President: 1998-2006
President Emeritus
Prior to assuming the presidency at CCU, Dr. Larry Donnithorne served in the U.S. Army for 27 years, commanding a company in combat in Vietnam and living in Korea. In 1993, Dr. Donnithorne retired as Colonel from the U.S. Army, where he specialized in academic administration and strategic planning for The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. Following his military service, Dr. Donnithorne invested six years as President of North Carolina’s College of Albemarle.
Dr. Donnithorne is the product of a broad educational tradition, holding master’s degrees in both art and sciences from Stanford University and a doctorate from Harvard University in the multi-disciplinary field of education. Dr. Donnithorne is a devoted follower of Jesus Christ and loves to study and teach the Bible. An avid outdoorsman, Dr. Donnithorne has embraced Colorado’s Rocky Mountains by adopting snowboarding, hiking and biking. He and his wife of 40+ years, Fran, have four children, Mark, Jeff, Amy, and Rebekah.
Donnithorne retired as president of CCU following the completion of the academic year in 2006, after serving in this capacity for the eight years, leading CCU through one of the largest periods of growth in the University's history.
Throughout his time at CCU, Donnithorne worked tirelessly to ensure that Colorado Christian University could provide quality teaching and learning experiences in accord with the University's mission. He also championed the development and integration of programs that intentionally foster spiritual formation in the University's students.
Investing in the future good of CCU, Donnithorne advanced the vision of a new campus with energy and excitement. Under his leadership the University recovered from declining enrollments in both the College of Undergraduate Studies and the College of Adult and Graduate Studies after the recession that followed the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. The University also experienced increased stability in key leadership roles and the installation of a university-wide software management system. Upon retirement, the CCU Board of Trustees named Donnithorne President Emeritus.