Among the “Silver Graduates” who will participate in Fall Commencement Ceremonies Dec. 15 at the Broadmoor World Arena are a pair of educators who took skills earned at UCCS and applied them to life.
Ranganath and Yamuna Weiner, Florissant, earned degrees 25 years ago in geography and environmental studies and anthropology and fine arts. Both had long teaching careers in School District 11 in addition to raising four children.
“All the great professors who stayed 40 years at UCCS were in the middle of their peak performance, as far as research and teaching, when we were obtaining our degrees,” Ranganath Weiner said. “The passion of the instructors pulled students up and prepared them for academic success.”
In addition to teaching, he worked closely with the Space Foundation to create and later direct District 11’s Space and Technology Studies Magnet Program. He also participated in a long-term NASA research fellowship. Yamuna Weiner taught art and science in District 11 middle schools and is a textile artist and weaver. As a student, she published about weaving through an anthropological lens and presented her research at Purdue University.
“Everyone at UCCS was very supportive of me,” Yamuna Weiner said. “My degree from UCCS has helped me with every aspect of my life.”
Now retired, the 64-year-olds divide time between their longtime off-the-grid geodesic home in Florissant and winters in an off-the-grid home in Mexico where Yamuna teaches art classes and Ranganath contributes to the local newspaper.
The Weiners will be among 14 Silver Grads who will be recognized – the largest group of Silver Grads in UCCS history.
Commencement ceremonies begin at 2 p.m. Dec. 15. About 440 new graduates and their families will attend the ceremonies. CU Boulder Professor Emerita Linda Hogan, a member of the class of 1973, will deliver the commencement address. She will join Chancellor Venkat Reddy, CU President Bruce Benson and members of the CU Board of Regents in congratulating the graduates and the formal conferring of degrees for students who completed requirements for bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees in August or December. About 950 students completed requirements and will earn degrees. UCCS also conducts commencement ceremonies in May.
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