Beloved CU Denver Staff Member Gives Back

Regina Kilkenny has a deep history with the University of Colorado.

A proud alumna, Regina holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado Boulder and two graduate degrees from the University of Colorado Denver’s School of Public Affairs. In 1988, her CU career began at CU Denver’s government relations team and she currently serves as the university’s special assistant for campus culture. Today, Regina’s connection to CU extends to the next generation as her daughter, Mia, just graduated from CU Boulder in 2022.

Accomplishing her own education wasn’t always smooth sailing. Regina remembers working three jobs and selling plasma to pay for her own university costs.

“I like to ease that pain a bit for others,” she says. “I’ve learned…the importance of every gift, no matter the size.”

Regina gives back to CU financially and has named the university a beneficiary of her retirement account. Her gift designations will support two areas: the dean’s discretionary fund in the School of Public Affairs and the Regina Kilkenny Memorial Scholarship at CU Denver.

Regina knows firsthand how hard students are working and she hopes an additional scholarship award can help ease the financial burden or even be the catalyst to continue working on their degree. “CU has taken care of me, and I have taken care of CU through hard work in meaningful ways,” Kilkenny says. “Philanthropy provides yet another way to support those who changed us and to pay it forward.”

Did you know? Receiving retirement plan assets often come with heavy tax burdens for your family members. Learn how easy it is to use beneficiary designations as your charitable giving vehicle to reduce those burdens. Contact the Office of Gift Planning at 303-541-1229 or giftplanning@cu.edu.