During the 2022-23 academic year, we are highlighting one Colorado State University student or alum from each of Colorado’s 64 counties. The Centennial State’s land grant university has a connection to the diverse lands and people from the counties of Moffat to Baca, Montezuma to Sedgwick and everywhere in between.

Cory Arnold

Major(s): Civil Engineering (2015 graduate)

Why I chose CSU: My mom and dad both graduated from CSU. I knew after stepping into the Oval for the first time, I wanted to carry on the legacy. Plus, no sane person needs to be a Buff. Go Rams!

My favorite thing about CSU: The massive size of the campus. CSU promotes a healthy lifestyle, encourages you to get out and experience the campus, and you’ve got acres upon acres to choose from for playing some ultimate with friends.

Scholarships/awards in college: USAF ROTC Scholarship

Clubs/organizations in college: Air Force ROTC, American Society for Civil Engineers

Career goals: Slowly achieving them as we speak.  I’ll keep up the military thing for now. (Arnold is an Air Weapons Officer in the Air Force)

Favorite instructor: Karan Venayagamoorthy, Fluid Mechanics. First of all say that man’s name 10 times fast. Amazing teacher, story and inspiration to be around in class every day. He made learning a very complicated subject enjoyable.   

Favorite achievement in high school or college: Building a canoe out of concrete for my senior design class. There’s no better way to show off those fresh engineering skills than take something that should sink, and make a boat out of it.   

Favorite NOCO food and hangout places: I don’t think you can beat Cafe Mexicali, to this day I still crave some sweet pork burritos from there.

Favorite CSU tradition: Homecoming 5K. Weather is perfect that time of year.

Quirky fact about you: I consider myself a bit of a coffee snob. I act like coffee is coffee, but I’ve got some high standards on what a perfect cappuccino is.  

I’d like to thank: All the professors, bosses, and friends that supported me through every life-changing year at CSU. Most of all, I’d like to thank my family for their continuous love and support. I couldn’t have made it without you all.

What do you tell people from Kit Carson County about CSU: That its an amazing place, full of good people, food, and the best craft beers in the world are right down the street.

Something people should know about Kit Carson County: It’s an agriculture-driven community, full of people who will stop what they’re doing to help any stranger in need. You might feel like you are in the middle of nowhere but, you’re always surrounded by some of best family you never knew you had.

Biggest adversity you’ve overcome at CSU: Calculus. And then Calc II. And then Calc III. Math is hard.