Join the Daniels Dean’s Circle
The Daniels Dean’s Circle recognizes dedicated alumni, parents, and friends who make annual gifts totaling $1,000 or more to the Daniels College of Business. This special group of highly committed supporters understands the value and importance of a worldclass business education. By joining, you become a part of a select community of supporters who catalyze and power Daniels at every level: cutting-edge programs, excellent faculty, students and their future successes.
Your generosity helps fuel meaningful scholarships, removing access barriers for students; enables innovation and experimentation, leading to breakthroughs in business and beyond; and prepares principled leaders for a rapidly changing global economy across sectors and industries.
More than a gift, your support is a vote of confidence in our students, educators and the long-term future of Daniels. We are deeply grateful for your partnership and invite you to explore the tangible impact Dean’s Circle support is making across Daniels below.
If you'd like to make a meaningful difference and join this community of dedicated supporters, please consider giving $1,000 or more cumulatively in support of a Daniels program.
Become a Member
Join the Daniels Dean’s Circle today
Or contact Daniels Advancement at danielsadvancement@du.edu for more information.
You're unlocking student access and opportunity
Donor-funded scholarships open doors for talented students from diverse backgrounds, reducing financial stress and enabling full participation in transformative academic and experiential opportunities.
$18,076 more annual income earned by DU graduates compared to peers at other institutions, supporting long-term financial sustainability
+10% employment rate 6 months post-graduation compared to the national average, enabling faster industry entry and impact
$8,300 average scholarship awarded per student, reducing financial burden and empowering academic success
Your Investment Shapes Students’ Futures: From First-Gen to Plante Moran
Amy Cerna Sanchez’s (BSBA and BA 2026)
Reflecting on her four years at DU, Amy credits her scholarships not just for access to an excellent college education, but also for personal and professional transformation. “I have grown into a well-rounded leader, academic, and community member,” she says. That growth has led to a full-time role with Plante Moran, one of the largest audit, tax, consulting, and wealth management firms in the US. She says she feels “incredibly prepared” for this opportunity, ready to put the skills she learned at DU into practice.
"As a first-generation student supporting myself, I would not be here without these scholarships"
Amy has also made it a priority to give back. Through the 1GenU, Colorado Women's College and the Volunteers in Partnership program, she mentors high school students who are in positions like her own, including those who are the first in their families to earn college degrees. It is an experience that “truly means a lot,” she says. “I have worked indescribably hard to make the most of my opportunity here at DU, and it has paid off. I want to empower other young people to do the same.”
Her story is a powerful reminder that scholarships don’t just fund educational opportunities. They change lives and shape generations.
Philanthropy Powers Excellence
Your support for the Dean’s priorities and academic departments gives Daniels the flexibility to strengthen our programs, empower our faculty, and stay closely connected to industry—responding quickly to emerging needs and new opportunities. Achievements in 2025 included:
90% of Daniels students obtained internships, gaining critical industry experience to secure jobs.
44 Daniels students participated in the iconic annual Walk Down Wall Street program, making powerful connections in the finance field.
80% of Daniels students immersed abroad in Guatemala, South Africa, Ireland and Dubai, among other destinations, building a global business mindset.
Your Support Accelerates Innovation and Learning
3 new innovation and entrepreneurship spaces, accelerating ideas for 550 students
11 additional Bloomberg terminals, providing access to real market data for faculty and students
Market Connectivity Matters
In 2025
500+ employer and community partners engaged with Daniels, resulting in 1,100 internships for students.
2,000 industry professionals and alumni engaged with Daniels through guest lectures, case projects and campus partnerships, providing critical business world insights for students.
100 organizations and nonprofits partnered with Daniels students to address real-world business and community challenges.
Driving Faculty Excellence and Research
40 faculty members serve on editorial boards of 90+ academic journals, strengthening Daniels’ global reputation.
4 research centers and faculty publish in elite 25 national publications, advancing influential business research and insight.
The Affordable Housing Research Institute was launched in 2025, designing solutions to critical housing challenges in our region and beyond.
With Your Help, Daniels is Leading the Conversation on AI, Automation, and Ethics
Faculty like Nate Waddoups, PhD, are shaping the future of accounting through research on artificial intelligence and automation. His work over the last six years has examined how AI and robotic process automation are transforming accounting and auditing; streamlining routine tasks; and elevating professional judgment, analysis, and strategic decision-making.
In the classroom, Waddoups fosters students’ critical thinking by challenging them to evaluate AI outputs, question assumptions in automated systems, and determine where human judgment adds value –– in-demand skills that will prepare them for a rapidly evolving job market and future careers. Your support of Daniels enables Waddoups and his colleagues to do the urgent work mentoring the next generation of industry professionals.
Recognized nationally for his scholarship, Waddoups publishes his work in acclaimed peer-reviewed journals, partners with Fortune 500 and Big Four companies, and serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Information Systems.
Your commitment to the future of business education fuels this kind of cutting-edge work across Daniels, expanding knowledge creation and preparing principled leaders to use emerging technologies responsibly.
Your support of Daniels enables Daniels faculty to do the urgent work mentoring the next generation of industry professionals.
Thank you for being part of the Daniels Dean’s Circle community. Your support helps students thrive, empowers faculty to continuously innovate, and allows Daniels to cultivate principled leaders across industries.
Become a Member
Join the Daniels Dean’s Circle today by donating $1,000 or more to the College.
Or email Daniels Advancement for more information.