WELCOME Anatomy Outreach Program

About the Program

WELCOME is an educational outreach program that brings human anatomy and healthcare career exploration to middle and high school students who have the least access to these opportunities. Through free, hands-on learning at the CU Anschutz Medical Campus, students explore their interests and goals, and they discover the many roles that make up a healthcare team. From programmers and administrative staff to educators, therapists, doctors, nurses, and medical assistants, every role helps save lives.  

The name WELCOME stands for “WEllness, Learning, and Career Orientation MEntorship,” and it describes our approach too, as we welcome students to imagine themselves in these future roles.  Unique aspects of the students' day is the chance to explore and dissect real human organs, visit the campus, and talk with professionals about their careers. The program is run by the Modern Human Anatomy Program (MHA).  We collaborate with schools and organizations in Aurora, Denver, and the surrounding communities. MHA graduate students take part in every event, reflecting our dedication to outreach and community service.
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Program Details
Activities
Here are a few details about the program:
Group size
Typically 15 - 35 students per event, but we can also accommodate smaller or larger groups unders special circumstances.
Length
It varies. Events can be 1 to 4 hours long. This is a single event.
Location
The events take place on the University of Colorado Anschutz. Groups must provide their own transportation.
Cost
The WELCOME Program is free thanks to the generous funding from the MaggieGeorge Foundation.
Season
February - April, June, July, and October - November.
A few examples of the hands-on activities include:
Human Organ Exploration
Hold and dissect individual human organs from our Anatomical Donation Program.
A student using the virtual reality headset.
Compare Healthy vs Unhealthy Organs
Compare human organs and determine which one is healthy or unhealthy.
Career Panels
Gain insights from AMC students, staff, and faculty.
Virtual Reality (VR)
Explore and dissect the human body using VR.

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Outreach Partners

Since 2015, WELCOME has served 3,617 middle and high school students through partnerships with 44 schools and organizations across the Denver metro area and beyond.
Examples of our outreach partners include:

  • Ascent Classical Academy
  • Aurora Science & Tech High School
  • Colorado Uplift
  • CU Pre-Health Scholars Program
  • DPS Xplore Program
  • Eureka! Program at Girls Inc.
  • Green Valley Ranch High School
  • York International School
  • ...and many more!
A map of Colorado with multiple red pins indicating the location of schools and organizations that WELCOME has partnered with.
The map shows the location of schools served by the WELCOME Program during the 2025-2026 academic year.

Funding

We are grateful to the following organizations for their generous funding and support:

MaggieGeorge Foundation
Timmerhaus Fund Ambassadors
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Meet the Team

Picture of the outreach program director.
Maureen Stabio, PhD
WELCOME Program Director
Associate Professor, CU School of Medicine
maureen.stabio@cuanschutz.edu
A photo of the outreach program manager
Erika Alor, MS
WELCOME Program Manager
erika.alor@cuanschutz.edu

MHA Graduate Students and AMC Anatomy Lab Staff

Our events would not be possible without our dedicated graduate students and anatomy lab staff who help us set up and teach each session. Their expertise and enthusiasm are what make the experience engaging and fun for our participants. Thank you!

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Get Involved

To have your class or group to participate in the WELCOME Program, complete the interest form below.

WELCOME Interest Form


Have questions about WELCOME? Email Erika Alor.


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