UCCS Connect: Experiences for K-12

Dr. Patty Witkowsky, 2025 Fellowship Cohort
Associate Professor, Department Chair Leadership, Research, and Foundations, College of Ed.

Research Summary

UCCS Connect is an innovative initiative that capitalizes on UCCS’s most valuable resources, the networks and connections of faculty and staff, to intentionally connect prospective students from the Pikes Peak and Southern Colorado regions with UCCS resources and opportunities that meet students’ unique interests. 

We are in an era where personal networking and connections are more valued than ever because they are going away and being automated. As a regional comprehensive institution, our greatest expenditure and asset, UCCS faculty and staff, can contribute to identifying prospective student populations and connecting them to UCCS. Combine the power of networks with students identifying career interests earlier in their K-12 educational experience, UCCS Connect strives to attract prospective students in intentional and interest-based ways with the goals of increasing enrollment and promoting student success. Through collaborations with the Office of Admissions and leaders of various curricular and co-curricular opportunities on campus, this project will create and promote an infrastructure that empowers faculty and staff (“connectors”) to be the bridge between prospective students and unique campus engagement opportunities. 

The Problem: Many prospective students struggle to see themselves at UCCS because they lack meaningful, personal connections to the university and its opportunities. Traditional recruitment often relies on broad outreach rather than relationship-based engagement, missing opportunities to connect students with programs and experiences that align with their interests and career goals.

The Innovation: UCCS Connect transforms faculty and staff into intentional "connectors," leveraging their networks and expertise to build authentic relationships with prospective students. By connecting interest-based pathways with campus resources, the initiative creates a personalized recruitment model that helps students discover opportunities, fosters a sense of belonging before enrollment, and strengthens the pipeline from K–12 education to college success.

Community and Industry Impact

UCCS Connect strengthens the educational pipeline across the Pikes Peak and Southern Colorado region by building meaningful relationships between prospective students and the university. Through intentional, interest-based connections, the initiative expands access to higher education opportunities and helps students discover academic programs, career pathways, and campus experiences that align with their goals before they enroll.

Student Engagement and Mentorship

The project empowers faculty and staff to serve as mentors and trusted connectors, creating authentic relationships with prospective students throughout their educational journey. By leveraging the expertise and networks of the UCCS community, students receive personalized guidance, early exposure to career fields, and opportunities to engage with academic and co-curricular programs that foster a strong sense of belonging.

Increasing UCCS Visibility

UCCS Connect showcases the university's greatest asset—its people—by creating a relationship-centered recruitment model that distinguishes UCCS from traditional enrollment strategies. By highlighting faculty expertise, student opportunities, and community partnerships, the initiative elevates the university's visibility as an accessible, student-focused institution committed to personalized engagement, regional impact, and student success.

Timeline

UCCS Connect, a relationship-centered recruitment network that equips faculty and staff with the tools, resources, and processes to intentionally connect prospective students with academic programs, career pathways, and campus engagement opportunities based on their individual interests.

Partnership Meetings

Summer 2026

  • Initial partnership meetings with the Office of Admissions and leaders of experiential opportunities (e.g., the Arts, Athletics, Labs, Campus Recreation, etc.)
  • Obtain a list of partners for UCCS Connect activities
  • Coordinate with Office of Admissions process for minors on campus

Program Development

Fall 2026

  • Develop “instructions” and how-to information to promote becoming a “Connector” to UCCS faculty and staff
  • Market and promote the Connector opportunity through Staff Council, Faculty Assembly, etc.
  • Request funding from campus to provide Connectors with incentives for their efforts (e.g., funds to use at the Campus Store or campus dining facilities)

Pilot Launch

Spring 2027

  • Initial UCCS Connect programs launch and continue to share with faculty and staff through marketing efforts

Future Planning

Summer 2027

  • Determine approaches to infuse UCCS Connect into daily operations and mindset

Meet the Innovator

Professional Bio

Dr. Patty Witkowsky is an Associate Professor in the Department of Leadership, Research, and Foundations in the College of Education at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). She teaches in the M.A. in Leadership with a concentration in Student Affairs in Higher Education and the Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Research, and Policy programs, where her courses focus on leadership, college student development, qualitative research, and higher education practice.

Before joining the UCCS faculty, Dr. Witkowsky spent 12 years in student affairs leadership, serving in roles spanning orientation, residence life, student leadership, career services, academic advising, and graduate student support. Her research examines graduate education, student transitions, and student affairs professionals, and her work is dedicated to improving student success through research, leadership development, and relationship-centered approaches to higher education. She also serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of College Orientation, Transition, and Retention and is a member of the UCCS Student Success Assessment Team.