, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Crawford Family WHOLE Student-Athlete™ Program delivers comprehensive support for student-athletes’ wellness, academics, leadership and career readiness setting a national standard for holistic care in college athletics.

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Record-Breaking Buffs All In Tops $1M

Laura Duncan — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 15:53:07 +0000

Record-Breaking Buffs All In Tops $1M Laura Duncan Mon, 03/10/2025 - 09:53

March 6 marked the third Buffs All In, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s annual giving day — and Buffs everywhere showed up in a big way. Donations exceeded $1 million, almost doubling last year’s total.

By the numbers

Preliminary results show that 2,499 donors raised an impressive $1,082,362, directly funding student success, research, athletics, emergency assistance and many other critical needs.

Challenge gifts made an impact

The day gained momentum thanks to generous challenge gifts, inspiring even more Buffs to contribute and make every dollar go further.

Athletics led the charge with an anonymous donor’s $200,000 challenge gift. To unlock it, 200 donors needed to give to Buff Club funds — and Buffs rose to the challenge!

Together, donors helped raise $266,500 from challenge gifts, fueling excitement and amplifying each donation’s impact.

Buffs everywhere showed up

Contributions will fuel groundbreaking research at the Leeds School of Business, offer critical assistance for students facing unexpected emergencies through the Student Emergency Fund, and help provide housing, travel and nutrition for 350-plus student athletes. These are just a few ways Buffs All In makes a difference.

From alumni and faculty to parents, staff and friends, Buffs from all corners of the community came together to show their support and reflect the heart of �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

Together, we make a difference

Buffs All In is more than a giving day — it’s a celebration of what we can accomplish together. Thank you for making this year’s event one to remember.

Learn more about your impact

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Full circle: The Farrands’ lifelong connection to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder

Anna Tolette — Fri, 15 Nov 2024 22:13:47 +0000

Full circle: The Farrands’ lifelong connection to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder Anna Tolette Fri, 11/15/2024 - 15:13

April Driver

Dale (AeroEngr’93) and Kristen Farrand (Psych’92) are making a lasting impact at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder through a planned gift in their will. Their generous commitment will support programs that assist underrepresented populations, promote leadership and innovation, and enhance student experiences, including the Army ROTC, aerospace student projects, the School of Education, Athletics DEI initiatives and the Parent Fund.

The Farrands’ commitment to philanthropy stemmed from their experiences at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, where their lives were profoundly shaped both academically and personally. Now, they’re aiming to ensure future generations of students receive the same support and opportunities that made a difference to them.

A lifelong connection to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder

As a high school student in Michigan in the late 1980s, Kristen was eager to explore a new community. After researching colleges at her local library, she chose �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder — sight unseen. It did not disappoint.

Kristen embraced life in Boulder, spending her college years exploring all Colorado had to offer. However, the support she received from faculty solidified her loyalty to the university. Initially a journalism major, Kristen soon realized it wasn’t the right fit. After some exploration, she landed in psychology, later adding an elementary education certificate.

“I was able to do all this exploring at �鶹��Ѱ��and also participate in the Semester at Sea Study Abroad Program because of the care and flexibility that �鶹��Ѱ��provides for its students,” she said.

Dale chose �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder because of its renowned aerospace program and ties to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and space exploration. Growing up in Montana as a skier, he was also attracted to Boulder’s proximity to the Rocky Mountains. After one visit, he was hooked.

The two met in Boulder, a connection that would change their lives forever. Now married for over 30 years, the couple has three daughters — two of whom attended �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

Though they now call the Washington, D.C., area home, their ties to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder remain strong. Over the years, they returned for football games and other events. They also sought out Forever Buffs communities where they lived, proudly wearing �鶹��Ѱ��Buffs gear and hearing “Sko Buffs!” around the world.

Investing in future Buffs

When it came time for the Farrands’ children to choose a college, �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder was the obvious choice. In 2020, at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Farrands’ daughters were in their first and second years of college. That experience highlighted the critical role of emotional, academic and social support programs — resources �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder’s Parent Fund helps sustain. These programs provided valuable guidance during an anxious and uncertain time to help their daughters thrive.

The Farrands also learned that the state of Colorado provides less funding for public universities than many other states. Reflecting on their own needs as students, as well as their children’s, they decided to deepen their commitment to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder by exploring additional ways to give back.

After careful consideration, the Farrands chose to make a planned gift through their will, believing it would allow them to make a lasting impact across several key areas. The Farrands’ commitment to philanthropy demonstrates how alumni can give back to the university. Through a planned gift, they will support programs that reflect their values and honor their family’s loyalty to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder.

A call to action for alumni

The Farrands shared their belief that giving time, talents and treasures allows alumni to enhance their relationship with the university and help students have a positive and enduring memory of their time at �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder. As philanthropists and volunteers, alumni can connect with a community of like-minded individuals and engage directly with �鶹��Ѱ��while deciding how to best impact the student experience today and into the future.

“Attending �鶹��Ѱ��changed the direction of my life. I met my wife and many of my closest friends. My experience opened my eyes to a larger and more diverse world,” Dale said.

“Boulder, the University of Colorado and the ecosystem they create are a perfect storm of critical and creative thinking, technological innovation, appreciation of our natural resources and the importance of global compassion and responsibility. It is the perfect place to springboard into adult life, and so far, our two Forever Buffs daughters agree!”

Alumni have many options to invest in �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder, including with a gift in your will or trust. Learn more about how to engage in the programs that represent your values and passion through Gift Planning.

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Athletics

WHOLE Student-Athlete™ program elevates Buffs on and off the field

Holistic model redefining college athletics

Empowering student-athletes to succeed

Transforming Buff athletics through philanthropy

A competitive advantage for �鶹��Ѱ�����Athletics

Join us in supporting the WHOLE student-athlete

Off

Record-Breaking Buffs All In Tops $1M

By the numbers

Challenge gifts made an impact

Buffs everywhere showed up

Together, we make a difference

Off

Full circle: The Farrands’ lifelong connection to �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder

A lifelong connection to �鶹��Ѱ�����Boulder

Investing in future Buffs

A call to action for alumni

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A competitive advantage for �鶹��Ѱ��Athletics

Full circle: The Farrands’ lifelong connection to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder

A lifelong connection to �鶹��Ѱ��Boulder