Brandon Archuleta // Student Story

Brandon Archuleta is a Business major with an emphasi in Finance at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. He joins the Quad working a future energy directive project with Colorado Springs Utilities.

Hello, my name is Brandon Archuleta, and I am a current intern for Quad working on the Colorado Springs Utilities Project! I am a Colorado native, and I grew up in the small municipality of Pueblo West, Colorado. Pueblo West is a growing community of families, and I loved growing up in what may be considered “the middle of nowhere” because of the fantastic sunset! My childhood consisted of horrible attempts at playing golf at our local course, Desert Hawk, and riding my bike near the Pueblo Reservoir! At the end of high school, my parents made the decisions to make a career change and move to Mexico City working for the US government. Of course, I wanted to join them, and I picked up my belongings and started an entirely new chapter of my life! I lived in Mexico City off and on throughout 2017 and 2018. During that time, I explored some of the world’s most unusual museums including the Somaya, a priceless art gallery owned by Carlos Slim, and the museum of anthropology. I loved Mexico City, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to explore its historical and cultural intricacies. 

Mexico City was a fantastic experience, but I was still attending classes at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) throughout that time. My major at UCCS is business with an emphasis in finance. I have attended UCCS for two years, and I will be graduating with my bachelor’s degree in May of this year.

A part of me is extremely excited to graduate, enter the “real world,” and finally become an entrepreneur. However, another part of me is holding on to the desire to be a kid just a little longer! Contrary, I know that my future will yield some fantastic experiences, and I am excited to explore these new experiences in their totality! I hope that some of these future experiences will be exploring new hobbies. Throughout the past several years, my hobbies have included reading non-fiction books and exploring personal development philosophy. Personal development philosophy is the improvement of one’s mind, body, and spirit. I think bettering oneself is vital to success, and I am dedicated to becoming a better individual.  Also, I enjoy exploring topics such as finance, economic theory, and politics. However, I also love working. I think that I find the most self-worth when I am working towards an idea or a goal. In part, I joined QUAD because I wanted to explore a new problem and develop a solution.

QUAD is an opportunity to develop a solution to a problem that I am not familiar with. My background is not in energy development, but I find the complex challenges associated with energy development to be fascinating. While in Mexico City, MX, I observed how poor energy development and industrial practices could lead to air pollution and poor infrastructure. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to grow up in Colorado which has the potential to be an industry leader in energy production. I joined QUAD with the hope that I may be able to impact my community. I believe that the other interns and I have the unique opportunity to change the future forever, and I am incredibly proud to be a part of a project that is larger than myself.  Working with a diverse group of individuals has been a fantastic experience. I have enjoyed working with other intellectuals who value change and impact. My favorite part of working with my team is the realization that we can impact the future for generations to come, and I am grateful for being granted the opportunity to work with such an amazing team!

The opportunity to be involved with QUAD is an asset to the community. In my experience, a community is only as good as the people that comprise it. QUAD provides the ability for students who care about our future to develop solutions to difficult problems and improve Colorado Springs. I am confident that the experiences I will acquire from working with QUAD will be life-changing, and I am dedicated to forging a better Colorado Springs for our community members.