University Club Scholarship

Each year, a portion of University Club membership dues support several student scholarships. You can learn more about the students that we currently support below.

Austin Belcher

My name is Austin Belcher.  I am currently a freshman studying human biology and completing prerequisites for Physician Assistant School as well.  One of my main goals in my life right now is to become a PA.  I want to become one because I want to work with people everyday, and be able to help them with their problems. I am also pretty good at science, and I have been enjoying my science classes so far.  This first semester at UCCS has been great.  I was able to get into multiple clubs and organizations and meet a bunch of really cool people.  I also really enjoy playing sports.  My favorite sports are football and basketball.  Intermural leagues here at school are a great way for me to enjoy what I love to do, as well as meet new people.  Besides my school life, I work part time at Cracker Barrel, hang out with my friends and family, and I enjoy hunting and fishing.  I will keep working hard in the future to achieve my goals.  The University Club has really been a big help and encouragement with this.  The club has also showed me how hard work can pay off.  I know that if I can continue to keep going strong now, it will pay off for me later.

 

Jesse Byrnes

  Jesse Byrnes is a junior at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and is pleased to be a University Club scholar. A communication major hoping to venture into journalism, Jesse is Managing Editor at The Scribe, UCCS' weekly student newspaper. Previously he worked as an editor, author and project manager for Monument Publishing. There he helped produce dozens of publications, including being a three-time contributing author to Red Book, two-time editor of Emerald Book, editor of Platinum Book and two-time author of Lincoln-Douglas Ironman Curriculum, among others.Jesse currently coaches middle- and high-school speech and debate through Training Minds Ministry and also teaches beginning and intermediate violin privately. When not starting a business or outlining a new book idea, Jesse can be found writing short stories, serenading a music stand or sporting a new neck tie. 

 

Rachel Menard

 

My name is Rachel Menard. I am a Junior at University of Colorado Colorado Springs majoring in Elementary Education with an emphasis in English.  I am a University employee at The Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Education (CSTEME)  where I help plan events for middle and high school students as they  look forward  to their college careers. I am involved in Campus Crusade for Christ at UCCS, serving the campus community and have had the opportunity to travel with the organization, serving in  Eastern Europe (Serbia)  for  the past two summers. In my free time, I love to play tennis, take photos, and scrapbook. I'm enjoying my time at UCCS and looking forward to what the future holds.  

 

Kylee Smit

 My name is Kylee Smit. I am a Colorado native currently attending UCCS with a declared major in Visual Arts and minors in Spanish and Marketing. I graduated from Colorado Springs Christian High School, and thought the best way for me to “go off” to college would be to walk a few extra feet up Austin Bluffs to UCCS. This decision to stay in Colorado was made easier for me because of my love for my family members (most of whom live in Colorado Springs), a love of the beautiful mountains and crazy weather, and the financial assistance of the University Club Scholarship. Between my part-time job, homework, and extracurricular activities I stay fairly busy throughout each semester. Painting, drawing, and intramural sports are some of my favorite activities to do when I have free time. I especially enjoy using my artistic gifts and talents to help out at my church or other service organizations. I do not yet know what path my life will take when I graduate from college, but I know that God will lead me in all of my endeavors.