DU Remembers Helen Crossley

University of Denver alumna Helen Crossley, a longtime supporter of her alma mater, died on Sept 25 at the age of 95.

Crossley earned a master’s degree from DU in 1948 with an emphasis in survey research. She and her father, Archibald, were pioneers in the field of public opinion research and polling. In 2012, her $1 million gift to DU’s Josef Korbel School of International Studies helped create the new Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research.

“Helen’s gift to the University of Denver Korbel School started an academic center that has provided scholarships for graduate-level students and taught more than 90 students public opinion and foreign policy,” says Floyd Ciruli, director of the Crossley Center.

Crossley was the founding member of the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR) and served as the first female president of the World Association for Public Opinion Research (WAPOR). Her generous gift to the Korbel School will help students and the greater community understand American public opinion related to international affairs and international public opinion. “Both are key in developing international policy and working effectively with individuals in other countries,” says Christopher Hill, dean of the Korbel School.

Crossley is survived by her sister, Dorothy I. Crossley.