Colorado State University has appointed former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and his wife, Christie, as strategic advisers for three years in launching new initiatives, including the National Western Center in northern Denver, said the Denver Post. The university intends to turn the site of the National Western stock show into a university-like setting for innovators to tackle global water, food and population issues.
Vilsack told the newspaper, “Certainly, Colorado and CSU are in a good position to be a thought leader,” given the state’s agricultural and forestry base, its growing population and limited water supplies. CSU president Tony Frank said the Vilsacks would “elevate the conversation and collaborate to create great impact for our state, our country and our world.”
A longtime literacy advocate, Christie Vilsack will serve as an adviser for educational access programs, according to CSU. Tom Vilsack “is expected to participate in lectures and policy discussions on food and water issues and to help launch the National Western Center,” said the Denver Post. The positions are part-time.