UCCS Advancement

Partner with us - Engagement

Engagement fosters meaningful relationships with alumni, donors, community partners, government representatives, and military constituents. Through strategic outreach, programs, and partnerships, we help strengthen connections that support the university's mission and long-term success. 

Our work focuses on building lasting, institution-wide relationships that extend beyond individual interactions. By cultivating, stewarding, and engaging key constituents, we create lifelong connections that enhance engagement, philanthropy, and advocacy for the campus.

Our team can help

From alumni and donor engagement to stewardship and community partnerships, our team is here to help create meaningful connections that inspire involvement and support. Below are ways we can assist.

Alumni: 

UCCS alumni are among the campus's greatest ambassadors and advocates. Through engagement, philanthropy, story-sharing and volunteer leadership, alumni strengthen the university and help ensure continued success for the campus. 

Below are examples of how communications serve as a valuable touchpoint for building relationships with alumni, donors, and friends of the university.  

How You Can Participate:  

  • Submit alumni spotlights here. 

  • Share the A-List sign up form: https://cu.tfaforms.net/185. The A-List is our weekly digital newsletter to alumni and friends that goes out every Monday. Have content you'd like to promote to alumni and friends in the A-List? Email alumni@uccs.edu to request a highlight in the newsletter.  

  • Alumni Socials: Does your division, college or department post on social media? Tag UCCS alumni or work with us to collaborate on a post for alumni and friends. We'd love to help spread the word about your events or area highlights. Email alumni@uccs.edu if you'd like us to promote your events, an alumni survey, or other content to alumni.  

 

If you're looking to engage with the alumni office further, our alumni and friends faculty/staff toolkit outlines opportunities to collaborate through communications, philanthropy, volunteerism and meaningful experiences that strengthen alumni connections to UCCS. Visit the toolkit here: https://alumni.uccs.edu/toolkit 

 

Stewardship:  

Stewardship helps UCCS donors to see the impact of their generosity. Through timely updates, storytelling, and expressions of gratitude, campus partners play a critical role in building trust and fostering positive relationships with donors. 

Personalized stewardship from colleges and units helps donors feel valued; they understand the impact of their gift and remain connected to the university. 

Stewardship Best Practices: 

  • Send timely thank yous to acknowledge donor generosity and reinforce appreciation. Campus partners can receive donor acknowledgment reports to support stewardship efforts. These reports can be used to send personalized thank-you letters to donors from your areas. Contact us at advancement@uccs.edu if you'd like to receive these reports or have questions about using them. 

  • Personalize communications by referencing the donor's specific area of support whenever possible. 

  • Share impact through stories, updates, and outcomes that demonstrate how philanthropic support is making a difference. 

  • Recognize donors at the unit level, as hearing directly from the college, department, or program creates a stronger connection to their gift and build affinity for future giving. 

  • Maintain ongoing engagement through meaningful touchpoints that build trust and strengthen long-term relationships. 

 

Military Community Connections: 

Looking to connect with members of the military community? Our team can help facilitate introductions and identify opportunities to build meaningful relationships with local military partners. Reach out to us, at advancement@uccs.edu  and we'll be happy to discuss your goals and determine how we can best support your efforts. 

UCCS Downtown: 

UCCS Downtown is a free professional meeting and event space where the energy and exceptional academics of one of Colorado’s fastest-growing universities intersects with the thriving culture of downtown Colorado Springs! The UCCS community can reserve UCCS Downtown for meetings, workshops, lectures, etc., by using the space reservation form: https://downtown.uccs.edu/our-space/reservation. For general questions about UCCS Downtown, visit https://downtown.uccs.edu/. 

Learning opportunities:  

Throughout the year, the Advancement division hosts informational sessions on a variety of fundraising, alumni engagement, stewardship, donor relations, and advancement-related topics. These sessions are designed to help campus partners learn best practices, stay informed, and strengthen their engagement efforts. 

To hear about upcoming sessions, join our Donor Relations and Alumni Engagement Teams channels and watch for announcements. Have a topic you'd like to learn more about? We'd love your input. Email us at advancement@uccs.edu with your suggestions, and we'll consider them for future sessions!