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Nathan Sanders // Student Story

November 14, 2019

Nathan Sanders is a Computer Security major in the Bachelor of Innovation at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs (UCCS). Nathan has lived in Colorado his entire life and until moving to Colorado Springs for college, lived in the small town of Delta Colorado. As a kid, Nathan would always be having fun. Whether it… View Article

Andre Dufresne // Student Story

November 7, 2019

Andre Dufresne is at Colorado College majoring in Economics. He was born and raised in Madison, WI – one of the most beautiful college towns in the country. The one thing Andre would change about people’s perception of Wisconsin is that it is not in the middle of nowhere and that it deserves a spot… View Article

Jeff Owens // Leadership Thoughts

October 31, 2019

Too often, when imagining a leader our minds conjure images of public figures who gained stature via visible effort, sustained intensity, and acquisition of respect from those around them. The archetypes for leadership often include the Jeff Bezos and Oprah Winfreys of the world. Self-made individuals who ascended to the top of their respective domains… View Article

Jessica Henry // Student Story

October 30, 2019

Jessica Henry was born the first of six children in her hometown in northern California. In the early 1990’s she was a long-time member of her Girl Scout Troup and was a semi-finalist in the cup stacking competition held by the local Boys and Girls Club. Around age 12 she moved with her family to… View Article

Isabelle Cotton // Leadership Thoughts

October 25, 2019

When you think of a leader, what do you imagine? When I was in school, I imagined an intimidating person in a suit; their arms crossed; and somehow, they were higher than me, as if they were standing on a platform (maybe even one with a podium in front). After entering the professional world and… View Article

Frank Carber // Student Story

October 18, 2019

Frank Carber is a Computer Science major at UCCS. With a parent in the Navy, Frank grew up across the U.S. in Virginia, California, Tennessee, Rhode Island, Florida and abroad in Bahrain. Moving frequently as a kid, Frank has grown to love traveling and has been to 8 countries so far. In addition to traveling,… View Article

Nicole Zadykowicz // Student Story

October 15, 2019

Nicole Zadykowicz is a senior graduating this December with her Bachelor’s in Psychology and minoring in Cognitive Studies at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Nicole was born in Chicago, Illinois and moved with her mom to Colorado for their love for the mountains. Nicole is first-generation Polish and is a fluent speaker. She visits… View Article

Takudzwa Nhira // Student Story

October 10, 2019

Takudzwa Nhira is a senior Economics major at Colorado College. In addition to this semester’s internship at the Quad, he works at the Office of Campus Activities at Colorado College, where he helps to plan and publicize on-campus programming for students. A native of Zimbabwe, he also lived in South Africa and Eswatini before moving… View Article

Harley Guzman // Student Story

October 3, 2019

Harley Guzman is a Sociology major and Linguistics minor at Colorado College. Born in South River, New Jersey. Now a senior at Colorado College, Harley worked with the Quad last spring semester as part of the affordable housing for senior citizens in partnership with Innovations In Aging. Harley believes that social norms have isolated both… View Article

Jake Eichengreen // Leadership Thoughts

Have you ever walked into the shower with your socks on? A colleague of mine recently (and reluctantly) shared that he is guilty of such an offense. The way he tells the story he was on autopilot, thinking about something that had happened at work earlier that week. He stepped into the shower eager to… View Article

Caroline Williams // Student Story

September 3, 2019

Whenever anyone asked ten-year-old Caroline Williams about her dream job, she would respond with one word “Veterinarian”. Her cats, Abraham Lincoln and Mr. Cat, captivated her youthful affections and interest. However, during freshman year of high school, her plans shifted. After dissecting a small pig, as well as a cow’s eyeball, the formaldehyde accompanied by… View Article

Cole Simon // Student Story

August 28, 2019

Last spring, Cole Simon was a junior at Colorado College studying economics and environmental science. Originally from Baltimore, Maryland he has begun to call Colorado and the mountain landscape his home after falling in love with the myriad outdoor activities and living in a vibrant, growing city. Cole was a part of one of Quad’s… View Article

Megan Barry // Leadership Thoughts

August 19, 2019

I have always been interested in leadership. As a young kid I studied the way the playground was divided, I loved sitting in airports and wondering why and how it all worked, I consistently sat in the back of classes so I could observe the dynamics before I jumped in, and even in my own… View Article

Laura Austin-Eurich // Leadership Thoughts

August 14, 2019

I remember sitting in a leadership class in grad school. We were given a list of 15 objects and told to rank them in order of importance for surviving on the moon. After we completed the list individually, we worked in small groups to discuss our answers and rework a list based on the discussion. … View Article

Justin Jones-Phillips // Student Story

August 8, 2019

Dustin Jones-Phillips is a cadet currently attending the United States Air Force Academy. His decision to attend the Air Force Academy is born from a desire to constantly challenge himself while positively impacting the lives of others. Hailing from a tradition of military service, Dustin’s grandfather flew in the Air Force as well. A major in Civil Engineering, Dustin is… View Article

Timothy Burd // Student Story

July 5, 2019

Timothy Burd is a Sophomore at the United States Air Force Academy studying Economics and Management. He joined the Quad on our Spring 2019 Affordable Housing Project. My name is Timothy Burd and I am a sophomore at the United States Air Force Academy. I am from Poolville, Texas, an extremely small-town west of Dallas… View Article

Beka Adair // Creating Change

May 17, 2019

Beka Adair is the Associate Director of the Quad Innovation Partnership. She comes to us as a graduate of Colorado College. As Project Manager for every project that runs through our doors, Beka wears a superhero cape on a daily basis as she guides students to create amazing outcomes for our partners. Another semester at the Quad has ended. Demo Day has come and gone, reports are in, and our student teams are off finishing out their semesters and moving towards their summer plans. This is the third time we’ve run the semester program…. View Article

Ashlyn Mathy // Student Story

May 16, 2019

Ashlyn Mathy is a recent Geology graduate from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She joined the Quad during our Spring 2019 Semester on the Venetucci Farm Innovative Consulting project team. My name is Ashlyn Mathy and I am a recent graduate from UCCS. Originally from Northbrook, I moved to Colorado after I received my… View Article

Jeffery Kaczmarczyk // Reflection in Leadership

May 10, 2019

Jeffery Kaczmarczyk is a Lieutenant Colonel at the United States Air Force Academy and faculty advisor on the Quad’s Colorado Springs Utilities Project. The views expressed are the author’s alone and do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government…. View Article

Michael Miranda // Student Story

May 8, 2019

Michael Miranda is a fourth class cadet at the United States Air Force Academy. He joins the Quad on our Altia team. Hi! My name is Michael, I am a fourth class cadet at the United States Air Force Academy. I am from Princeton, New Jersey. I came to Colorado for school. I was very… View Article

Andrew Pollack // Student Story

May 2, 2019

Andrew is an economics major at Colorado College originally from the Boulder, Colorado area. He is working on the Affordable Housing project this semester for the Quad. His professional interest is in real estate. Postgrad, he is joining a Denver based real-estate investment company that focuses on manufactured low-income housing. He is excited to embark… View Article

Connor Hibbs // Student Story

May 1, 2019

Connor Hibbs is currently a student at Pikes Peak Community College and will attend CU Denver soon to obtain his Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering. He joined the Quad on our Spring Semester Venetucci Team. My name is Connor Hibbs. I am a small business owner and student at Pikes Peak Community College. I am… View Article

Quad Projects // Update 04.25

April 25, 2019

Our Spring Semester Innovative Consulting teams have been hard at work wrapping up development of their recommendations for each of their clients over the past few weeks. Here is an update! With only two working weeks left in our program for students this spring, they have been busy writing drafts of their final reports, creating… View Article

Laura Eurich // Behind a Great Leader Is a Great Team

Laura Eurich is an Associate Chair, Director of Undergraduate Studies, and Internship Director for the Department of Communications at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She is also serving as faculty advisor on our Food Access project I learned about working hard from my dad. He owned a dental supply company and I watched as… View Article

Sonia Klein // Student Story

April 24, 2019

Sonia Klein is a Junior at Colorado College majoring in Environmental Science. She joins the Quad on our El Paso County Public Health Food Access Team. Hello, I am Sonia Klein and I am a junior at Colorado College! I was born in Evanston, Illinois but have lived in Westport, Connecticut for 18 years. I… View Article

Sandy Fales // Am I a Leader?

April 19, 2019

Sandy Fales is a UCCS graduate, Quad Alumni, current Research Fellow as well as Project Manager on our El Paso County Public Health Food Access Team. What does it look like to be a leader? Am I a leader? What qualifies? These are questions I asked myself when Beka, our Associate Director, suggested that I… View Article

Laura Eurich // Authentic Thoughtfulness

April 18, 2019

Laura Eurich is an Associate Chair, Director of Undergraduate Studies, and Internship Director for the Department of Communications at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She is also serving as faculty advisor on our Food Access project. I don’t know how much stamps cost. Online bill paying is mostly to blame for my ignorance. Though… View Article

Ricci Cumpost // Student Story

April 17, 2019

Ricci Kumpost is a current student at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs working towards her Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology. She joins the Quad on our Altia Augmented Reality project team. Ricci Kumpost is a Colorado native attending the University of Colorado Colorado Springs studying Sociology and will obtain her bachelor’s degree. She was born… View Article

Preston Semenuk // Student Story

April 4, 2019

Preston Semenuk is a Sophmore at the United States Air Force Academy majoring in Biology and minoring in Chinese. He joins the Quad on our Venetucci Farm project. My name is Preston Semenuk and I’m a sophomore at the United States Air Force Academy. I’m originally from Richardson, TX (just north of Dallas). I’m majoring… View Article

Sarah Leve // Student Story

March 28, 2019

Sarah Leve is a senior at Colorado College majoring in Sociology with a minor in Political Science. She joins the Quad this spring semester working on the El Paso County Public Health Food Access team. Hi there! My name is Sarah Leve and I am a student working on the Quad’s Food Access Project. Originally… View Article

John Mann // What Flavor of Leader Are You?

John Mann is an Executive Faculty in Residence in the Economic and Business Department at Colorado College and is faculty advisor to our Alita Augmented Reality Team. Like ice cream, leadership comes in many flavors. There is no one best leadership flavor, just like there is no one best flavor of ice cream. There is… View Article

Gina Galjour // Student Story

March 27, 2019

Gina Galjour is a current student at Pikes Peak Community College studying Economics and is part of the Quad Affordable Housing team. My first name is Italian, my last name is French, but I am actually half Japanese and a Colorado native. Much like my name, none of my life decisions have made much sense…. View Article

Sheridan Kalletta // You as an Imperect Leader

March 22, 2019

Sheridan Kalletta, Workforce Marketing and Entrepreneurship Coordinator at Pikes Peak Community College shares with the Quad what being a leader means to her. You as an imperfect leader. Yes, you. And me. And everyone else in the world who is a leader or wants to be one. We are all imperfect, we are all human. … View Article

Summer Intensive // Apply

March 21, 2019

The Quad is looking for you! Are you searching for an opportunity in Colorado Springs to do real work, make a real difference and also network while you are at it? Our Summer Intensive Program is accepting applications for rolling admissions until April 17th. What is the Summer Intensive Program? 4 Schools. 4 Weeks. 4… View Article

Ryan O’Meara // Student Story

March 20, 2019

Ryan O’Meara is a transplant from Boston, MA studying at Colorado College. He joins the Quad on our Augmented Reality Project with local company, Altia. My name is Ryan O’Meara, and I am from Boston, Massachusetts. I attend Colorado College, and I am currently working on the Altia, Augmented Reality project. I have yet to… View Article

Quad Projects // Update 03.14

March 14, 2019

Over the past few weeks, our innovative consulting teams have been working hard developing solutions to issues provided to them by their clients. Four out of Five of our teams were scheduled to deliver their mid-point presentations to their clients last night. These presentations were well rounded and thoroughly practiced. However, due to the weather… View Article

Brandon Archuleta // Student Story

March 12, 2019

Brandon Archuleta is a Business major with an emphasi in Finance at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He joins the Quad working a future energy directive project with Colorado Springs Utilities. Hello, my name is Brandon Archuleta, and I am a current intern for Quad working on the Colorado Springs Utilities Project! I am… View Article

Quad Projects // Update 02.22

February 22, 2019

The Quad Spring Innovation Consulting teams are underway for the semester. We will be bringing you weekly updates on each team that focuses on their project progression, team dynamics, exciting things happening, and more! Come back often and catch up with us! During week one, the Altia, Augmented Reality team focused its first meeting on… View Article

Gunner Swope // Student Story

February 21, 2019

Garrett “Gunner” Swope graduated summa cum laude (3.9+ GPA) in August of 2017 with a B.A. in Geography and Environmental Studies and a minor in Sustainable Development from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS). He is a member of the Quad’s Spring Semester Food Access Team. As a student of geography, Gunner worked as… View Article

Rob Hudson // Rolling With the Leadership Flow

February 18, 2019

Rob Hudson is the Business, Public Service, and Social Sciences Dean at Pikes Peak Community College. He is also the faculty advisor on the Quad’s Spring Semester Affordable Housing Project. Leadership is a process that one must give full dedication to each day. It is also important to recognize past experiences of working with others,… View Article

Jake Eichengreen // Success: It’s Not Just About Getting a Degree

February 1, 2019

Jake Eichengreen is the Executive Director of the Quad Innovation Partnership. We define success as the ability to find and sustain meaningful work. What constitutes meaningful work is entirely subjective. For each of us, it’s a slightly different – yet no less magic – combination of impact, growth, challenge, ability, results and income that brings… View Article

Laura Eurich // Building Relationships to Break Stereotypes

January 18, 2019

Laura Eurich is an Associate Chair, Director of Undergraduate Studies, and Internship Director for the Department of Communications at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She is also currently serving as project lead on our upcoming Food Access Project. When I was asked to speak to the Pikes Peak chapter of the Public Relations Society… View Article

Beka Adair // Learning Is a Constant Endeavor

December 20, 2018

Beka Adair is the Associate Director of the Quad Innovation Partnership. She comes to us as a graduate of Colorado College. As Project Manager for every project that runs through our doors, Beka wears a superhero cape on a daily basis as she guides students to create amazing outcomes for our partners. Admit what you don’t know, learn what you can, ask what you can’t. We go through this process over and over again at the Quad. With each new project, we have more unknowns, new groups of people, and more opportunities to allow… View Article

Jyotsna Kaycee // Student Story

December 18, 2018

Jyotsna is a student seeking her masters degree at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and was a member of our fall semester Venetucci Farms Project. I’m Jyotsna, (pronounced J-oats-na). I came to Colorado because my husband got stationed at Fort Carson, but because I am originally from Nepal, coming to Colorado with its mountains, felt like coming home. I joined the QUAD in the summer, after finishing my master’s in public administration from UCCS, because I was looking… View Article

Social Enterprise Directory Project

December 16, 2018

Sandy Fales, recent UCCS graduate and Quad Research Fellow, pictured in the video below, is creating best practices for a “Do Good” Business directory for Colorado Springs and beyond. The Quad has partnered with the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado and the Colorado Institute for Social Impact to create the first ever Social Enterprise or “Do Good” Business… View Article

Jeffery Kaczmarczyk // What Does Leadership Success Look Like?

December 14, 2018

Jeffery Kaczmarczyk is a Lieutenant Colonel at the United States Air Force Academy and faculty advisor on the Quad’s Colorado Springs Utilities Project. The views expressed are the author’s alone and do not reflect the official position of the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Air Force, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government…. View Article

Spring Semester Applications // Open Now

December 12, 2018

During the Quad’s most recent Demo Day where our students presented to the public the great work they completed Fall 2018 Semester, Jake Eichengreen, our Executive Director, shared insight into what college graduates are seeking out when making decisions for their future. “[Graduates are searching for] meaningful work- a mix of impact…growth…excitement and fun. Impact… View Article

Luis Lee // Student Story

December 11, 2018

Luis Lee is an Accounting Major at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs and was a member of our Social Services Access Team this Fall Semester. Whether it be imagining myself walking up the steps of King’s Landing, or taking the game-winning three in game six of the NBA finals, I love to daydream. My… View Article

Sarah Himmelberg // Student Story

December 5, 2018

Sarah is a biology major at the United States Air Force Academy and member of our Venetucci Farms Project. Sarah Himmelberg moved from Scottsdale, Arizona to attend the United States Airforce Academy and is majoring in biology. Before moving to Colorado Springs to attend the Academy, Sarah lived in Scottsdale, Arizona. Sarah is currently a… View Article

Demo Day Fall 2018

November 29, 2018

Join us on Thursday, December 6th, 4:00 pm at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College, 30 W Dale St. 80903, Colorado Springs, as our students present on the four projects that have been developed/continued this Fall Semester! RSVP HERE! As you probably know, each semester the Quad Innovation Partnership facilitates teams of interdisciplinary students, expert… View Article

Taryn Williamson // Student Story

November 20, 2018

Taryn Williamson is a Communication major at Pikes Peak Community College and a member of our Social Service Access Project Team. I moved to Colorado Springs when I was 3-years-old, so I am practically a native. My mom was in the Air Force, and we got stationed here from Landstuhl, Germany, where I was born…. View Article

Kat Miller-Stevens // You’re Not Too Young to Be a Leader

Kat Miller-Stevens is an Assistant Professor in the Economics and Business Department and Faculty Director of the Public Interest Fellowship Program at Colorado College. She is also currently serving as the faculty advisor on our Silver Key Social Enterprise Project. I’m Too Young to Be a Leader? You’re Kidding, RIGHT?? You’re not too young to… View Article

Arielle Cassiday // Leadership and Putting Your Team First

November 16, 2018

Arielle Cassiday is a Lecturer for the Department of Geography & Environmental Studies, Assistant to the Director of the Global Intercultural Research Center, and Green Action Fund Committee Member at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She is also currently serving as project lead on our Venetucci Farm Project. I have been fortunate to learn a lot… View Article

Quad Projects // Update 11.14

November 15, 2018

The Quad’s Venetucci Farm Project team, pictured above, is steadily working on their final report and presentation to be delivered to the Pikes Peak Community Foundation the first week of December at the Pinery in downtown Colorado Springs. Last week, the Fall Venetucci Farm project team finished research on ideas presented by the Quad Summer Intensive… View Article

Devin Quach // Student Story

November 14, 2018

Devin Quach (pictured above second from the left) is a Mechanical Engineering Major with a double minor in both Mathematics and Aerospace at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He joins the Quad on our Silver Key project. My name is Devin Quach, I’m a Vietnamese American and native to Colorado Springs. This is my second… View Article

Sandy Fales // Student Story

November 9, 2018

Sandy Fales graduated Summa Cum Laude with her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado Colorado Springs in May 2018, is a Quad project Alumni, and is currently working with the Quad as their full-time Research Fellow. As a single parent of two children, Sandy felt lost in her post-graduation prospects from the… View Article

Quad Projects // Update 11.08

November 8, 2018

The Quad’s Social Services Access Project team, pictured above with their faculty advisor Laura Eurich, is gearing up for their final presentation to the City of Colorado Springs and El Paso County in the next few weeks. In the past few weeks, our El Paso County and City of Colorado Springs social service access team… View Article

Robin Grathwohl // Student Story

November 7, 2018

Robin Grathwohl, a junior at Colorado College studying Environmental Science and Education, is a team member on the Quad’s Colorado Springs Utilities project. Where I am from is complex, but I would call Long Island, New York, my home. I grew up overseas for 12 years of my life in both London and Tokyo, and… View Article

Shawna Westerlund // Student Story

November 2, 2018

Shawna Westerlund is a Mechanical and Energy Engineering Major at Pikes Peak Community College and in 2019 will also attend the University of Colorado Colorado Springs, continuing her education. She is currently a member of our Colorado Springs Utilities Project team. I am one of the few authentic Colorado Springs natives. I was born and raised… View Article

Quad Projects // Update 11.01

November 1, 2018

Pictured above, the Venetucci Farm team prepares for their midpoint presentation to both the Farm and the Pikes Peak Community Foundation. Here are some updates on a few of our projects: Last week, our City and County team working on improving access to social services developed and fleshed out a list of tangible and obtainable… View Article

Laura Eurich // Leadership and Empathy

October 26, 2018

Laura Eurich is an Associate Chair, Director of Undergraduate Studies, and Internship Director for the Department of Communications at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. She is also currently serving as project lead on our Social Service Access Project. I’m the first to send a text before making a phone call. I will write an… View Article

Thomas Hazelwood // Student Story

October 24, 2018

Thomas Hazelwood, a sophomore at the United States Airforce Academy studying Economics, joins the Quad on our Venetucci Farms project aimed towards sustainability for the historical farm. (Thomas is pictured left in the photo above.) I am from a small town in Western Kentucky called Sebree. Roughly 1000 people live there. I moved to Colorado… View Article

Camilla Haddock // Student Story

October 18, 2018

Camilla, a senior at UCCS studying Geography and Environmental Studies, is working with her team on a project with Colorado Springs Utilities geared toward future directives in alternative energy sources. My name is Camilla Haddock. I was born in Texas and raised in Colorado, so I would say that I’m a semi-native to the area. We… View Article

Kaleigh O’Donnell // Student Story

Kaleigh is a two time Quad team member working on a joint project between El Paso County and Colorado Springs addressing barriers to accessing social services in our community. Colorado Springs has always been home for me. Born at Memorial Hospital and raised just west of the Downtown area, I’ve been lucky enough to see… View Article

Quad Summer Demo_Day 2018

Jake Eichengreen // What Is Innovation?

October 16, 2018

Jake Eichengreen is the Executive Director of the Quad Innovation Partnership. What the heck is innovation? It’s a good question, and one I receive on almost a daily basis. The word has unfortunately become one step less meaningful than a catch-all – it’s now a hashtag. “#Innovation” is now linked on everything from historical pieces… View Article