Living in the East hasn't stopped UCCS alumna Carissa Gordon Gump from volunteering with her alma mater. Thanks to the many virtual opportunities offered by the UCCS Alumni and Friends Volunteer Program, Gordon Gump has been able to review student scholarship applications, support the UCCS commencement video series, and write letters to incoming students as part of the Write-A-Mountain-Lion campaign.
Gump moved to Colorado Springs in 2001 from Essex, Vermont to live and train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. She competed as a weightlifter in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Gump, '10, also was eager to start her education at UCCS. "I returned home early from the Olympics because I could not miss my first week of class at UCCS where I was enrolled for the first time in my college career as a full-time student."
To earn her degree as efficiently as possible, Gump began attending classes at both Pikes Peak Community College and UCCS. Gump majored in business and focused on her passion for athletics by studying sports management. This decision ultimately changed her career path. "The Sport Management program enabled me to see the true inner workings of the sport."
Gump encourages others to explore UCCS volunteer opportunities, as there are so many benefits and resources available for all types of volunteer interests. "The biggest benefit I receive out of volunteering is the feeling of being connected and that I still matter as an alum to UCCS." Besides weightlifting and learning, Gump enjoys spending time with her family hiking, biking, and fishing.
