In the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union, the two remaining superpowers on Earth at the time, waged a Cold War for more than 40 years in which economic, political and military tactics tested the boundaries of warfare without ever coming into direct conflict. Today, the United States and China, are facing off on a different terrain, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. From low earth orbit to the lunar surface, Beijing, Washington and a host of others are on a potential collision course that could transform a conflict in space into a full-scale war on Earth. But a critical question remains: Is there still an opportunity to pull back from the brink, or will humanity go toppling over the edge?

Please join the Josef Korbel School and Bertelsmann Foundation for a screening of the documentary "Astropolitics," followed by an expert panel and Q&A on the geopolitical implications of space exploration. The film offers a compelling look at how space may become the next theater of conflict—or a new model for cooperation. The event begins with a reception at 5:00 pm and screening at 5:30 pm. The film runs approximately 60 minutes.

50% Graduate Tuition Discount

Denver, CO — The Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs is proud to support those who serve by offering a 50% tuition scholarship and waived application fees to AmeriCorps alumni. This initiative honors the commitment and impact of individuals who have dedicated themselves to community-focused service through AmeriCorps and are now ready to take the next step in their public service journey.

Whether you’re continuing your service in the nonprofit sector, entering government, or expanding your impact in a new direction, Korbel provides the academic foundation and professional network to support your growth. Our programs in international affairs, public policy, development, and security equip students with the skills and perspectives needed to lead in a rapidly changing world. With this scholarship, we aim to make a world-class education more accessible to those who have already demonstrated their commitment to serving others.

Learn more

About the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs
The Korbel School at the University of Denver is the 12th-ranked program in the world to earn a master’s program in International Relations and the 20th-best place to pursue an undergraduate in International Studies by Foreign Policy. Located in Denver, Colorado, the Korbel School offers practical undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificate programs, allowing students to build skills to solve real-world challenges.  Studying in Denver offers a unique blend of global engagement and fresh perspective—where a thriving, forward-thinking city meets unparalleled access to the outdoors, providing the space to think beyond the beltway and approach complex challenges with clarity and vision.

Please join the Korbel community for a welcome back gathering to celebrate the beginning of a new school year. All Korbel students, faculty, and staff are welcome! Food and non-alcoholic refreshments will be served.

Location available upon registration.

Each quarter, Dean Mayer hosts an informal meal with students where you can discuss the topics that matter most to you. If you are a current undergraduate student at Korbel, this is your chance to engage directly with the Dean and your fellow students in meaningful conversation. Don’t miss it!

If you are a graduate student at Korbel, Dean Mayer will host another lunch with the Dean on October 21.

Each quarter, Dean Mayer hosts an informal meal with students where you can discuss the topics that matter most to you. If you are a current graduate student at Korbel, this is your chance to engage directly with the Dean and your fellow students in meaningful conversation. Don’t miss it!

If you are an undergraduate student at Korbel, Dean Mayer will host another lunch with the Dean on October 29.

Colorado – From August 13–15, 2025, a diverse group of leaders from across Colorado will convene in the San Luis Valley as part of the Colorado Project’s Rural Learning Tour. The Colorado Project is a statewide initiative designed to advance shared prosperity and inclusive, sustainable growth in all regions of Colorado. It is convened by the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs and the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the University of Denver.

Now in its second iteration, the Colorado Project is focusing on the distinctive challenges rural communities face and the innovative, locally driven solutions they are generating. The Rural Learning Tour seeks to elevate this ingenuity, highlighting creative interventions in cost of living, sustainability, economic mobility, and entrepreneurship.

The San Luis Valley convening will spotlight organizations and initiatives in rural healthcare, food systems, affordable housing, and environmental stewardship, among others. There will also be a special focus on youth engagement and workforce readiness. Aaron Miltenberger, one of the co-hosts of this convening and President & CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley, emphasizes the importance of youth engagement in efforts like this: “Investing in our kids isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s how we build a stronger rural economy. When young people in the San Luis Valley get real skills, strong mentors, and the confidence to lead, they come back as nurses in Alamosa, teachers in Antonito, and business owners in Monte Vista. That’s how we grow—by investing in our own.”

Participants will visit Alamosa, Center, Monte Vista, and Mosca over the three days to tour a food distribution hub, learn about the revitalization of Main Street in Alamosa, meet with agricultural producers leveraging tech solutions for more sustainable production, and hear directly from community leaders from institutions like Adams State University, San Luis Valley Health, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the San Luis Valley. Colorado Project participant Kurt Walker, a Korbel School alum and Ranch Manager at Pine Canyon Ranch, remarks “The San Luis Valley is proof that when we center equity and innovation, rural places can lead Colorado’s future.”

The San Luis Valley visit follows a successful convening in Sterling in June to better understand the context of northeastern Colorado. Following Alamosa, the Learning Tour will travel to Steamboat Springs and the Yampa Valley (October 8–10), where the conversation will turn to recreation-based economies and conservation finance. Each stop reveals distinct regional strengths, but the tour’s goal is unified: uncovering shared solutions for both rural and statewide prosperity across Colorado.

We are excited to announce the Korbel School is now officially named The Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs. Approved by the University of Denver Board of Trustees, this change reflects the bold, evolving scope of Korbel’s mission and its growing impact on the world stage and, increasingly, at the local level.

Founded 60 years ago by Czech diplomat and scholar Josef Korbel, the School had an extraordinary ambition: to build a world-class institution here in the heart of the Rocky Mountain West committed to making the world more peaceful, just, equitable and democratic. With more than 7,000 alumni and a global reputation for excellence, Korbel has solidified its place as a leader in international and public affairs; one that is driven by an enduring commitment to the public good and a clear vision for the future.

“The name change is not a departure,” says Dean Fritz Mayer, “it’s a declaration of our enduring commitment to our founding values, but one that better reflects who we are today. We don’t just study issues, we train future leaders to act on them. We engage with public policy at all levels, from the global to the local. And we recognize that the public good is co-produced by governments, businesses and civil society organizations.”

Our location in Denver continues to offer a distinctive vantage point, geographically removed from the nation’s capital, yet rooted in a state capital and deeply connected to the world. Korbel has always been a place that invites elevated thinking, bold ideas, and unconventional solutions.

The new name also reflects our ambitions for the next 60 years. “The mission of the Korbel School has never been more important,” says Dean Mayer. “In this moment of unprecedented change, of uncertainty about our common future, the world has never been more in need of principled, pragmatic, and courageous leaders capable of confronting the great global challenges of the age.”

We’re not simply signaling where we’re headed, we’re leading the way. We are shaping the next generation of leaders and ideas that will define the future of global and public affairs, and we stand ready to meet this moment with purpose, vision and an unwavering commitment to a better world.

Colorado – On June 17–18, 2025, a diverse group of civic, political, and private sector leaders from across Colorado will gather in Sterling as part of the Colorado Project’s Rural Learning Tour. The Colorado Project is a unique statewide effort to advance shared prosperity and sustainable and inclusive growth in every corner of the state. The initiative is convened by the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs and the Scrivner Institute of Public Policy at the University of Denver, in collaboration with partners across the state.

In its second iteration, the Colorado Project will explore the substantive policy challenges that rural communities face, as well as the creative solutions they are developing in response. Dean of the Korbel School, Fritz Mayer, explains, “The Colorado Project is about bridging Colorado’s urban-rural divide with evidence‑based policy solutions. Sterling is where that conversation begins this year.” The Rural Learning Tour aims to capture local innovations that align with the Colorado Project’s four cornerstones: Colorado’s Promise (access to prosperity in all Colorado communities), sustainability and resilience, economic mobility and workforce, and cost of living. These cornerstones emerged from the first iteration of the Colorado Project, which culminated in a report detailing a strategy for inclusive statewide growth.

The Sterling gathering will spotlight rural housing innovations, career‑connected learning, renewable energy stewardship, and small businesses. Participants will tour a wind‑energy site in Crook, meet with Northeast Colorado Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) and Northeastern Junior College leaders, and network with local entrepreneurs at community events on Main Street. "We're thrilled to welcome the Colorado Project's first Rural Renaissance convening to Sterling. Our community is eager to share how we are innovating and discuss stronger partnership opportunities across all northeast Colorado" shares Trae Miller, Executive Director of the Logan County Economic Development Corporation. The convening will also benefit the Colorado Project participants, who represent other communities across the state. Participant Heidi Williams, President and CEO of Civic Results and Executive Director of the Metro Mayors Caucus reiterates this point: “Colorado’s small towns have long been laboratories of innovation. By listening to Sterling’s local ingenuity we can scale ideas that benefit every corner of the state.”

After Sterling, the Rural Learning Tour will visit Alamosa (August 14–15) and the San Luis Valley, followed by a visit to Steamboat Springs (October 9–10) and the Yampa Valley. Each region’s challenges are distinct, but the tour seeks to surface cross‑cutting solutions that advance inclusive growth for all of rural Colorado.

To learn more about the Colorado Project, visit the website or contact [email protected].

DENVER, CO — The Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs at the University of Denver is proud to announce that Carol Spahn, former Director of the Peace Corps, will join its faculty in fall 2025 as the Rice Family Professor of the Practice of International and Public Affairs.  

Spahn was appointed as Acting Director of the Peace Corps by President Joseph R. Biden on his first day of office and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate thereafter.  During her tenure, she guided the agency through a historic global relaunch following the COVID-19 pandemic, where more than 3,000 volunteers returned to service across 61 countries. She led transformational efforts to modernize operations, strengthen volunteer safety and trauma-informed care, and launched new country programs in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, El Salvador, and Palau. She also successfully secured the Peace Corps’ first budget increase in seven years. 

In addition to her recent government service, Spahn has more than 25 years of international development experience, including leadership roles at Women for Women International, Accordia Global Health Foundation, and in multiple Peace Corps posts as both Country Director and Volunteer. 

“Carol Spahn embodies a lifelong commitment to public service and international engagement,” said Fritz Mayer, Dean of the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs. “Her experience and insight will be invaluable to our students and our broader community.” 

The appointment of Spahn as the Rice Family Professor of Practice reflects Korbel’s deep and ongoing connection and commitment to Returned Peace Corps Volunteers (RPCVs). During the COVID-19 pandemic, Korbel launched dedicated scholarships for evacuated volunteers, resulting in a surge in RPCV enrollment. Korbel remains steadfast in its support for those called to service. In fact, the University of Denver and the Korbel School have consistently been recognized as one of the top volunteer-producing universities by the Peace Corps. 

For media inquiries or more information, please contact:
Stephanie Worden | Assistant Dean for Enrollment, Marketing and Communications
[email protected]    

Each quarter, Dean Mayer hosts an informal meal with students where you can discuss the topics that matter most to you. This is your chance to engage directly with the Dean and your fellow students in meaningful conversation. Don’t miss it!