Higher Education’s Biggest Booster
Lena Elliott is nothing if not practical. “I’m not a visionary as much as I am ‘let’s get it done right now,’” she laughed. The mother of eleven children, the founder and longtime organizer of the largest tennis tournament on the Western Slope, and a tireless supporter of Colorado Mesa University, Elliott has an enviable “get ‘er done” record.
In 1957, Elliott, her husband, Carter, and four children — with one on the way — arrived in Grand Junction. Almost immediately, Elliott became involved with education.
“Back then, we had a pretty small community, and our closest friends were involved in education, whether it was the school district or the college,” she explained.
Elliott initially opposed Mesa’s transition from a two-year college to a four-year college in 1974.
“We were a good junior college, and I wanted to keep that reputation because we were the best junior college in the state of Colorado,” explaining that there was a lot of community-level opposition.
“But it passed, and Lord knows I was wrong in that area,” she laughed. “Look where we are today!”
Over nearly seven decades, Elliott’s support for Mesa has never wavered, even when decisions didn’t go her way. Her leadership positions include nine years on the community college board, seats on the Colorado Commission on Higher Education board and the Mesa State College Board of Trustees, and integral leadership during the early days of the Mesa College Foundation.
Looking back, Elliott stresses her support for CMU Tech. “I love the community college system. I really appreciated that you could go to school and get some kind of education in a short period of time. At the community college level, we always accommodated the student. If you can only take the class at ten o’clock at night, we made sure there was class at ten o’clock at night. The community college system is like family, and I really liked us being a part of that,” she explained.
Elliott’s support for technical education was hands-on, especially when it came to establishing CMU Tech’s well-regarded Culinary Arts Program, whose restaurant, Chez Lena, honors her.
When it came time to transition from a college to a university, Elliott feared the community college would suffer. Once again, she laughed while remarking, “You see, my vision isn’t very good for the future. I just know the here and now!” Yet in many instances, Elliott would have been right, as two-year and four-year degrees rarely combine under one institutional roof — only CMU and the University of Nebraska offer both degrees.
When Tim Foster was chosen as CMU’s president in 2004, Elliott found herself under fire. In a workshop with Hank Brown — a Colorado senator and former president of the University of Northern Colorado — she learned that the most important role for a college trustee is hiring a president. When Foster came out on top in blind voting, the trustees ran with it. Angry letters, negative newspaper editorials, protests by faculty, and even Elliott’s car getting keyed, ensued. However, just two years later, a group of faculty members thanked Elliott for hiring Foster. “So, that’s the one thing I did that I don’t have to say I was wrong,” she exclaimed.
As for Elliott’s current vision for CMU, it is all about retaining graduates in the Grand Valley. “I’m hoping that our community will grow so that when our students graduate from here, they can call this home and stay here. Because it’s such a great place.”
A Story 100 Years in the Making
Want to learn more about CMU's history? Purchase Colorado Mesa University - A Century of the Maverick Spirit, written by Amber J. D'Ambrosio and Kristen Lummis. The 192-page book chronicles CMU's 100-year journey of growth, resilience, and community impact, celebrating the people and moments that shaped our Maverick history.
CMU's Century Project honors one hundred years of Colorado Mesa University's rich history - celebrating the people, milestones and spirit that have shaped our enduring legacy. As we reflect on this meaningful milestone, proceeds from the commemorative Century Book and events throughout the year will benefit the Century Scholarship, ensuring that future generations of CMU students can continue to grow, learn and carry the CMU legacy forward.