Why Do So Many DU Graduates Stay in Denver?

Matt Walter and other whitewater rafters traverse down the river.

Matt Walter’s (BA ’20, MA ’21) love affair with the Mile High City began long before his academic journey at the University of Denver was set in motion. 

As a child, Walter and his family frequently traveled to Colorado from Pennsylvania for summer vacations. The first time they visited, when he was 10 years old, was particularly memorable.

“We were staying down at the 16th Street Mall, and we went to the zoo, and at one point, I looked at my mom and was like, ‘I’m going to live here,’” he recalls.

A few years later, Walter, who was the first in his family to attend college, toured 23 schools, and made DU his last stop—since he already knew how much he liked Denver.

Reflecting back a decade later, Walter says he probably should have toured DU first because the small community vibe on campus made him only more enamored.

“I always describe DU as a community of communities because we’re a big enough school that you’re always going to meet someone new, but we’re a small enough school that, once you find your ‘pocket,’ you will recognize someone from your pocket everywhere you go,” he says.

That promise he made at age 10 became a reality when he got both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees here and then decided to stay in the Denver area after graduation—thanks in large part to the unique opportunities he had at DU.

He’s not alone: More than 76,000 alumni currently live in the state, according to a DU economic impact report released in September 2024. Of the approximately 49% of alumni who live in the state, more than 22,000 graduates reside in Denver.

This high rate is even more noteworthy considering that 75% of incoming freshman students come from out of state.

So why is it that so many graduates stay in Colorado? For many alumni, it’s not just the vibe but also the alumni network, the work opportunities, the outdoor lifestyle, and the DU community.

It’s who you know

Walter’s ties to local and state government, including his current role as a senior council aide for Denver Councilwoman Amanda Sawyer, are in no small part due to the relationships he cultivated at DU.

“I think the fact that DU is such a reputable program and that there are so many alumni in the area really set me up for success,” he says.

Through his involvement in DU’s Pioneer Leadership Program and honors program, Walter was introduced to several alums who had connections to city government, including former city official Anthony Graves (IMBA ’05). 

His sophomore year, Walter worked with Graves as an intern with the City of Denver. 

“Being able to have that leg up gave me the first big, immediate plunge into local government,” Walter says.

In addition to majoring in political science and public policy, Walter was also involved in the campus think tank Roosevelt Institute, student government, and the Delta Chi fraternity.

The idea of “six degrees of separation” may apply in big cities like Washington, D.C., Chicago, or New York, but in Denver, Walter says it’s more like two or three degrees. He believes this creates a competitive advantage for an employee because you’re closer to the decision makers.

“I think there are a lot of great opportunities to prove yourself pretty quickly,” he says. “Having access to really powerful, educated, and talented people who are further along in their careers, your ability to learn quickly is way better than in other cities.”

State employees also don’t operate in the same “work hard, play hard” mentality as others might, says Walter. In fact, he believes the ability to take time off and relax creates a more successful workforce in the state.

Exploring the great outdoors

Colorado’s outdoor offerings are essentially endless, with world-class hiking, skiing, rafting, biking, and climbing. It’s no surprise, then, that the state’s landscape is a big draw for students who choose to attend DU and stay in Colorado.

For Nolan Deck (BA ’22), the chance to ski in Colorado regularly played a role in his college decision. Coming from a small high school in Maine, DU’s size also played a meaningful role. While DU was larger than his high school, it wasn’t so large that he’d feel overwhelmed.

“I was looking at much bigger schools, and my parents really encouraged me to seek out a school where one-on-one relationships with professors were possible. I really felt like that was possible at DU,” he says. “It felt like it wasn't just the student community and the faculty community, it felt like the student and faculty community.”

Since graduating with degrees in journalism and English, Deck has turned his love for skiing into a career. What started as an internship during college turned into a full-time job as a writer for the online publication Unofficial Networks. Deck writes about skiing and other outdoor activities and gets to travel fairly frequently while working remotely.

In addition to traversing the peaks, Deck has explored the foothills and plains, finding beauty in other parts of the state.

“Being able to get off work and drive 30 minutes and be in the mountains is really valuable,” he says. “Whether you’re hiking, biking, or running, there’s stuff 20-30 minutes away, and there’s even wilder stuff that’s only an hour away.”

As Deck settles into living in Englewood, he encourages current students to explore the suburbs around Denver. He’s joined the local recreation center, where he feels like he’s a part of the community and has enjoyed meeting people of all ages. 

‘We get to enjoy DU for as long as we live’

Walter left Denver for a short time after finishing his master’s degree in public policy at the Josef Korbel School of International Relations in the fall of 2021 to live in Washington, D.C., and work in Congress, but sometimes, as they say, sometimes you need to leave to know you were home all along.

“Every single night when I was falling asleep and my head was on the pillow, the only thing I could think about was, this isn’t Colorado. I am not in Denver right now and that sucks,” Walter says.

Now, he’s quick to tell everyone that he has no plans to leave anytime soon—and they shouldn’t either.

“Most of my friends are still here, and they talk about maybe someday moving. I’m like, ‘You’re not moving. Don’t kid yourself,” Walter says. “Why would you leave paradise?’”

One of the best things about being a DU alum living in Denver, he says, is continuing to take advantage of the amenities of the university itself. 

“You can still go to hockey games and Winter Carnival as an alumnus, and you should,” Walter says. “There are all these fun things you can do as an alum. Don't feel like, once you graduate, you've left. It’s there for life; we get to enjoy DU for as long as we live.”