This year marks the 150th anniversary of the University of Colorado, which was founded in 1876, the same year Colorado was granted statehood.
To mark this momentous milestone, the university is teaming up with Sweet Cow to debut its first-ever officially licensed ice cream flavor, Buffalo Chip.
Now available at all seven Sweet Cow locations across Boulder, Denver and beyond, the tasty frozen concoction has been described as “Buff pride in a cone.” It joins Sweet Cow’s lineup of 10 core flavors, complete with a custom black-and-gold menu placard.
Created with input from students and alumni, Buffalo Chip features a rich brown sugar butter ice cream base studded with both dark chocolate and butterscotch chips. The black-and-gold chip combination pays homage to CU Boulder’s colors, with the butterscotch honoring 150 years of history and the dark chocolate adding a bold, modern twist.
The new flavor is designed to seamlessly combine nostalgia and innovation into one creamy treat.
“Buffalo Chip is a joyful, delicious tribute to CU Boulder’s 150-year story,” says Justin Schwartz, chancellor of CU Boulder. “It reflects the creativity of our students, the dedication of our alumni and the deep connections that make this university such a vital part of Colorado.”
A portion of Buffalo Chip sales will support CU Boulder scholarships, helping future students chase their dreams. The decision to give back to the university was an easy one for Drew Honness, Sweet Cow’s founder, who studied history at CU Boulder and started scooping ice cream as a student.
He opened the first Sweet Cow location 16 years ago. Since then, the iconic Colorado brand has expanded to seven locations across the Front Range: North Boulder, South Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, Platt Park, Stanley Marketplace and Highlands. It also has a Sweet Cow MooMobile.
The stores serve up an array of delicious treats, from scoops and sundaes to milkshakes, ice cream sandwiches and root beer floats. Sweet Cow also offers ice cream cakes, pints, quarts and seasonal pies for enjoying at home.
“Being able to create a flavor that celebrates CU’s 150th anniversary and gives back to students feels like everything coming full circle,” says Honness. “We hope Buffalo Chip becomes a favorite for Buffs everywhere.”
Other Ways to Celebrate CU Boulder’s 150th Anniversary
Beyond the new ice cream flavor, CU Boulder is celebrating its 150th in other ways, too.
The university has launched the new Sesquicentennial Faculty Scholars Program to highlight some of its most imaginative researchers, creators and innovators. Members of the public can hear from many of these faculty members during two upcoming public events—one in Denver on August 27 featuring Waleed Abdalati, Brian Argrow, Emmanuel David, Yumi Roth, Sarah Matsumoto, and Phoebe Young, and the other in Boulder on November 19 featuring Annie Booth, Mimi Engel, Alena Grabowski, Samuel Ramsey and Mehak Sawhney.
Each faculty member will give a TED Talk-style presentation that demonstrates how CU Boulder scholarship connects to real‑world issues across health, climate, culture, technology and the arts.
“This program captures what makes CU Boulder special,” says Michele Moses, vice chancellor for faculty affairs. “Our faculty are advancing knowledge in ways that serve communities and the public good, and these events offer a powerful way to experience and celebrate that work firsthand during our sesquicentennial year.”
Two podcasts are also spotlighting the voices and stories that shape the campus. Radio 1190, CU Boulder’s student-operated radio station founded in 1981, will commemorate the university’s 150th with its “CU150” podcast featuring interviews with some of CU’s most notable Buffs. Meanwhile, the College of Arts and Sciences is back with the fifth season of “The Ampersand,” the official podcast of CU Boulder’s 150th anniversary. It will explore mythology, the space between history and identity and how the stories we tell hold up and change over time.
University Libraries is also mounting a new exhibition called “Campus Life: 150 Years of Human and More-Than-Human Relationships at CU Boulder.” It will be on view through December 2026 in the Earth Sciences & Map Library, located on the lower level of the Benson Building.
Using historic maps, photographs, original watercolors and modern cartography, the exhibition explores how humans, wildlife and more-than-humans coexist on campus.
Meanwhile, homecoming will take place November 14, when the Buffs face the Houston Cougars at Folsom Field. As CU Boulder celebrates 150 years, this homecoming offers a way for students, friends and alumni to rally around the black and gold and celebrate CU’s culture, past and present. Expect signature events such as the Stampede Parade, pep rally, tailgates, campus tours, family-friendly gatherings and so much more.
