When Sarah Mason-Reeder walked into UCCS Downtown for an event surrounding her artwork, she expected to talk about her paintings, make some new connections and hopefully sell a few pieces. What she didn’t expect was how deeply the experience would reconnect her to her alma mater and ultimately inspire her to give back.
“I felt like I had been honored and seen by a university that cared about its students and graduates,” Sarah said.
Those feelings didn’t come from the exhibition alone, but from everything surrounding it.
A thoughtfully planned event.
A strong turnout.
The unmistakable feeling that she still mattered to the university.
“I wasn’t just a number or a forgotten individual that simply passed through the system,” Sarah said. “This was an intentional effort to truly invest in the community and its alumni.”
What had started as a personal creative outlet had come full circle, recognized and elevated by the same university that helped shape her path.
“In my seven years or so at UCCS, I had never even met Chancellor Pam Shockley-Zalabak, but she came to support me,” Sarah said. “I saw professors I hadn’t seen or talked to in 20 years.”
In that moment, she began to see UCCS not only as a place that supported her education, but as a place she now wants to invest in for others.
“In the past, when students would call and ask if I’d like to donate, it was usually a no because I’m a stay-at-home mom and I’m not working anymore,” she shared. “But from now on, my answer will always be a yes.”
Sarah earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in communication from the College of Letters, Arts & Sciences. She credits UCCS with helping her grow into a confident communicator and develop the entrepreneurial skills she now uses to run a small business with her husband.
Her paintings, often inspired by Colorado’s landscapes, reflect her love of the outdoors and her time spent running, hiking and exploring with her family. Through her work, she brings those natural moments indoors, creating pieces that resonate with visitors and clients alike.
But it was the opportunity to display that work at UCCS Downtown that brought everything into sharper focus.
“You hear about all these big Ivy League schools where once you’re a student, then you’re always part of their group or part of that family,” she said. “This experience made me feel like UCCS had really done that same thing for me.”
In many ways, her story reflects the full arc of the UCCS experience: learning, growing, creating, and ultimately, giving back. Because sometimes, all it takes is one moment of recognition to transform appreciation into action.