In the heart of downtown Denver, students making their way to the CU Denver campus pass a small, flat-roof brick building on the comer of 14th and Blake streets. Were they to step inside, they would find the headquarters of Campos Companies, a leader in energy infrastructure that recently made a commitment to the success of our students.

Founded in 2005, there are currently eight different companies under the Campos name, over 750 employees, and more than 30 offices across the country. Equally impressive is the company's commitment to serving local communities, particularly through Campos Companies' community outreach program and its mission to elevate under-represented minority and female students through STEM education initiatives. Having contributed to several university STEM programs, Campos Companies is now turning its attention to students in its own backyard by creating a scholarship fund in the College of Engineering, Design, and Computing (CEDC).

Identifying with Our Students

This gift creates new opportunities for CU Denver students, so many of whom are first­ generation and juggle multiple personal and professional responsibilities to earn their degrees. Their ambition and motivation resonate with Marco Campos, Founder/Executive Chairman and Chief Culture Officer of Campos Companies.

Marco grew up in Denver where he began working hard at an early age, helping his grandfather's welding business when he was just seven. Aside from the numerous technical skills he took away, Marco developed a deep understanding of the interpersonal skills he would need to find success. His grandfather showed him firsthand the importance of kindness and respect in the workplace, and Marco sought to apply these principles in his approach to business.

Raised in a low-income household, Marco knew that college would be essential in making a career for himself. When the time came to pick a school, he wanted to stay local and applied exclusively to CU Boulder, where he worked 15-20 hours a week in various work-study positions while remaining a full-time student. During his junior year, he earned a paid internship at Texaco, which not only helped him financially but also influenced the direction of his career. Upon earning his bachelor's in civil engineering, Marco signed on with Texaco as an engineer, which taught him firsthand the nuances of managing and the business side of the industry.

Giving Back to CU

With experience at Texaco in hand and a move back to Denver, Marco began consulting for pipeline companies and established Campos Companies at age 30. Even at that early stage, Marco made it a priority to support the CU system. "Even then, I was giving back to the university because I understood the impact that had on me personally and others," says Marco. "That evolved over time as the success of the company evolved, always with the focus of women and underrepresented minorities."

Marco has built his company around seven core values that remain his primary focus: culture, ethics, schedule-driven, compliance, employee utilization, performance, and alignment to client. "Where do I find personal satisfaction? It isn't in a bottom line; it isn't in having fifty locations," he says. "Having a personal meter on how good I feel about the work we're doing has been so beneficial to me; it's the north arrow that I have to how we're going to do our work and evolving a culture that is centered on doing more than just doing work." Recently, Marco went on a tour of his companies to meet and talk to all 750+ of his employees, a feat showing his dedication to building community and spreading a positive message wherever he goes.

Marco's experiences with higher education instilled in him the importance of support for current and future students. Before he attended CU Boulder, Marco participated in a summer bridge program, which familiarized him with the campus before starting his first semester. This experience stuck with Marco, who strived to implement that same level of care and acknowledgement into his business. Alongside his company he created the Campos Foundation, which prioritizes support for underrepresented minority and female students. The Campos Foundation has implemented summer bridge programs, scholarships, internships, facility sponsorships, and elementary school-based SmartLabs throughout Colorado and beyond. 

“Right in Our Backyard”

Marco's decision to provide scholarships for CU Denver students was common sense to him, as he can see the campus every day just by looking out his office window. "It's right in our backyard," he said. "We're also bringing in a handful of interns from the college this summer. We're very excited and we want to do more for CU Denver." As a CU alum, Marco is grateful for the opportunities the university provided him, and he aims not only to give back but to expand his reach to institutions across the nation.

The Campos scholarship fund will begin awarding scholarships to students this fall. "I am thrilled and grateful that the Campos Foundation has leaned into CU Denver through the support of our students," says CEDC Dean Marty Dunn, looking forward to seeing students benefit from the foundation's gift. "Our students are the most diverse of any engineering college in Colorado, and this generous gift of scholarships will change the lives of many of our students and their families. I am personally motivated by this partnership and excited to welcome the first cohort of Campos Scholars to CU Denver in the Fall."

The approach Marco takes to philanthropy is both generous and good for business. "We're just built a little different," he says, referring to the impressive scale of his company's contributions and gifts. "And I'm hoping that this is a model other companies will take, or that new business leaders adopt it from the get-go. The only reason we've been able to donate like this is because we started from the beginning." There are many ways to run a successful business, and Campos Companies has made its mark with its inspired generosity, passion, and dedicated leadership.