From the Bear Network

When watching Bear athletes compete, the skill and mental focus they have honed in practice is on full dislay. What can be less obvious are the specific areas behind the scenes that an athletics program could use improvement on. This fall, the women’s basketball team recevied a generous matching gift for their Excellence Initiative to help them advance in the areas unseen by fans. Coach Kristen Mattio speaks to the numerous areas this gift will help improve for her team this year and into the future.

Meet the University of Northern Colorado's 2024 Honored Alumni Award Winners and save the date to attend the award ceremony on March 23, 2024.

Patricia Long, M.A. ’76, moved to Colorado soon after graduating with her undergraduate degree. When she began teaching, she felt prepared, but she soon learned that there was more to being an educator than meets the eye. Providing for students who had special needs was something she felt entirely unprepared for. UNC’s Special Education masters program is what brought Long into the Bear Network, but it’s UNC’s commitment to supporting all students that keeps Long engaged. Mentoring children from underrepresented backgrounds through middle and high school opened Patricia Long and her husband James’s eyes to the need for better representation in classrooms and the impact of financial support at all points in a student’s education.

After settling back into familiar surroundings, Ortiz had to make some major life changes following a brief period of incarceration. Opportunities for individuals who have been incarcerated and have felony convictions on their records are few and far between. Having a college degree dramatically increases a person’s chance for success, so Ortiz began taking classes at Aims Community College. She earned an associate degree and then transferred to the University of Northern Colorado (UNC). Located in the center of town, UNC was an obvious choice for Ortiz when it came to pursuing her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Veteran’s Services has long had a presence on the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) campus, yet there’s newfound excitement brought to the program with the arrival of a new director. Just this summer, this new director stepped into Roudebush Cottage with purpose. LaChaune DuHart-Wood came to UNC with a drive to provide hands-on care and build a community for the veteran and military-affiliated students on campus.

Every fall, Bearnanza allows alumni, faculty, staff and the greater University of Northern Colorado (UNC) community to make a collective, meaningful impact on UNC students. With different funds highlighted every year for the crowd-sourcing campaign, it sheds light on the many areas where students need support. This year, the two main funds being highlighted for Bearnanza are the Bear Pantry and the Student Emergency Support Fund (SESF). These two resources are invaluable for students facing financial insecurities and hardship.

When tackling college applications, Imani Lindberg, ’20, wasn’t sure what she wanted out of a university. As a first-generation student who is Black and queer, there wasn’t a path carved out by previous family members to follow. After sending out applications, Lindberg was accepted to UNC and chose to enroll. Fast forward to September of 2022, Lindberg earned her master's of Public Administration a few months earlier and was moving back to Greeley with her partner, a fellow UNC alumna, to become the assistant director of Advocacy Services at UNC. She would now oversee the very program that she promised herself she would get involved with years earlier.

Pat Varney, ’99, was drawn to the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) for its exceptional business school and smaller class size compared to the larger Universities in Colorado, but what kept Varney was his experience on campus. Making life-long friends, getting involved with Greek life and studying under professors who he keeps in contact with, Varney made the most of his time on campus.

The time has come to nominate outstanding alumni for the 2024 University of Northern Colorado (UNC) Honored Alumni award, the highest honor awarded by the Alumni Association. Presented annually to five graduates, the award recognizes their career success and service to the university. It’s somewhat of a norm for UNC graduates to be leaders in their fields and communities, a testament to their hard work and determination. Within our far-and-wide network of alumni, this award goes to the graduates whose leadership and service inspire their fellow Bears to stay involved and invested in the university.

Every university has its own unique set of traditions and legacies that students will remember when they graduate, but those memories can be different for everyone — a unique combination of the friends, student groups and programs each student associated with that is authentic to their particular experience. This is certainly the case at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) where students who march in the Pride of the Rockies might remember their time on campus differently compared to a student pursuing their doctorate.

As the school year kicks off, faculty and staff are gearing up to support our University of Northern Colorado (UNC) students. Faculty and staff support students every day through their roles at UNC, but some choose to go above and beyond by donating their time, expertise and funding. A popular method of giving is through payroll deductions, which make it easy to support the various areas in need across campus. At UNC, there are seemingly endless causes to support depending on a donor’s passions and aspirations. In recognition of National Workforce Development month, we have taken a deep dive into just a few of the donor-funded causes that UNC faculty and staff support. All are welcome to support these vital scholarships and services (and many alumni employers offer matches for employee donations!).

UNC strives to build an inclusive campus which fosters and nurtures a diverse, inclusive and equitable environment. That includes celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. Kicking off on Sept.15, the University of Northern Colorado’s César Chávez Cultural Center is hosting numerous events during the month-long celebration for students, alumni and the Greeley community to get involved with.