Roberta Hanson, Ph.D., described as a lifelong learner and generous colleague, died July 28, 2026.
Hanson began at Metropolitan State College of Denver in 1990 and was a professor of Management for 15 years before retiring in 2005.
Raj Khandekar, Ph.D., professor of Management since 1994, remembered Hanson as a kind and thoughtful educator who worked to help students connect with the material.
“The one thing I remember most about Roberta is her kindness,” Khandekar said. “She was a gentle person, very kind to everyone, and devoted to her students.”
Hanson taught Organizational Management and Strategic Management, and Khandekar recalled that she used a variety of teaching techniques to engage students.
Hanson grew up in Carthage, Missouri, and attended Pittsburg State University, where she earned a Master of Business Administration. She also lived and worked in Washington, D.C., before moving to Colorado with her family and joining MSU Denver. In 1972, she began pursuing the Doctorate of Business Administration she eventually earned at the University of Colorado Boulder.
There, she met Krishna Dhir, Ph.D., who remembered Hanson as an outstanding student and avid reader who readily shared her knowledge with others.
Dhir shared reflections from the Rev. Megan Burg, who spoke at Hanson’s memorial service. Dhir said her words, supported by former Auraria Campus librarian Jo Janet Koblack, captured Hanson’s character particularly well.
“Roberta’s generosity stemmed from her heart,” Burg said. “If there was room, you made room. If there was food, you shared it.”
Hanson’s memorial service took place Sept. 2 at Mountain View Methodist Church in Boulder.
