A journey rooted in resilience | Laveen Khoshnaw ’19
As an immigrant from Kurdistan and the eldest of four children, Laveen Khoshnaw’s story is one of overcoming challenges and seizing opportunities. (More)
Alumni Success Stories
Used for posts referring to the Office of Alumni Relations’ alumni success stories series.
Creating future opportunities for Colorado Springs students | Valerie Scates ’04
Valerie Scates reflects on her time at UCCS as a transformative journey, with personal growth surpassing even her academic achievements. (More)
From Health Care Science to staffing in science | Keira Getchel Bacon ’09
Keira Getchel Bacon graduated with a Healthcare Science degree with plans to pursue physical therapy. Now, she’s a decade into her staffing career at Kelly, a recruiting agency. (More)
UCCS alum pilots milestone 2024 Polaris Dawn Mission | Scott “Kidd” Poteet ’10
SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launched the Polaris Dawn mission to low-Earth orbit from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on September 10, 2024. UCCS alum and retired United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Scott “Kidd” Poteet was at the helm of the endeavor. (More)
UCCS alums earn ‘Oscars of Innovation’ award for sensors to monitor space weather | Carlos Maldonado ’11,’12, ’14 & Gabriel Wilson ’07, ’20
Through their work as staff scientists at Los Alamos National Labs, UCCS alums Carlos Maldonado and Gabriel Wilson were among the small team recognized this summer with an R&D 100 Award. (More)
Cookies & Community | Kristy Rigdon ’90, ’93, ’06, & Pat Rigdon ’11
After years of serving their communities in education and law enforcement, Kristy and Pat Rigdon continue to do so postretirement – but now by serving cookies. (More)
UCCS alumna blazes her own path in her hometown | Samantha Wood ’06,’15
Samantha (Bruner) Wood credits her success to a positive attitude, grit and several connections gained through her education at UCCS. (More)
Advocating for patients & policy | Carly Baker ’22
After a decade of hands-on nursing, alumna Carly Baker saw firsthand how healthcare policies affect patient wellbeing. (More)
UCCS alum comes full circle | Caden Foy ’23
Sometimes a single moment in childhood can shape the rest of our lives. For 2023 UCCS graduate Caden Foy, that moment was a professional soccer game in his home state of California. (More)
From CU to Homeland Defense | Dennis Knoop ’90, ’02 & ’12
Dennis Knoop, Chief of the Experimentation Division at North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and U.S. Northern Command, is a CU alumnus not one, not two, but three times over. (More)