IMPACT REPORT 2021
WITH YOU, OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT This past year, donors supported UCCS students, faculty and programs across the campus in a variety of areas. Philanthropy empowers many to go the distance and pursue their dreams they once thought were unobtainable, and it allows the campus to dream bigger. Throughout this report, you’ll learn about countless ways your philanthropy has made a difference to students and the UCCS campus. We hope you enjoy reading about your impact and how it is strengthening our campus and the community.
Thank You
1
You are one of
3,903 DONORS
who gave in 2021. Here’s what donors supported in the last year:
220
THEATREWORKS ARTISTS were supported financially and creatively from donor’s gifts
Gifts to scholarships helped UCCS award
3,000+
SCHOLARSHIPS to driven students
This year’s Giving Tuesday, UCCS’ day of giving, raised $77,727 FROM 400 DONORS. In addition, we had $63,803 FROM SEVEN CHALLENGE DONORS making our grand total
$141,530 4
COMMUNITY SUPPORT SCHOLARSHIPS were utilized to provide emergency funding to students
1,300 +
STUDENTS visited Clyde’s Cupboard, the campus food pantry during the fall 2021 semester. Clyde’s is a 100% donation-based food pantry
2021 UCCS Impact Report | 2
MESSAGE FROM CHANCELLOR REDDY Dear friends and donors, These past two years have not been easy. I often find myself reflecting on the shifts and turns of life, and thinking about how unexpected some of the changes to our lives have been. But even as we navigate these extraordinary times, what gives me comfort is knowing this campus has the support of wonderful people like you. You care deeply for UCCS, and you are committed to expanding opportunities for our students and our community. I am also comforted that we are not the first to live through challenging times. There is no doubt that life’s challenges and disruptions have always forced people to reevaluate their roadmap. Disruptions may change our route, but they do not change our mission, and we are still working tirelessly towards our vision for a bright future for our students. You all remind me of the positive influence and the vital role the community plays for the UCCS campus. Please know that our faculty and staff are committed to student success and with your help we will transform our student’s lives for the better. While life has certainly shifted, we remain steadfast with our goals. Our goal to increase access and affordability to a UCCS education, enhance the campus experience and provide a safe and welcoming environment remains at the top of our list. We have seen progress in those three areas, and loyal donors and friends like you have contributed to it. With extra safety precautions in place, we have continued to create a unique oncampus, hybrid and remote experiences this semester, because we know that making connections is essential for students during their academic journey. It is immensely gratifying to be able to count on you as a dedicated supporter and champion of UCCS. Your generosity helps to alter the world for many driven students. In uncertain times, we can unite to see change happen every day. I am honored to see wonderful work happening across campus, efforts that are spearheaded by your philanthropy. Through your support, you help us to stay Mountain Lion Strong — and as a result, you improve lives and make the possibilities possible. Your gifts this past year create sustainable solutions for our campus and our students. The path ahead may bring tumultuous times, but giving to areas that speak to your heart helps us know that together, we can move through the obstacles. Your commitments are extraordinary, and deepen academic excellence today and into the future. Thank you for all that you do for UCCS.
Without ‘
Venkat Reddy, UCCS Chancellor
3
’ there is no ‘
CCS’.
2021 UCCS Impact Report | 4
A SPACE OF BELONGING AND COMMUNITY By Whitley Hadley, Director of the MOSAIC and LGBTQ+ Resource Center
How do you know that you belong somewhere? Is it because you received an invitation? You see people doing things you enjoy? Is it how the furniture is shaped? Maybe it’s just a feeling when you show up. Belonging and mattering are core focus areas of institutional diversity, inclusion and equity initiatives. These initiatives are intentionally designed to recognize and mitigate the erasure of certain populations, such as women, those with disabilities and people of color, and affirm the contributions, impact and community value of historically marginalized peoples. Here in the Multicultural Office for Student Access, Inclusiveness and Community (MOSAIC) and LGBTQ+ Resource Center, we provide holistic support for historically and currently marginalized UCCS students, while also equipping the broader community with ongoing education, tools and resources to craft collective liberation. We aim to ensure all can engage in learning that is vulnerable, sometimes uncomfortable, but overall serves as a catalyst for empowerment to better engage with your fellow human. My role as the director is to ensure UCCS is prioritizing and being congruent with our value of inclusive diversity. We are investing not only in the recruitment of diverse populations, but also supporting and retaining the population so they are able to thrive and truly contribute to that power of innovation through diverse lived experiences. We invest in community and affinity spaces at UCCS because there is empowerment developed within affirming spaces, and there is liberation when we are better understanding of one another’s stories. In the MOSAIC and LGBTQ+ Resource Center we want our community, inclusive of students, staff, faculty and alumni, to be able to perform at their best and revel in the power of connection. Whether it is attending a SafeZone LGBTQ+ allyship training, learning about the politicization of demographics through the Evolving Language Series, engaging with alumni panels to discuss living authentically, or singing your heart out with friends at our annual multicultural karaoke event — there is something for everyone to enhance their multicultural competence and contribute to the well-being of the UCCS community.
MOSAIC and LGBTQ+ Resource Center’s physical space was expanded lastyear thanks to donor support. 5
“We creatively curate programming and workshops for the range of knowledge when it comes to inclusion and equity. This aids us in nourishing a campus climate that affirms that all belong in the community, and that they matter to our overall success.” WHITLEY HADLEY ’13
2021 UCCS Impact Report | 6
COLLABORATIVE SPACES available for the community, students and faculty
300
PATIENTS/CLIENTS ARE SEEN PER DAY and 80+ faculty and health care professionals occupy the building
3 OLYMPIANS AND 1 PARALYMPIAN trained at Hybl in preparation for the Games last summer
WILLIAM J. HYBL SPORTS MEDICINE AND PERFORMANCE CENTER Following the official opening of the William J. Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center in 2020, further community engagement and learning is taking place inside of the Hybl Center. Last year, 12 Colorado Springs SWAT team 7
members trained regularly in the Hybl Center and 21 members of the Colorado Springs Fire Department participated in a pilot training program. While working within limitations of COVID-19 protocols, the Hybl Center continued to engage with the local military, first responders and disabled
TEACHING LABORATORIES support didactic and experiential learning
4,022+ SQFT of outdoor sports performance area
30%
MAX INCLINE on the two-ton custom 9’ wide treadmetrix treadmill
populations throughout 2021, offering various assessments and training opportunities. The Hybl Center aims to become a unique training facility for local groups and in 2021 trainings were provided for local high school sports teams, USA Wrestling, YMCA Education Series, Switchbacks Soccer Club and others. In addition to trainings and programs, the Hybl Center’s medical clinics provided whole-person care for the Colorado Springs community and beyond. The Hybl Center’s clinics use a gatekeeper model with Board Certified Primary Care Sports Medicine physicians as the first line of care. Student academic experiences are also enriched
“Despite what can be described as a very difficult year to start new initiatives, the staff of the Hybl Center made significant progress achieving benchmark goals.” STEVE JOHNSON Co-Executive Director of the Hybl Center
through the Hybl Center. The first cohort of students were welcomed in 2020 with smaller class sizes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Courses for students were offered in-person along with remote lectures. UCCS’ Department of Human Physiology and Nutrition, which is currently housed within the Hybl Center, saw an increase in attendance by 35% over the 2019/2020 academic year and continues to be on track to become one of the largest academic programs on the UCCS campus. 2021 UCCS Impact Report | 8
IMPACT STORIES 9
CITLALLY DAVILA-RUIZ For Citlally Davila-Ruiz, obtaining a college degree meant growing her passion for the military and discovering a community of support along the way.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT CITLALLY
• Major: Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology and Military Sciences • Member of the UCCS Army ROTC program • After graduation she will be commissioned into the U.S. Army as a Second Lieutenant and hopes to apply for law school to one day become a lawyer for the military
“I would like to sincerely thank the UCCS donors for being part of my journey. My scholarship not only helped me financially but allowed me to become part of the great community at UCCS.”
SPENCER PIRZADEH
TREY BOGER
Spencer Pirzadeh started college as a 21-year-old freshman and thought he would feel out of place, but he felt at home on the UCCS campus.
The generosity from others helped fuel Trey Boger’s UCCS education and he is grateful for the support.
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
THREE THINGS TO KNOW
• Major: Geography and Environmental Studies with a minor in Geology
• Major: Business
ABOUT SPENCER
ABOUT TREY
• His father and siblings are UCCS graduates
• Took a year off to work and re-enrolled at UCCS
• Before graduation, he secured a job with El Paso County as an associate planner
• Loves UCCS because of the support he’s received
“I am very thankful for my scholarship as well as to the donors. My scholarship allowed me to worry less about how I am going to pay for school and has allowed me to put my focus and energy on my classwork ensuring my success.”
“The family atmosphere at UCCS is something truly special and the generosity of donors is unmatched. I hope to be able to contribute to a scholarship fund in the future so students like me continue to have the opportunity to pursue their dreams.”
2021 UCCS Impact Report | 10
11
CYBERSECURITY FUELS CONNECTIVITY From a vision to a plan with partnerships woven into the strategy, the UCCS Cybersecurity initiative has grown into an evolving opportunity to connect with local technology businesses. This past August, the education and research center was renamed after UCCS donor, Kevin W. O’Neil ’89, as the Kevin W. O’Neil Education and Research Center, and construction is underway to bring the interior space to life. The renovated building will foster continued engagement and support for the local cybersecurity community while being a learning hub, a place for information sharing and a working environment for others.
“This facility will serve as a critical infrastructure for implementing UCCS' Partnership, Outreach, Workforce development, Education and Research (POWER) Strategy and elevate its cybersecurity reputation in the nation and world.” SHOUHUAI XU Professor in Cybersecurity and Gallogly Faculty Chair
Collaborations with industry partners and support from donors is the driving force behind the renovations. This unique space will attract other local technology companies and will bring together educational and career opportunities to maximize UCCS’ impact within the cybersecurity world. Lead philanthropic partners include the Anschutz Foundation, El Pomar Foundation, the Lane Foundation and the U.S. Economic Development Administration. A goal of the Education and Research center is to be a springboard for academics and serve as the Center for innovation and industry partnerships. The building located on Nevada that once was a satellite production facility will soon be an epicenter for collaborative learning and donor support has made much of this a reality.
2021 UCCS Impact Report | 12
WELLNESS AT UCCS Maintaining the mental and physical health of students at UCCS requires support from a compassionate team, and the UCCS Wellness Center staff provides exactly that. Fostering a community of health and well-being involves various programs to meet the needs of students, and the center offered both virtual, telehealth and in-person resources. Wellness Center services include primary care, mental health and nutrition services and wellness promotion. The center’s team conducted nearly 30 wellness presentations and events in 2021, reaching over 500 students and over 80 faculty and staff members. The center also increased its services to support campus COVID-19 efforts.
“The Wellness Center provides accessible, affordable care to assist students managing a variety of health and mental health issues that can often be barriers to their success in college and in life. We care deeply about each student and want to provide services and programs that enhance their overall well-being.” STEPHANIE HANENBERG Assistant Vice Chancellor for Health and Wellness
In addition to the numerous programs and wellness resources, an emergency fund helped offset the costs that often create barriers for students when accessing medical and mental health services. Examples of items students needed support for included eye exams, purchasing eyeglasses or contacts, dental services and medications.
T hanks to donors, wellness services have expanded and more students benefit from the health resources offered on campus. 13
The UCCS Wellness Center experienced high volumes of individuals struggling with mental health this past year and OFFERED VARIOUS EDUCATION on coping skills and provided SERVICES for positive behavior
The center has a SLIDING FEE SCALE OFFERED so no student is turned away for inability to pay
AN EMERGENCY FUND was utilized to offset medical costs for students
6,614
1,792
HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH APPOINTMENTS for students
INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS visited the Wellness Center
In the last year, the center conducted nearly
30 WELLNESS
PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS
2021 UCCS Impact Report | 14
ENGAGED VOLUNTEERS Last year marked one year since the launch of the UCCS Alumni and Friends Volunteer program — a centralized way for alumni and friends of the university to see an array of options for giving back to UCCS. Through various in-person and virtual interactions, the UCCS volunteer program fosters an active community of engaged alumni volunteers who give back by investing their time toward areas that matter to them.
675
TOTAL VOLUNTEER HOURS recorded in 2021
52 OPPORTUNITIES were supported by UCCS volunteers
“My biggest benefit from volunteering with UCCS is knowing I am giving back to something I got so much from.” TRAVIS TAFOYA ’16, UCCS Volunteer
Thank You
60%
OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES were offered in a virtual or hybrid environment
Thank you for all the ways you make a difference at UCCS. You support the academic mission of the university by increasing opportunities through your time and generosity. Your dedication to UCCS improves lives and improves our community. Thank you. UCCS Advancement: development@uccs.edu • 719-255-5100