Imagine standing on a patch of campus greenery called the West Lawn, nestled between the modern Monarch House residence hall and Osborne Center for Science and Engineering. From here you’ll spot the iconic clock tower of the Kraemer Family Library. Look straight off into the distance and you can catch a glimpse of the Rocky Mountains. Believe it or not, the views become more breathtaking as you meander through campus. You can admire the 14,100-foot Pikes Peak, the sight that inspired Kathy Lee Bates to write “America The Beautiful” in the 1890s. That alone speaks volumes for the views! UCCS is literally surrounded by natural beauty and activities. This makes it a great setting for students who are outdoors enthusiasts. Even the residence halls provide mountain views and quick access to hiking trails. If you’re looking for more action, then stop over to the Recreation and Wellness Center. You can take an Aqua Bootcamp class, climb the bouldering wall, or sign up for outdoor trips to must-see local destinations like Garden of the Gods Park. Can you smell that mountain air yet?

You can’t breathe the mountain air from a distance, sad but true. But you can still get a UCCS education. The university offers five undergraduate degree completion programs: health care sciences, sociology, nursing, criminal justice, and business. You can enroll in these programs if you’ve already completed at least 40 credits of college coursework. Here’s more good news: according to the College of Business website, students will be able to earn the business degree fully online starting in Fall 2016. Then, if you’re feeling really ambitious, you can enroll in an online graduate degree or certificate program. UCCS provides online graduate studies in business, public administration, engineering, education, nursing, and criminal justice. Light a mountain-scented candle and it’s like you’re studying right Colorado Springs (almost!). If by chance you live within commuting distance from campus, you could take classes on Fridays and Saturdays year-round with the Weekend University program. Classes run for 10 weeks and some can be taken in hybrid format which is mostly online. No need to quit your day job—with online, hybrid, and weekend courses you can fit your class schedule into your lifestyle.

The Mountain Lions compete at the NCAA Division II level in 14 sports, including basketball, volleyball, soccer, golf, and cross country. But get excited, because in 2015 UCCS announced it plans to add women’s lacrosse, baseball, and more track and field options to the mix. Men’s Golf has been on fire since 2000. They’ve landed 12 conference championships. Also, men’s basketball just won their first conference championship in 2015. Great job, guys! If you don’t join a varsity sports team you can get involved with intramurals and club sports. Students play ultimate Frisbee, rugby, field hockey, flag football, and lacrosse at Alpine Field. This is a unique new turf field located on top of a five-story parking garage. Even as a spectator you’ll get a great view of the game, the mountains, and the surrounding city, so you can’t lose.

You can get a UCCS Bachelor of Innovation (BI) degree in more than just business. The university also offers BI degrees in computer science, game design and development, electrical engineering, women’s and ethnic studies, and more. This type of degree sets UCCS apart from other institutions just like it will set you apart from other graduates. The university offers other distinct areas of study as well. For example, if you’re a serious golf fan you can study PGA Golf Management. Students complete 16 months of paid internships at over 700 golf clubs across the country, from Pebble Beach in California to the PGA of America National Office in Florida. Or, if you want to be a teacher, consider the Inclusive Elementary Education program. You will learn special education and English as a Second Language teaching strategies, so you’ll be better equipped to teach students with various learning needs. According to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, U.S. schools continue to become more diverse and teachers need inclusive teaching methods to reach their students. Further, UCCS students can access paid research opportunities through the Undergraduate Research Academy. One class of 2015 studied the effects of portrayals of disabled people in the media, while another researched genes that regulate the formation of dendrites. Whether your research interest is scientific or social, you may be able to study it with the support of a faculty mentor. Hands-on opportunity is in high supply at UCCS.