By Ann Gill (M.A., ’76)

Kyle Althouse graduates this semester with a B.S. in business administration. He became an Alumni Association member through the Grad Pack program, which bundles membership with commencement regalia rental. What sets Kyle apart is that he did not opt simply for annual membership but became a Lifetime Alumni Association member. As befits a business major, Kyle ran the numbers and discovered that starting life membership right away is a bargain compared to annual membership over a lifetime.

Membership level is not the only thing that sets Kyle apart. He came to Colorado State after an amazing journey. Born in Northridge, California, he and his family later lived in Michigan until Kyle was eight. They then moved to Wichita, Kansas. After graduating from high school, Kyle enlisted in Army, where he spent almost seven years. His military career started with basic training at Fort Jackson in Columbia, South Carolina. He was stationed next at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas. Later he was sent to California for more training, then spent a year in Afghanistan. When he returned from Afghanistan, he returned to Fort Hood, following which he was stationed at an Army base in Bamberg, Germany, for three years. His last military posting was at Fort Bliss in El Paso.

With civilian life ahead of this well-traveled young fellow, a desire to snowboard brought him to Colorado. Kyle first got a job in Longmont and started his post-secondary education at Front Range Community College. He then transferred to CSU, where he completed concentrations in organization and innovation management and human resource management as well as a minor in economics.

While school left no time for snowboarding, he has loved his time in Colorado nonetheless. He purchased a kayak, which he paddled from the south to north shores of Horsetooth Reservoir and back again in just under four hours. He is quick to point out, however, that the water in Horsetooth is a little lower than usual this year.

Kyle’s current challenge, other than completing fall-semester courses, is the interview process. He is focusing on positions in large cities, where he looks forward to participating in Ram Networks and, in particular, viewing parties. Kyle loves Ram football!

One of the University’s programs that was of great benefit to Kyle is the New Start for Student Veterans.  Not only did they help him transition to university life but also deal with the issues and challenges shared by many veterans. In addition, New Start is aiding his job search, putting him in touch with veteran-friendly employers. Kyle says that meeting other student veterans helped create a community for him at CSU.

Kyle and other veterans enrich our campus and the Alumni Association. We are proud they chose to become CSU Rams.