Honoring a Mentor by Paying it Forward
CAP alum Andy Kenney established a scholarship to honor the legacy of Dwayne Nuzum, a towering figure in Colorado architecture and education
Jackson Campbell | Office of Advancement Apr 15, 2024
Many people shape the direction of our lives, but in what ways do we acknowledge the often profound influence they may have? From college professors who provide unwavering support to their students, to employers willing to give a chance to passionate up-and-comers, to experienced mentors who help advance careers, any number of people can have a lasting impact. Some among us have found joy in recognizing this impact in ways that go on to benefit others. For CU Denver alum Andy Kenney, this way was establishing a scholarship, allowing an influential mentor’s legacy to live on in the lives of other students.
The Dwayne C. Nuzum Memorial Scholarship is an award distributed to outstanding students in CU Denver’s College of Architecture and Planning (CAP). The scholarship was first awarded in 2021 to honor the late Dwayne Nuzum, a renowned architect and urban planner with 38 years of service in the University of Colorado system. Dwayne’s name may not be instantly recognized by current students and staff, but his influence within the school is still evident today. 
A Larger Than Life Figure
Dwayne (pictured at right) was a professor at CU Denver and CU Boulder and dean of Boulder’s College of Environmental Design. He also served briefly as CU Denver’s chancellor before being appointed chancellor of UCCS, where he served for six years. Beyond CU, he sat as a councilman for the city of Boulder, was the executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education for five years, and even had a successful career as a painter. Dwayne passed away in 2005, but his legacy still spans far and wide, remembered each day through the many lives he changed and inspired.
One of these was Andy Kenney who worked at Dwayne’s architectural firm after graduating from CU Boulder with a bachelor's degree in environmental design. For Andy, one phrase comes to mind when thinking of his late employer, mentor, and friend: larger than life. “I would get to work in the morning, and Dwayne would always be in the parking lot, picking up trash along the road. I can just see him chewing on a cigar,” Andy laughs. “I just thought he was a great boss, great human, great painter, great architect, great planner. Just everything about him impressed me.”
When Andy first graduated with his bachelor’s, he applied to several architectural firms but struggled finding employment. It wasn’t until Dwayne gave Andy a chance at his firm that his career was able to take off. As a mentor to Andy, Dwayne strongly encouraged him to attend graduate school at CU Denver, which proved pivotal. After earning his master’s degree, he was able to start his own firm, Kenney Architects. What followed was a 33-year career during which Andy worked in various areas of architecture in the United States and Europe, from residential planning to commercial architecture. To this day, Andy continues to credit Dwayne for giving him a chance in the field.
Extra Support Can Make All the Difference
In recognition, Andy (pictured at left) established the Dwayne C. Nuzum Memorial Scholarship, which is a fund the dean of CAP can use however they see fit, ideally to help as wide an array of students as possible. “When I was going to school, I was working as a security guard and a hospital orderly part-time to get by, and construction in the summers. I know how helpful it can be to just get a little extra support, so I didn’t put any qualifications on it. I left it to the dean’s discretion,” says Andy.
Andy’s pride in his association with Dwayne and his education at CU Denver, which he credits with preparing him for the workplace, has influenced his decision to maintain a relationship with the university. “I’ve always been proud of my degree. I think CU is a good school. Almost all of my teachers, especially through the architecture program, really were good, knowledgeable people who wanted you to have a job.” he said. “CU taught me how to work in an office so that people would hire me. I think what they did was get me the skills to be productive in an office from the get-go, so I didn’t just show up and have to be trained.” In hopes of providing future students with similar opportunities, Andy continues to donate to the scholarship fund and he and his wife, Sherry, have also included the fund in their estate plans.
Meanwhile, Dwayne Nuzum’s impact on CU, the state of Colorado, and the myriad places he impacted throughout his architecture career continues to have a lasting effect on students through this memorial scholarship. Andy Kenney welcomes additional donations to the fund and hopes that it can be an extension of Dwayne Nuzum’s impact on future generations of architects.