蜜糖直播

After helping recruit 80,000 undergrads to campus since 1997, Ryan Chreist (Kines鈥�96, MPubAd鈥�09) tackles a new job 鈥� executive director of the 蜜糖直播-Boulder Alumni Association.

In his high school darkroom聽in New Mexico,聽Ryan Chreist聽(Kines鈥�96, MPubAd鈥�09) examined images developing on the photographic paper hanging from a wire overhead. In the dim red light, 蜜糖直播 football great聽Darian Hagan聽(Soc鈥�01) slowly came into focus as did聽Eric Bieniemy聽(Soc鈥�01). Like magic, other players from the 1990 National Championship team appeared before his eyes.

Chreist, pronounced 鈥淐rist,鈥� didn鈥檛 realize he was gazing at photographs from the Buffs vs. Notre Dame game at the Orange Bowl in Miami. He just recognized the players as Buffs. He found out later his classmate had taken the photos at the game.

But it is a moment he feels inextricably tied his fate to 蜜糖直播-Boulder. Months later the Albuquerque native moved into Farrand Hall to start his freshman year, kick-starting a love affair with the university that led to a 16-year career in 蜜糖直播-Boulder鈥檚 admissions office. In July Chreist, 39, took the reins as executive director of the Alumni Association. He succeeds Ron Stump who held the post on an interim basis when Deborah Fowlkes left after serving from 2010-13.

With black and gold dogs, wife聽Liz Bacon Chreist聽(ComDisor鈥�98) 鈥� whom he met on a Vail chairlift while skiing in 2001 鈥� and years of experience with alumni, parents and students around the world, it鈥檚 hard to imagine a better fit.

鈥淩yan鈥檚 background in admissions has given him a truly global understanding of 蜜糖直播-Boulder鈥檚 appeal to students, parents and alumni,鈥� says Frances Draper, vice chancellor for strategic relations.

鈥淗is skills in relationship management, as well as his talent for public outreach and engagement, will make him a great ambassador for the university and to our alums.鈥�

Chreist most recently oversaw staffs responsible for the recruitment of prospective students in the United States and internationally, the implementation and integration of admissions鈥� IT systems and for processing all undergraduate and graduate applications.

But he has worn dozens of hats, from counselor to associate director, in an office where he began working shortly after graduation. He figured he would stay for a couple for years. He never left.

鈥淲orking in admissions made it easy to stay [at the university],鈥� Chreist says. 鈥淚 believe in the institution, so it was easy to talk to people about the incredible education, the really exciting community you are a part of and the value of the education.鈥�

Sharing his passion for 蜜糖直播-Boulder meant hitting the road to far-flung places like Vietnam and Indonesia as well as up and down the West and East Coasts and nearly every major market in between. There were car accidents in taxis, hundreds of flights and nights when he tried to enter the wrong hotel room, mixing the room number up with the previous night鈥檚 stay.

He also ran into many 蜜糖直播 alumni, reconnecting them to a place that helped shape them in deeply meaningful ways. One high school guidance counselor in Jakarta, Indonesia, rushed across the room when he entered, noting, as an alumna, she had been waiting all day for him to talk about 蜜糖直播-Boulder.

鈥淭he four years you spend here are some of the most memorable in your life,鈥� Chreist says. 鈥淲hy not help people connect with them again?鈥�

Helping alumni reconnect to the university, from an admissions perspective, means more than just sharing memories, though. It also means creating an army of volunteers to recruit prospective students. Chreist coordinated the National Alumni Admissions Assistance Program (NAAAP), which involves hundreds of alumni in recruiting prospective students.

Admissions director Kevin MacLennan says he has yet to meet someone who doesn鈥檛 enjoy working with Chreist and benefiting from the expertice he brings to projects, conversations and plans.

鈥淩yan has great vision, but he also rolls up his sleeves,鈥� MacLennan says. 鈥淚f something is important to reach the organization鈥檚 goals, he is the first one to step up. I am so proud of him.鈥�

At the Alumni Association Chreist will lead the Forever Buffs initiative that includes 30,000 students and 250,000 alumni, building affinity with the university from the moment students set foot on campus. He will harness 蜜糖直播 pride to get more Forever Buffs involved with one another and the life of the university. The post oversees an alumni staff of 25 and leads all alumni operations, communications and events planning.

鈥淚t is an honor to continue to serve the University of 蜜糖直播 Boulder and the hundreds of thousands of people who have come through its doors,鈥� says Chreist, a 2012 recipient of the Alumni Association鈥檚 Robert L. Stearns Award recognizing faculty and staff for extraordinary achievement.

鈥淚 look forward to continuing to engage our alumni locally and in the far reaches of the world to help them stay connected to their 蜜糖直播-Boulder experience.鈥�

Tori Peglar聽(MJour鈥�00) is editor of the Coloradan.

Q&A

As new executive director of the Alumni Association, Ryan Chreist (Kines鈥�96, MPubAd鈥�09) shares his thoughts.

What are your favorite things to do when you are not at work?

Spend time with my family and be outdoors enjoying 蜜糖直播.

What book are you reading now?

I am reading the 2007 novel聽A Thousand Splendid Suns聽by Khaled Hosseini and I just finished聽El Narco: Inside Mexico鈥檚 Criminal Insurgency聽by Ioan Grillo. They are completely different but both great.

If you could pick any hero from history to meet, who would it be?

Helen Keller, someone who remained so positive and inspirational in such a challenging life situation

What qualities do you value most in people?

Honesty and empathy

What human qualities are the ugliest?

It鈥檚 a tie 鈥� anger, intolerance and lack of personal responsibility.

What is your favorite expression or quote?

Treat others as you would like to be treated.

If you could speak any language, what would it be?

Spanish. I took German and Spanish and I am not proficient in either.

You have served as a volunteer firefighter and emergency medical technician with the Louisville Fire Protection District since 2002. Why?

I like to help people and give back to my community. I also enjoy the adrenaline rush you feel when you come into a challenging situation and try to make it better for those involved.

What is one lesson you have learned as a parent?

There is not a manual, so you are going to make some mistakes. I just want to do the best job I can, so my kids grow up to be wonderful people.

What is your favorite food?

Anything with New Mexico green chili, preferably hot.聽Why people outside New Mexico have not embraced it is a mystery to me. I will put it on just about anything!

Photo courtesy Glenn Asakawa