December 2023 

Engineering professor Matt Morris (CivEngr’99; MS’02), pictured left, and his family lost everything they owned along with their home of 16 years in the 2021 Marshall Fire in Superior, Colorado. Nearly two years later, the family celebrated Christmas in the same spot — in their newly constructed house. 

Morris, two of his students — George Kurtz (ArchEngr’24), pictured center, and Daniel Donado Quintero (CivEngr’22; PhD ex’26), pictured right — and volunteers constructed more than 80% of the home themselves. 

“The experience changed my character and my understanding of commitment, discipline and accountability,” Quintero told the engineering school.

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Photo by Jesse Petersen

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