Mary Koepp received her undergraduate degree in Speech and Theatre in 1968 from Montana State University and taught junior high English and history for seven years. She then enlisted in the U.S. Army and completed her service 33 years later as a Chief Warrant Officer Four. Later, she would go on as a post-traditional student to receive both a master's degree in Curriculum for Diverse Learners and certification to teach English as a Second Language from UCCS. She now serves as an international missionary teaching English and drama as an evangelism tool to students in Bible colleges and seminaries in Africa and India. As a facet of her master's study at UCCS, Mary had the opportunity to intern in South Korea helping to develop a curriculum standard to guide English instructors of children between the ages of seven and 14. She especially enjoyed this internship opportunity as it highlighted a cause close to her heart and inspired some of the work she continues to do today as a global missionary. Koepp enjoys volunteering for many organizations in the Pikes Peak region. She likes to donate her time to classical music organizations in the community and on the UCCS campus because she enjoys giving back to her alma mater.
At UCCS, Koepp volunteers for the Write-A-Mountain-Lion (WAML) letter-writing campaign for incoming freshmen, supports scholarship reviews, and ushers with the Theatre Works program and the Ent Center for the Arts. As she has a passion for the performing arts and the theatre, these opportunities are a great fit for her interests. Koepp is also an active board member for Curiosity Unlimited, founded in 1977 by a group of Pikes Peak area citizens and CU alumni. This program was created to provide a forum for stimulating community interest in UCCS, to create opportunities to become acquainted with university faculty members, to study relevant issues through free on-campus lectures, and to help students engage in leisure-time learning. Koepp recommends volunteering with UCCS because it is "a worthwhile experience, is easy and flexible for your schedule, and literally offers opportunities for every interest." In her free time, Mary likes to garden, attend performances of classical music or theatre, and do mission work with her church.
