UCCS Student Bloggers
James
My name is James Burge and I am originally from Birmingham, AL (Roll Tide). I am a Junior here at UCCS, majoring in Communications and minoring in Marketing. I am actively involved in Mountain Lion Pride (PR/Marketing Club) a club that I am the president/founder of and I also am a student assistant for the Office of Student Recruitment.
[more]I choose UCCS because from my very first visit to the campus I felt instantly at home. The people I met and opportunities I was allotted gave me the sense that I could succeed at UCCS. The price for me was right and so was the size. I love UCCS because there are a myriad of opportunities for students to shine if they take the initiative to get involved.
My favorite thing to do in Colorado Springs is hang out with the amazing friends I've made here. Whether it be bowling one night or catching a movie there is always something to do. When I grow up I hope to work in my field of study, which is public relations and marketing. After having experience from internships and freelance work, I have really grown to love my degree program and the career opportunities it provides.
Katie
My name is Katie and I was born and raised right here in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado! I am currently a Sophomore at UCCS and I am active in the Nutrition club, the Volleyball club, as well as the Chancellor's Leadership Class here at UCCS! I chose UCCS because of its close proximity to my home, and the Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences because I am a Sports Health and Wellness major, minoring in Nutrition.
[more]I also love Colorado Springs, I am an extremely active outdoorsy kind of gal and the Springs has many hiking trails to venture out on in the warmer seasons! I also love the Downtown area, Manitou Springs (which is about 30 mins from UCCS), and Old Colorado City! I love UCCS because the class sizes are relatively small, teachers take time to get to know all of their students personally, and there are hundreds of ways to get involved in campus life and meet outstanding new people!
When I grow up I hope to work as a trainer at the Olympic Training Center as well as work with different gyms as a personal trainer!
Meral
Merhaba! (that's "hello" in Turkish!)
My name is Meral Sarper and I was born and raised in Pueblo, Colorado. I am a proud Mountain Lion and a sophomore at UCCS.
Just some of the clubs and organizations I'm involved in are Society of Women Engineers, Chancellor's Leadership Class, Asian Pacific Islander Student Union, Mountain Lion Honors Program, National Residency Hall Honorary and Mountain Lion Leadership Council.
[more]UCCS caught my eye because I knew I could get the quality engineering education that I wanted while at the same time having the opportunity to be in smaller classes and to have more one-on-one time with my professors. I absolutely love UCCS because the campus is beautiful and so are the people that make up the UCCS community. I feel like each and every Mountain Lion—from the Chancellor to the professors down to my student peers—genuinely cares about the education I'm getting here at UCCS.
I don't feel lost in the crowd—my uniqueness and passion is valued here. My favorite thing to do in Colorado Springs is explore all the beautiful hiking trails like Pikes Peak to Garden of the Gods. My friends and I also love to go downtown to hang out, grab a bite to eat, and go dancing!
One day, I plan to be an astronaut on one of the first crewed missions to Mars. I'll know that UCCS was the first step to get me there.
Evan
I was born in Colorado Springs but grew up in a farming community in northwest Ohio, not nearly as cool as Colorado. I stay extremely busy in college but that's what makes it so fun. Mostly I am involved with playing basketball, snowboarding, hiking, walking my Husky puppy, work and homework of course.
[more]I chose UCCS because I came from a small town and didn't like the idea of just being some number at one of the bigger universities. I always wanted to be back in Colorado and UCCS had everything I wanted. It is close to the mountains, not too big, has beautiful views from campus, and because I feel at home. For a school of nearly 9,000 students in a city around 400,000 people, you never feel overwhelmed or lost.
My favorite thing to do in Colorado Springs is hike. I have lived in the city for 4 years and haven't had a chance to hike even half of the trails in the area. When I grow up I hope to live in Colorado and have a great family. I also hope to have a fast-paced and challenging job working as a financial analyst or something similar.
Rachel
I'm a third year Biology and Chemistry double major at UCCS. I came to UCCS from Northern California, and though I miss the weather, I'm really enjoying my time here. I keep myself busy with jobs as a Resident Assistant and a Student Ambassador, by attending programs put on by the University, and with lots of schoolwork! I'm looking forward to spending my first summer here in Colorado Springs and starting my position as an Orientation Welcome Leader.
Trey
Hey! My name is Trey Quiller and I am a Senior at UCCS, majoring in Mechanical Engineering. I came to UCCS from Pagosa Springs, Colorado. I decided to come to UCCS because of how high it is ranked for engineering degrees—it is ranked 7th in the US World and News Reports in engineering—but also because of the atmosphere. I was originally planning on going to Colorado School of Mines, but the social life was not as lively as I wanted.
[more]I have been in a ton of clubs on campus. I have been the President of the Residence Hall Association for two years, member of the National Residence Hall Honorary, member of Alpha Lambda Delta honor society, Orientation Welcome Leader for two years, been a Student Ambassador, part of the UCCS Climbing Club, and even serve on a regional executive board. I have done a ton of things and loved every single one of them. UCCS allows me to meet new people and has a vibrant and active community which is amazing.
The city of Colorado Springs is very active and vibrant as well. Some of my favorite things to do around town are to go bowl, play mini-putt, or rock climb. I have a membership at a rock climbing gym where I climb weekly. I won't be rock climbing or in college for life, though. What I want to do when I graduate is to work somewhere where I can help everyday people and solve problems for them. I don't know what that entails yet, but I know I love engineering and want to help people, so it will work out.
Whitley
Hello, my name is Whitley Hadley and I am a Sophomore at UCCS. I am majoring in Communications with a minor in Creative Writing. I was born in Houston, Texas but I grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado so I refer to myself as a native. I believe that I am very involved in the UCCS community. I am the Vice President, soon to be President, of the Black Student Union. I am a proud member of the Phi Sigma Sigma Sorority. I am a member and Event Coordinator for the Unique Step and Dance team. I also am a Student Ambassador and love to tell and defend my school any time that I am able to put in a good word.
[more]I chose UCCS because I love being involved, and UCCS has almost every activity imaginable. I really wanted to stay involved and it seemed to me that UCCS wanted their students to not only go to college but to experience college. I love UCCS because they do care about what the students need and want to excel and succeed in life. There is an opportunity always waiting to be caught by a student and people that are around to support you when you fall and when you fly.
My favorite thing to do in Colorado Springs is to go dancing and attend the festivals or events at community centers and the various parks. There are so many things that are going on in the community that raise awareness and also are fun for the residents. I also enjoy going out dancing with my Sorority sisters and friends that I've met on campus. Whether it is Cowboy's on Wednesday for college night or a Saturday at Sodo's, we try to go out at least three times a semester to have some fun.
I hope to inspire people to achieve their goals and know that they always have a choice in any and everything they do in life. I do not want people to give up on their passions because of some construction on their personal road in life. I also hope that when I grow up, I am happy and doing what I am passionate about in life.
Monique
I am a multicultural super–Senior at UCCS. I transferred here my sophomore year, and that was the best decision I could have ever made as an 18 year old. I am originally from Walnut Creek, California. I love the Bay area and enjoy the fast pace life style. My extended family on my mom's side is from the Midwest. We visited family quite a bit growing up, and permanently relocated to Sioux Falls South Dakota where I was 11 years old. I attended private schools my entire life until I chose to become part of the UCCS community, and have been impressed with the many opportunities I have been given as a student at UCCS.
[more]I have been and am currently active in many clubs and organizations including the UCCS Peer Mentor Club, Office of First Year Experience, National Society of Leadership and Success, Junior Teaching Assistant, intramurals, Volleyball club, and I love attending as many campus events as I can. I enjoyed the competitive yet supporting academic atmosphere, the athletics, the small student teacher ratio, the welcoming community, on-campus job opportunities, and proximity to the many outdoor activities Colorado Springs and the surrounding areas has to offer.
This community is comprised of so many supportive staff and faculty, and offers an environment in which everybody feels they are a significant part of the community by giving students an array of opportunities to participate. My favorite thing to do in Colorado Springs is enjoy the outdoors. I love to go camping with my friends, doing the Incline, enjoying the 30 minute drive to go shopping at the Outlet Mall, and I love the weather fluctuations. The Colorado Springs weather will make any person happy. If you enjoy the warm weather like myself, but still appreciate a powdery winter, give it anywhere from a couple of hours to a couple of days and the weather will pull a 180 on you. This is no joke.
As I finish up my time here as an official member of the UCCS community, I have began to think about what I am going to be when I grow up. UCCS will always be my alma mater, but after I wrap up my undergraduate degree, I want to be a successful and innovative school psychologist who is part of an ever-learner environment. I recently got admitted to graduate school and am looking forward to the new challenges ahead of me. I want to continue traveling around the world visiting new countries and experiencing new cultures, food, and landscapes. I also want have a family of five and be able to share my wonderful experiences I've been given throughout my life with them.
1420 Austin Bluffs Pkwy, Colorado Springs, CO USA 80918
719-255-8227 (UCCS), 800-990-8227
