Neighborhood University is Back in Session!

Fall 2026 Cohort learning about Colorado Springs history at the Pioneer’s Museum.

Our Fall Neighborhood University cohort kicked off on September 2 with pizza from Double Dave’s, a lot of new faces from across the Pikes Peak region, and a surprisingly competitive round of NU Bingo. Students heard from Executive Director Kelly Bull, Programs Director Heather Briggs, and our Community Coordinators Melissa Teten, Ana Mendoza, and Maria Cordova about what it really looks like to bring neighbors together and create change close to home.

Since then, the cohort has been digging into how our city actually works. They learned how planning and zoning shape our neighborhoods and how urban renewal breathes new life into places like the Ivywild School. They went behind the scenes at the Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum, where they spotted familiar faces in the new Freedom to Thrive exhibit, including NU’s own Charles and Chauncey Johnson and our Community Coordinator Maria Cordova. They also got a crash course in Colorado Springs Utilities, from where our water comes from to how power and gas reach our homes. Still ahead: city government, economic development, housing, and public safety with our police and fire departments.

NU is about more than facts and figures. It’s about meeting your neighbors, understanding how decisions get made, and knowing how to make your voice count. If that sounds like your kind of thing, keep an eye out for Spring registration opening in December, with classes running March through May 2027. We’d love to see you there!