UCCS merch available at Scheels

Next time you’re in Scheels, grab some of the newly added UCCS gear.

The sports retailer, located in north Colorado Springs, recently started offering a selection of UCCS merchandise to their products. This exciting addition was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the UCCS community, with Assistant Teaching Professor of Marketing Paul Yankey key in making it happen.

“I was at a department meeting where Chancellor Sobanet mentioned how great it would be to have UCCS merchandise in local stores,” said Yankey. “The meeting was held near Scheels, and as I left, I saw the store and thought, ‘Grab the moment.’”

Yankey, who spent 30 years working for some of the largest technology companies of our time, credits his experience for instilling in him a deep appreciation for the value and power of asking questions without fear.

“I’m a big believer in ‘H.C.I. – How Can I?’” Yankey added. “I’ve learned that sometimes the simplest path forward is just to ask.”

After inquiring at Scheels, Yankey began corresponding with the personnel in charge of merchandise. It took further communication and some persistence, but then he received the good news.

“I was very pleased when they let me know they’d gotten the inventory in and put it out on the floor,” he said. “It’s a magnificent store, and I would argue that a lot of people visiting Colorado Springs are likely to stop there, and there are a lot of people coming through with a UCCS connection.”

This partnership is a testament to the collective drive of the UCCS community to expand its presence and deepen its local ties. While Yankey’s initiative helped spark the process, he credits the university’s leadership and vision for paving the way for such opportunities.

This is only the beginning for Yankey, as he sees potential in pursuing similar local partnerships and expanding the reach of UCCS.

“I view this very much as a project in motion,” said Yankey. “I’m thinking of other ways we can partner. And more broadly, I hope others aren’t afraid to ask, ‘How can I?’”