Dinner with 12 Mountain Lions

Dinner with 12 Mountain Lions Purpose & Goals

Dinner with 12 Mountain Lions, coordinated by the UCCS Alumni & Friends Association, pairs students with local UCCS alums and friends for small, intimate dinner parties. The goal of this unique program is to provide students with the following opportunities:

  • Meet UCCS alums and friends in a relaxed, informal setting
  • Establish connections beyond immediate peer or academic groups
  • Develop a higher comfort level networking with alumni
  • Experience the broader UCCS community

Alum hosts and participants get to know current UCCS students deeper and act as role models by sharing life experiences and advice with students while teaching them how to succeed at UCCS and beyond. Ultimately, Dinner with 12 Mountain Lions is another way the UCCS Alumni & Friends Association strives to bridge the gap between students and alums.

Are you interested in becoming a host?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who qualifies as a host?
Learn who qualifies as a host.

Any alumni of UCCS are welcome to participate. Additionally, we welcome co-hosts to join the main host (they do not need to be an alumnus). Often times, these are spouses, colleagues, or children who have graduated from college and are in a similar career field.

Who pays for the dinner?
Learn who pays for dinner.

This program has been a success because of the very generous donations of our alumni. The alumni dinner host(s) is fully responsible for the financial costs associated with their dinner.

What assistance do I receive with the dinner?
Learn what assistance you receive.

The Alumni & Friends Association handles everything on the student side as far as getting students registered for your dinner and arranging/providing transportation to and from the location. All you have to do is set your dinner date, time, and location and we handle the rest. You will also be assigned a student facilitator who will serve as a liaison between you and your student attendees.

Do I have to host 12 students?
Learn how many students to host.

No, you do not. The minimum requirement is six students. We also allow alums to host more than 12 if they desire.

Can I have someone host the dinner with me?
Learn about hosting the dinner.

Of course! This is a good way to have assistance with dinner costs and logistics, and can even enable you to host more students.

Do I have to host the dinner at my home?
Learn about where to host the dinner.

No, you do not. You can host students at a restaurant, your place of work, or at the home of your co-host if they have the space to accommodate your students.

What if I want to host something earlier in the day? Like a brunch or a lunch? 
Learn about hosting.

We have offered earlier time slots for those wishing to host a lunch.

I do not live in the Colorado Springs area, but I would still like to host a dinner.
Learn about hosting out of Colorado Springs.

If you do not live or work within this vicinity, we suggest finding a restaurant location or a co-host that resides closer to Colorado Springs or contact our office to discuss additional options.