UCCS has never looked better, improvements attract more students

Feb. 8, 2016

Alexander Nedd
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Growing up, “say excuse me,” “always hold the door open for those behind you” and “cover your mouth when you cough” were common practices enforced by my mother that turned into life habits.

As a senior in college, there is one saying from my mom that still burns in the back of my mind.

“If you are going to use something, be sure to leave it better than how you found it in the first place.”

As my education shifted from the walls of my childhood home to the grounds of UCCS, I find that my mother’s message still rings true.

UCCS has grown exponentially since my freshman year in 2011. When I first came to campus, nothing really grabbed my attention.

Sure it was nice, but it didn’t have the “wow” factor. Those I spoke to seemed to “settle” for UCCS, but never circled it as their top school.

Fast forward to 2016. UCCS has never looked better, and hundreds of students passed settling and proceeded to claim UCCS as their home.

Are we even on the same campus?

The growth UCCS has experienced over the last five years is nothing short of amazing.

When I first started at UCCS, Austin Bluffs Parkway was only two lanes wide in front of campus, parking lots were named, not numbered and one parking spot was occasionally available.

I can say that “back in my day,” we only had one parking garage on campus.

Now, new traffic lights and a three-lane highway lead over eleven thousand students to a growing campus with new dorms, a new parking garage and state-of-the-art academic buildings.

Last week, a grand opening was held for the Recreation and Wellness Center, a long-awaited project that students can now fully use.

The Rec Center has embodied both the growth and determination UCCS has to remain relevant in the lives of students now and in the future. I like that.

It’s not only our physical landscape that is changing before our eyes, as the technology and tools in the classroom are also evolving to help the needs of future students.

It may seem like we have had them forever, but our touchscreen monitors in Kraemer Family Library were first introduced in 2014.

The HP Computers and new Apple monitors were a welcomed change to the university and have become such a staple that many students aren’t aware of what the university had before the change took place.

As I continue in my senior year on campus, I realize how grateful I am for the opportunity to see UCCS grow and students from all over the world flock here.

This is an exciting time to be a Mountain Lion and history will look back on this period as an important chapter in the book of UCCS. I’m glad we all get to be a part of it.

Yes, mom, I think UCCS looks better than when I first found it, and I couldn’t be more proud.