René Tate

Title/ Company: Owner/ René Tate Photography

Major at UCCS:  Organizational Communication

Favorite CLC Memory:  Freshman year was a very magical time.  So many firsts... first time moving away from home, first CLC retreat, first introduction to 40 students who would become my closest confidants.  My first service project.  My first night sleeping under the stars at a wolf refuge.  My first time serving on a board.  My first time photographing the CLC scholars...  Everything about that year was so unexpected.  There was always another "first" just around the next corner and that in itself is my favorite CLC memory.  

Advice for CLC Scholars: Follow your bliss. 

Breanna Whittaker

Title/Company: Clinical Nutrition Manager at Kingman Regional Medical Center

Major at UCCS: Health Care Science, Nutrition

Favorite CLC Memory: So hard to pick! An unforgettable one: On Make a Difference Day, a group of us volunteered to help clean-up a hotel-turned-homeless shelter/halfway house. There was some deli turkey in one of the mini-fridges that had not been cleaned out in awhile from the smell we got when we opened up the fridge. None of us had to pull straws to
see who cleaned it because Mike Miller stepped right up! Oh man was I thankful for Mike!

Advice for CLC Scholars: Ask yourself, "Why not?" Take advantage of every opportunity, however, know yourself and your limits. The balance between those will take you far. Feel free to contact me if any of you are ever passing through Arizona (or nearby Vegas), have nutrition questions, or just want to stay in touch!

Adam Saffer

Title/Company: Ph.D. Student, University of Oklahoma

Major at UCCS: Communication (Organizational)

Favorite CLC Memory: My favorite memory of CLC involves two events: 2008 International Experience: Italy and 2009 International Experience: China.

Advice for CLC Scholars: Become aware of time. Recognize the abundance of time you have left in your education, career, and life. Don't rush to the next accomplishment. At the same time, be cognizant of how little time you have left. Be present in what you do now.

" I have learned to strive for some kind of balance in my life as a whole. In particular, I have used the professionalism on a daily basis as I work in a somewhat demanding work setting. No matter the challenges of the day, I have to remain on top of my game and keep a good head on my shoulders"

Alisha Pagan

Title/Company: Student Finance Planner at Everest University Online

Major at UCCS: Visual and Performing Arts w/an emphasis in Studio Art; Double-Minors in Leadership  Studies and Spanish.

Favorite CLC Memory: Overnight volunteer projects including the Wolf Refuge and Santa Fe Trail Days

Advice for CLC Scholars: Network as much as you can while you are there! Great opportunities are there for you.

" I learned a lot about myself, my values, my goals, and how I want to go about making a change in the world. CLC helped me grow up and grow into my own skin. It helped me learn to be proud of all that I am and to know that I can make a difference."

Kyle Meddings

Title/Company: Senior Training Specialist for ENT Credit Union

Major at UCCS: Business Administration, HR      Minor: leadership Studies

Favorite CLC Memory: Frontier Days in La Junta and CLC retreats!

Advice for CLC Scholars: Take advantage of every opportunity

"CLC challenged me to assess many of my personal beliefs and perspectives about life. In many cases my beliefs were strengthened and in some cases challenged me to change my perspectives."

Melissa Lafontaine

Ashley Calvo (Jander)

Title: Finance and Customer Relations Manager

Company: Phil Long Lincoln of Colorado Springs

Major: Chemistry

Favorite CLC Memory: Attending the El Pomar Leadership Summit and hearing local leaders give real world examples of success.

Advice for CLC Scholars: Take the time to find out what you really want to do with your career and future.