Donor Impact Spotlight - August 2026 - Front Range Consortium - Col. (Ret.) Paul Huffman ’86

From the Front Range to the Front Lines

What can philanthropy make possible when universities, national security leaders and industry work together?

In this edition of Donor Impact Spotlight on Air Force Gradcast, Col. (Ret.) Paul Huffman ’86 joins host Vince Greco P’17 to share the early impact of the Front Range Consortium, a multi-university partnership made possible through support from The Anschutz Foundation. With the motto “From the Front Range to the Front Lines,” the FRC is bringing together expertise across Colorado’s Front Range to advance national security research, strengthen STEM and policy education and prepare the next generation of the defense workforce.

For the second consecutive year, the FRC’s National Security Scholars Program is giving two students/cadets from each participating school access to national security experts, visits to NORTHCOM and SPACECOM, and firsthand exposure to Congress, the Pentagon and the State Department. Seed funding is also supporting Air Force Academy faculty research in areas including scramjet propulsion and critical infrastructure modeling. These are early examples of what becomes possible when philanthropy provides the resources to connect ideas, institutions and people around a shared mission. To learn more about the Front Range Consortium and opportunities to support its continued growth and impact, contact: Col. (Ret.) Paul Huffman ’86 Director, Front Range Consortium paul.huffman@usafa.org

The Air Force Gradcast is a production of the Long Blue Line Podcast Network and presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation