College try: School's new leader delivers energy, enthusiasm

Not long after Mike Martin was named chancellor at Colorado State University in 2012, he found himself in front of a phone. Next to him was a list of some of the wealthiest people in the state — all potential donors for the public university.

Martin, who didn't know anyone on the list, dove in. The new chancellor’s first cold call, says Colorado State CFO Rich Schweigwert, who was in the room, was to someone Schweigwert calls one of the five most powerful people in Denver. Less than a half-hour later, with some chuckles in between, Martin had a new friend, and CSU had targeted a new donor.