{"id":157501,"date":"2024-09-16T14:11:12","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T20:11:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=157501"},"modified":"2024-09-16T16:53:47","modified_gmt":"2024-09-16T22:53:47","slug":"uccs-graduates-celebrated-through-the-alumni-silver-and-golden-graduate-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=157501","title":{"rendered":"UCCS graduates celebrated through the alumni Silver and Golden Graduates Program"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow aligncenter\" data-effect=\"slide\"><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_container swiper-container\"><ul class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_swiper-wrapper swiper-wrapper\"><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"800\" alt=\"2017 Silver Graduates\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-36598\" data-id=\"36598\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2017-silver-grads.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2017-silver-grads.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2017-silver-grads-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2017-silver-grads-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2017-silver-grads-750x500.jpg 750w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/2017-silver-grads-150x100.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">2017 Silver Graduates<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1296\" height=\"816\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-158528\" data-id=\"158528\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Anthony-Jan-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Anthony-Jan-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni.jpg 1296w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Anthony-Jan-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-1200x756.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Anthony-Jan-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-768x484.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Anthony-Jan-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-150x94.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1296px) 100vw, 1296px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Former staff member, alumnus and MOSAIC Gateway Program Instructor Anthony Cordova (far left) at commencement for his graduate degree<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-158526\" data-id=\"158526\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-scaled.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1L6A8499-1400x934.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">2022 Golden Graduates<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"4800\" height=\"3200\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-117708\" data-id=\"117708\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_4776-Silver-Grad.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_4776-Silver-Grad.jpg 4800w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_4776-Silver-Grad-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/12\/IMG_4776-Silver-Grad-750x500.jpg 750w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 4800px) 100vw, 4800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">2019 Silver Graduates<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1436\" height=\"1036\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-158529\" data-id=\"158529\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-Anthony.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-Anthony.jpg 1436w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-Anthony-1109x800.jpg 1109w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-Anthony-1200x866.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-Anthony-768x554.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-Anthony-150x108.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/5-19-00-Dale-Kevin-Linda-Toni-Anthony-1400x1010.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1436px) 100vw, 1436px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">Cordova (far right) at commencement with fellow graduates<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><li class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_slide swiper-slide\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1536\" height=\"1014\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_image wp-image-158527\" data-id=\"158527\" src=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1997C.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1997C.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1997C-1200x792.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1997C-768x507.jpg 768w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1997C-150x99.jpg 150w, https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1997C-1400x924.jpg 1400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1536px) 100vw, 1536px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_caption gallery-caption\">The 1997 Commencement ceremony<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-prev swiper-button-prev swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-next swiper-button-next swiper-button-white\" role=\"button\"><\/a><a aria-label=\"Pause Slideshow\" class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_button-pause\" role=\"button\"><\/a><div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-slideshow_pagination swiper-pagination swiper-pagination-white\"><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once a Mountain Lion, always a Mountain Lion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The UCCS campus doors are always open for alumni to return, and our graduates are encouraged to keep in touch through a variety of ways. <a href=\"https:\/\/alumni.uccs.edu\/get-involved\/volunteer-opportunities\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Volunteer opportunities<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?page_id=137957\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alumni Success Stories<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/alumni.uccs.edu\/events\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">alumni events<\/a> are just a few ways the university celebrates former students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another way to stay connected to campus is the <a href=\"https:\/\/alumni.uccs.edu\/golden-silver-graduates\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Golden and Silver Graduates Program<\/a>. This tradition of over a decade sees former students join each semester&#8217;s graduating class at commencement. These alumni return as Silver Graduates 25 years after their own graduation ceremony to take part in Fall Commencement, while Golden Graduates come for Spring Commencement 50 years later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Graduates of all colleges and disciplines are welcome to return and take part in the program. Those who participate are provided with either a silver or golden graduation robe, cap and tassel, that is theirs to keep, to reflect their 25 or 50 years out from college and invited to join an exclusive lunch before being honored with special seats at the commencement they attend, for which they also lead the processional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Golden and Silver alums are also recognized in semesterly <a href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?tag=commencement\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Communique<\/a> pieces to highlight their lives since their initial graduation, sharing the many accomplishments and milestones they&#8217;ve achieved with the rest of the Mountain Lion family and showing current graduates the possibilities awaiting them once they cross that threshold. Since 2017, UCCS has featured silver graduates in Communique, and followed soon after for golden graduates in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Along with their achievement of earning degrees, many Golden and Silver graduates have personal milestones to celebrate. Several have met their spouses through UCCS, with some couples even returning as silver or golden grads in the same year, like <a href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=28851\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ranganath and Yamuna Weiner<\/a>, who earned degrees in geography and environmental studies and anthropology and fine arts and both went on to teach locally while raising their four children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2022 fall commencement also <a href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=143725\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">saw two couples return as Silver Grads<\/a> with Andrea Cordova and Anthony Cordova, who got married in the plaza of Upper Lodge and have both been longtime UCCS staff members, with Anthony retiring in 2021; and Linda Susan Tegtmeier and Robert Scott Tegtmeier, who met in a graduate class while each pursuing their master&#8217;s degrees in Special Education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the upcoming commencement this December, UCCS is honoring 1999 Silver Graduates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To nominate yourself or someone you know to take part in a Silver or Golden Graduate ceremony, <a href=\"https:\/\/alumni.uccs.edu\/contact-us\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact our Alumni Office<\/a>. Silver candidates must be 25 years from their graduation year and Golden candidates must be 50 years from their graduation year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>The UCCS campus doors are always open for alumni to return and our graduates are encouraged to keep in touch through a variety of ways, such as the Golden and Silver Graduates Program. <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/?p=157501\" title=\"UCCS graduates celebrated through the alumni Silver and Golden Graduates Program\">(More)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":158527,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[1,427],"tags":[370,107,42,78,332],"class_list":["post-157501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all","category-alumni-stories","tag-alumni","tag-alumni-relations","tag-commencement","tag-development","tag-more-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/1997C.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1mBpJ-EYl","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157501","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=157501"}],"version-history":[{"count":44,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157501\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":158636,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/157501\/revisions\/158636"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/158527"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=157501"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=157501"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/communique.uccs.edu\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=157501"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}