Â鶹´«Ã½

If ever there was a couple who exemplified what it means to bleed blue and gold, it’s Bob and Bonnie Phelps. The couple, who live in California, were first introduced to the University of Northern Colorado (Â鶹´«Ã½) when their son, Brian, enrolled in 2010 after completing his associate degree in California.

When Brian Phelps, ’12, moved to Greeley and started on the path to earning his bachelor’s degree, neither he nor his parents were invested in the university beyond their excitement for the next chapter of his life. Upon his graduation, the philanthropically minded family quickly decided to give back to the university to honor Brian’s time on campus. 

Through the years, the family has supported numerous campus initiatives, including creating multiple scholarships and supporting the Monfort College of Business Financial Education Center. The latter is a cause that is especially close to Bob’s heart. Bob was excited to support the center to empower students to take control of their lives and futures by mastering their personal finances. 

From there, the Phelps family’s commitment and love of supporting Â鶹´«Ã½ grew. Over the past 14 years, they have generously supported more than 20 different initiatives across campus, impacting nearly every corner of the university. 

During a campus visit, Bob and Bonnie visited the Gender and Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC), which at the time had just moved into a home on campus. The house lacked the necessary resources to support students, like a refrigerator. Bonnie fell in love with the students and took it upon herself to ensure that the GSRC was furnished with everything students would need to feel safe and comfortable in the space. Bonnie’s dedication and generosity to the GSRC and the students it serves led to the house being lovingly renamed the Bonnie House. Bob and Bonnie’s support helped renovate an old garage and transform it into a functional gathering space for students.

The Phelps also played a crucial role in the All Steinway Initiative — making Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s School of Music the first public institution of higher education in Colorado to earn the designation by converting the school’s piano fleet to all Steinway & Sons brand pianos. When the initiative started in 2018, many of the pianos were 100 years old. 

Most recently, the Phelps family created the first scholarship for the proposed College of Osteopathic Medicine (COM), allowing the new college to create incentives for top Â鶹´«Ã½ students to attend and thrive at Â鶹´«Ã½ COM. The family has been a source of innovative and inspirational support for so many causes university-wide that their philanthropic impact would require a map to fully comprehend every area they have personally touched.

Bob and Bonnie’s generosity has helped shape the Â鶹´«Ã½ campus as we know it today. Their contributions have and will continue to be felt by generations of students, elevating their experience and fostering an inclusive environment. Their focus on programs that often go unseen provides more than philanthropy — they provide a vote of confidence and a boost in visibility to many of Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s hidden gems. Their legacy will undoubtedly inspire future students and families, ensuring that the spirit of paying it forward to the Â鶹´«Ã½ community thrives for years to come.

The Phelps family's generosity has supported these initiatives:

• All-Steinway Initiative Fund
• Athletics Women's Walk
• "Bob Heiny" Student Athlete Academic Success Center
• Bonnie Phelps Family GSRC Support Fund
• Campus Commons
• Cancer Rehabilitation Institute
• College of Osteopathic Medicine
• DACA Scholarship
• Empower Center
• MCB Financial Education Center
• NHS Student Research Events Poster Sponsorship
• Phelps Family African American Science and Business CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family Aims2Â鶹´«Ã½ Business CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family CAP Awards and Scholarship Endowment
• Phelps Family CAP Osteopathic Medicine Scholarship
• Phelps Family College of Performing and Visual Arts Enhancement Fund
• Phelps Family Communication Studies CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family LGBTQ+ CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family Mathematics CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family Military Service CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family Musical Theater CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family Music CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family Research CAP Grants and Awards
• Phelps Family Speech-Language Pathology Graduate CAP Scholarship
• Phelps Family Student Success Service Scholarship Awards
• Phelps Family Women's Athletics Enhancement Fund
• Veterans Services Center