UCCS 2022 Donor Impact Report

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G I V E .UCC S . E D U

A WORD FROM THE SENIOR VICE CHANCELLOR The impact of your giving surrounds us at UCCS. I know many would agree with me about that statement.

UCCS donors like you make a profound difference to the campus. Your dedication to improving lives means that our faculty, staff, and students benefit from your significant contributions. It means that we are accomplishing our goals to increase access to a UCCS education. And it means that students are prepared to impact the world upon graduation. It also means that we are offering a campus environment where opportunities are vast, and success is achievable.

I want to thank you for your generosity and thoughtfulness over the past year. UCCS donors are our greatest supporters and without your help, we wouldn’t be able to create an environment that encourages and supports lifelong learning.

I hope you enjoy reading about your impact at UCCS. Thank you.

Martin Wood

Martin Wood, UCCS Senior Vice Chancellor

CONTENTS Student Success .......................................................................................... 3 Fueling the Future ....................................................................................... 5 Student Support from UCCS Alum ............................................................. 7 In the Classroom ......................................................................................... 8 Donor Impact ............................................................................................... 9

COMMUNITY SNAPSHOT TH I N G S

Donor support helps replenish the items available at Clyde’s Cupboard (the campus food pantry), and in the Fall of 2022, 313 students visited the pantry and were provided fresh fruits, vegetables and other perishables to students that are available at the main pantry

UCHealth partners with UCCS Athletics: UCHealth is now the Official Health Care Partner for UCCS Athletics for the next five years

UCCS Men’s and Women’s track and field teams were named RMAC Champions

UCCS celebrated the opening of the newly renovated Cybersecurity Center

UCCS College of Education welcomed Dean Henrietta Williams Pichon

Fall Class of 2022 donated more than $3,800 to the annual class gift

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UCCS welcomed two vice chancellors in 2022: Rame Hanna, Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Jose Cantu, Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management

Student activities returned to being in-person on campus

First Bachelor and Master of Social Work cohorts graduated from UCCS in 2022

Board of Regents approved the Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering, Bachelor of Arts in Music, and a certificate program in Substance Use and Recovery Counseling

UCCS conferred nearly 1,600 degrees to students from the Classes of 2020, 2021 and of 2022 during the spring Commencement ceremonies

YOU FUEL SUCCESS FO R U CC S S TU D E NT S

Your support helps students excel inside and outside of the classroom. Read about three UCCS scholarship recipients and their wonderful accomplishments.

Because of you, talented students can pursue their academic dreams!

C R E ATI N G E X PE R I E NC E S YO U ’LL R E M E M B E R For Visual and Performing Arts student and Chancellor’s Leadership Class scholar Seth Lindsey, one visit to the Ent Center of the Arts was enough for him to realize UCCS was the school he wanted to attend.

“When I was going to tour campus, I had a work shift and had to miss the campus tour, so I reached out to Kevin Landis, the head of Theatre and Dance, and asked if I could get a tour of the Ent Center. He said yes, so I got to come on down and tour it, and decided ‘I’m going to UCCS.’ My first time seeing the rest of campus was my first day as a student,” Lindsey said.

After getting accepted to UCCS, Lindsey began looking into scholarship opportunities as a freshman and first learned about the Chancellor’s Leadership Class (CLC) program while doing so.

“I applied for CLC because it offered a collection of benefits, outside of the scholarship funds, that I was interested in. Especially coming from a theatre background, I know the advantage there is in surrounding yourself with people who are hardworking, dedicated, and passionate about what they do. Even just from the CLC website, I determined that it was a group of top-notch people who wanted to give their all to their academics, their service, and each other,” explained Lindsey.

Lindsey applied for CLC both freshman and sophomore year and unfortunately was declined, but persistence paid off as he tried one more time during his junior year and was chosen.

“You have to keep chasing what you want. Even when you are denied, you have to keep your chin up and try again,” Lindsey said.

Lindsey has created memorable experiences in his academic career through the relationships he’s built, the performances he’s directed, and the ways he’s stayed connected to the university.

These are lasting experiences that will forever be part of his journey at UCCS.

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UCCS senior Kevin Velasco was named Colorado Leadership Alliance (CLA) 2023 Student Leader of the Year for his leadership skills and efforts. This prestigious award is offered by Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation in partnership with the Boettcher Foundation. Velasco was selected from a pool of nominees from 12 Colorado institutions, including all four campuses in the CU system, with each nominating only one student.

“I’m very grateful to have been recognized as the CLA Student Leader of the Year, and I hope that it can serve as a testament towards the importance of ambition and dedication,” said Velasco.

Velasco is pursuing a double major in Economics and Political Science with plans to work in the public service field after graduating this May. In addition to being a Chancellor’s Leadership Class scholarship recipient, he is co-president of the Latinx Student Union and Director of Finance in the UCCS Student

Government Association (SGA).

“In the Chancellor’s Leadership Class, we talk about effecting positive change in our communities, and Kevin has made an incredible impact at UCCS during his time here,” said Cody Parish, Director of UCCSlead and the Chancellor’s Leadership Class.

Alongside his efforts on campus, Velasco keeps busy working part-time and interning with the Government Affairs Department of El Paso County.

At his internship, he analyzes prospective state legislative efforts that may impact El Paso County and assists in discerning whether the county should administer lobbyist efforts. He also helps with researching internal committees and boards, drafting guiding documents for certain meetings and more.

Velasco is the fourth UCCS student to receive this award and shared more about his background and leadership story at the Leading Colorado Luncheon that took place on March 9.

“I want to thank the Latinx Student Union, the Chancellor’s Leadership Class, the UCCS Student Government Association, and MOSAIC for helping me throughout this undergraduate journey and for inspiring me to pursue those sometimes absurd heights that I hope to and will reach. Lo hice por mi gente, por la raza y para el movimiento,” Velasco said.

A D R E A M FU LFI LLE D Wellness, Resilience and Emotional Intelligence.

Motivational Interviewing. Co-Occurring Disorders and Trauma-Informed Care. Process Addictions.

To most people, these are intimidating concepts. For Anna Duerst, this is just a list of her favorite classes.

Anna graduated in December 2022 with a degree in Human Services with an emphasis in addiction.

“I’ve always wanted to become a counselor, that’s been a long-term goal of mine,” she said. “When I found out UCCS offered a degree with counseling, I knew I wanted to do that degree.”

It’s a dream for Anna that came about because of a special mentor she had in her teens that made a difference for her.

“Ever since I was a young teen, I knew I wanted to

become a counselor and to help people process through the unique struggles they face,” she said. “This desire and aspiration came from having an influential mentor that took a special interest in my life. As a young girl growing up in a challenging home environment, my mentor took the time to talk with me about my personal struggles and provided a safe place for me to express my feelings. For the first time, I felt that I was seen, heard, and valued for who I was.”

Anna cited getting to work with top-notch professors as a highlight of her time at UCCS. 2022 IMPACT REPORT

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FUELING A VIBRANT FUTURE A N S C H UT Z E N G I N E E R I N G C E NTE R

The College of Engineering and Applied Science (EAS) broke ground on the Anschutz Engineering Center on August 26. Completion and occupancy of the building is slated for January 2024.

The 24,000 square foot center will help accommodate growing numbers of students in the EAS college — including students pursuing new aerospace degrees.

The Pikes Peak Region’s growth in key aerospace and technology business sectors has placed a demand on more graduates to drive the success of the region.

The new high performance, energy-efficient facility will support expanded research and laboratory space.

Enrollment for EAS has more than doubled since 2008 and this growth is likely to continue. The center will also help serve the Colorado Springs community as the demand for engineers and computer scientists in the region’s workforce increases, with approximately 200 companies in the region alone seeking EAS graduates.

“We’re creating extraordinary opportunities for students, and adding to the local workforce,” said Don Rabern, Dean of Engineering.

Several components are planned for the new space, with focus on laboratories, classrooms, conference spaces, offices, student support centers, and research spaces.

The three story building is adjacent to the current engineering space. The first floor will hold classrooms, a traditional computer lab, a Computer Pods Lab that better allows for working in teams, and an impressive Space Systems Lab that passers-by will be able to view from large front windows. The second floor will focus on Aerospace engineering and research, and the third floor will concentrate on expanding capacity in Electrical and Computer engineering.

Thanks to generous donors, funding for the project comes from The Anschutz Foundation, the CU Foundation and the CU President’s Fund. Alumni and local industry partners have been key contributors to the facility through philanthropic and technological donations. eas.uccs.edu

2022 IMPACT REPORT

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A SMART AND SIMPLE GIFT PLAN SUPPORTS STUDENTS IN THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS As first-generation college students, Tom and Nancy Arata were determined to get their degrees, no matter the obstacles.

Decades later, they see that same drive in many first-generation students at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS).

“They juggle work, families, classes, homework, exams. Their willpower speaks to us,” says Tom, ’87 MBA. The desire to support students — a present-day reflection of Tom and Nancy’s college experience — compelled the couple to create an estate gift to benefit the existing Thomas and Nancy Arata Family Scholarship Fund. The fund helps junior- or senior-year students in the College of Business at UCCS bridge the tuition gap so they can successfully pursue their degrees.

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The Aratas created the gift by naming UCCS as one beneficiary of their donor advised fund (DAF).

Their estate plan provides for loved ones first, with its residual passing to their DAF to be dispersed to selected charities, including UCCS. “It made life easier for us and the executor of our estate because our DAF is an efficient giving vehicle,” Nancy says.

Knowing the quality of education in the business school assures Tom and Nancy that they’ve made a smart investment.

“The foundation of even considering this gift is knowing that the product is good. Students have made a choice for their education that’s a really good one.” giftplanning.cu.edu

IN THE CLASSROOM U CC S D I S TI N G U I S H E D P R O F E S S O R S

UCCS provides students access to an education through scholarships and access to brilliant minds in the classroom.

Several UCCS professors have been recognized as Distinguished Professors, the highest honor that the University of Colorado bestows to faculty members. Their achievements are a testament to the dynamic research opportunities and high-quality teaching at UCCS.

Terry Boult founded the world’s first and only Bachelor of Innovation degree and is a pioneer in multiple research fields. Boult’s early research is still used in MRI machines today. He created a new subfield for machine perception, and his work in visual surveillance and long-range imaging is utilized by cruise lines and military bases.

Dorothea Olkowski is a globally ranked scholar in philosophy. She has published 14 books, over 100 articles, and has been cited 1,741 times. Her research began in the history of philosophy and contemporary European philosophy, and she is currently delving into the relationship between philosophy and neuroscience.

Robert von Dassanowsky* is one of the world’s top scholars in Austrian Studies and an internationally recognized expert in Central European culture. Dassanowsky is founding director of Film Studies and has continued to develop the program and its professional reputation.

Carlos Paz de Araujo has served UCCS for 40 years, established a Class 100 clean room for microelectronics research, and innovated a new non-volatile ferroelectric memory. He has won numerous awards and is an Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Fellow. He also boasts 180 publications, 10,000 citations, and over 600 combined U.S. and international patents.

*Since the creation of this report, UCCS sadly lost Dr. von Dassanowsky in October 2023.

2022 IMPACT REPORT

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DONOR IMPACT IN 2022

1,541 alumni donors

3,700+ DONORS gave to UCCS

1,080+

1,079

other donors

$4,800

first-time donors

Average amount of financial aid received per student

65

Heritage Society members have made a planned gift to UCCS

3,000+ students applied for scholarships

205

organizations and institutions gave to UCCS

500+

Volunteers in the UCCS Alumni & Friends volunteer program

Giving Tuesday 2022 had almost 400 donors raising more than $90,000 supporting the office of MOSAIC, scholarships, wellness at UCCS and more.

Meaningful gifts from donors like you have a significant and transformative impact on the university and we thank you.

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THANK YOU Gifts from compassionate donors like you help transform UCCS into a thriving intellectual hub that benefits students, the campus, our community and beyond. Thank you!

UCCS Advancement: development@uccs.edu • 719-255-5100