Alex Baker

Alex Baker

UCCS Dean of Students

Hello Mountain Lions, 

My name is Alex Baker, and I serve as the Dean of Students at UCCS. 

One of the strongest predictors of student success is feeling connected…to your classmates, faculty, staff, and the broader university community. College is about more than earning a degree; it is about building relationships, discovering new interests, creating memories, and finding your place. 

In honor of UCCS's founding in 1965, we have created this list of 65 things to do during your journey at UCCS. These experiences are designed to help you explore campus, engage with our traditions, connect with others, serve your community, and take advantage of the unique opportunities that make UCCS and Colorado Springs special. 

You do not need to complete them in any particular order, and you certainly do not need to finish them all at once. Instead, use this list as inspiration to step outside your comfort zone, try something new, and make the most of your time as a Mountain Lion. 

I encourage you to challenge yourself to complete as many as you can before graduation. Along the way, you may discover new passions, lifelong friendships, and a deeper connection to UCCS. 

Enjoy the journey, and Go Mountain Lions! 

The Dean's List

  1. Visit Garden of the Gods
  2. Meet an animal at UCCS Farm
  3. Attend an SGA Senate meeting
  4. Walk around The Broadmoor
  5. Order an Alex B or your favorite drink at Big Cat Coffee
  6. Visit the Tree of Peace
  7. Go on an excursion with SOLE
  8. Visit Pikes Peak (climb, drive, or take the cog)
  9. Purchase UCCS merch at the Campus Store
  10. Attend the Fall Concert
  11. Hike a trail at Red Rock Canyon Open Space
  12. Check out a book (or a game) at the Kraemer Family Library
  13. Visit Ivywild
  14. Participate in a Clyde’s Five activity
  15. Tour the McCord-Herbst Student Veteran Center
  16. Take a photo with Clyde
  17. Attend the Labor Day Lift Off
  18. Meet with a faculty member during office hours
  19. Read an article in the Scribe
  20. Visit an Excel Center
  21. Cheer on one of the UCCS Athletics teams
  22. Attend one of the research presentations at Cafe Scientifique
  23. Eat at Fargos Pizza
  24. Take a group fitness class at the Rec Center
  25. Visit the Olympic & Paralympic Museum
  26. Join or start a club
  27. See a production at the ENT Center for the Arts
  28. Hike Pulpit Rock or the Incline
  29. Attend Club Fair
  30. Visit Old Colorado City
  31. Take a picture at the Mountain Lion Statue
  32. Grab a snack at Clyde’s Cupboard
  33. Attend an event or workshop at the Heller Center for Arts and Humanities
  34. Play the horse race game at the Penny Arcade in Manitou Springs
  35. Visit the pendulum in Osborne
  36. Say “hello” to UCCS Chancellor Jennifer Sobanet on campus or at an event
  37. Go to a concert at Red Rocks
  38. Volunteer with UCCSlead
  39. Make an appointment for one of the services at the T. Rowe Price Career and Innovation Center
  40. Attend the Homecoming bonfire (or other homecoming event)
  41. Check out an exhibit at the Galleries of Contemporary Art
  42. Play your favorite game in the game room
  43. Read or contribute to an issue of riverrun
  44. Eat at Clyde’s
  45. Visit the campus “Olympians and Paralympians Among Us” sculpture
  46. Participate in MLK Days of Service and Action
  47. See a production at the Fine Arts Center
  48. Get across campus by using the Tava trail
  49. Take a break in a reflection room on campus
  50. Watch an episode of The Bluffs
  51. Meet with your Academic Advisor outside of a required meeting
  52. Visit Clyde’s Closet
  53. Present at or attend Mountain Lion Research Day
  54. Soak up one of Colorado Springs’ 300+ days of sunshine on the Main Hall lawn
  55. Walk with UCCS in either the Parade of Lights or Pikes Peak Pride parade
  56. Stop by a tabling event you normally wouldn’t stop at in the University Center
  57. Tune in to UCCS Radio
  58. Attend Grad Bash
  59. Visit the campus 9/11 memorial
  60. Go to UCCS Downtown
  61. Visit the Anthropology hallway exhibits in Centennial Hall
  62. Play soccer (or other sport) on Alpine Field
  63. Attend the Vets & Cops Walk
  64. Take a moment of pause at the demonstration garden behind Centennial Hall
  65. Earn your degree and attend Commencement