Aims Helped Jeff Thatch Find His Purpose

He was ready for something new. A Wyoming native who had worked various service jobs and moved around the Mountain West, Jeff found himself in Colorado looking for direction. One enthusiastic review from his then-girlfriend changed everything.

“She came home one day and said, ‘This place is amazing. Everybody’s so incredible. The students, the teachers, the staff. Everybody’s so nice, so accepting,” Jeff recalls. “I was like, okay, sounds like I need to check this place out. And I’ve been here ever since.”

Jeff first enrolled at Aims in the summer of 2019 and immediately connected with the community. What began as a single class kicked off an academic and professional journey. Jeff’s new route reshaped his aspirations and his identity.

Earning Degrees and Discovering Passions

Jeff’s love for film and storytelling led him to earn degrees in Television & Video Production and Radio Production. He immersed himself in media studies, diving into courses on comedy, martial arts and international cinema, all of which helped him grow as a communicator. He also discovered a knack for writing. “A lot of it helped me be a better writer,” he said. “Creative writing introduced me to the idea that I have good ideas and am not a bad writer.”

He is a long-standing member of the Aims Media Production Club, which led to one of the highlights of his student life, attending the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Conference in Las Vegas for three years. “It’s just football fields full of new tech, lights, cameras, vehicles, everything you need in media production. It’s massive. It’s go-go-go the entire time,” he said. 

At the 2024 BEA conference, Jeff presented a capstone project he co-created, the Vertical Film Festival, an online film festival held in the spring of 2021 that boasted 378 submissions from 55 countries. He found presenting at a conference intimidating, yet it was a success. “We’re community college students sharing our work next to people with PhDs and Master’s degrees. One of the attendees approached me in the hallway between sessions to ask where Aims was and tell me how much she appreciated our presentation.”

Jeff also found a niche in radio broadcasting and podcasting, hosting his own show on Aims Student Radio, “The Nineties Till Nine,” where he combined his love of music with off-the-cuff commentary to create a welcoming, fun and conversational space for listeners​. 

He is working toward his third degree at Aims, a Liberal Arts transfer degree with a Designation in Business. Jeff is drawn to the human resources side of leadership, especially in higher education and human services. He's preparing to transfer and broaden his career opportunities. His goal is to earn a bachelor's degree, and he may even pursue a master's degree afterward.

Jeff sees business management as combining his communication background, service mindset, growing leadership aspirations and long-term dream of working in student services or higher education administration, possibly even back at Aims. He found some mentors and involvement in student leadership inspired him to go down this path. 

“I thought I knew what I wanted to do. Now I feel this drive to give back and make sure that everybody can have as positive an experience as I’ve had at Aims.”

Leading Through Service and Student Life

Jeff has grown into a student leader throughout his time at Aims. He is currently the President of the Aims Student Government Association (SGA), a role that has empowered him and provided numerous growth opportunities. 

“As a student government president, I get to wear a lot of hats. Some days it's meeting and planning and other days it's helping set up events,” he said. Jeff believes the real heart of this job and the thing he loves the most is the people. “It's getting to witness the moments when a student who didn’t think they had a place here suddenly finds one. Or when someone steps up for the first time in a way that surprises themselves.”

Over Spring Break 2025, Jeff attended the Sigma Kappa Delta Convention, the National English Honor Society for Two-Year Colleges. He was rooming with a fellow student who seemed very quiet and reserved. As the two got to know each other, his new friend became more open. This experience was Jeff's “lightbulb moment” and reinforced his love for Student Life. 

“I realized it took an invitation, a little space and someone willing to listen. That’s why I love working in Student Life and why it is so important. We get to help create those spaces for students to be seen, heard and valued, where their voices matter because they do.” 

Jeff has also served on the Campus Activities Program Board. He’s worked on key initiatives that reflect his values, including civic engagement and food security.

In 2024, he organized a voter engagement event on National Vote Early Day, aiming to ease election-related stress with trivia games while reminding students of their power at the ballot box.“I’ve stayed completely non-partisan,” he explains, “but just letting people know that, ‘Hey, you can make some choices that will affect you on a local, state and national level.’"

Jeff’s heart for service was nurtured further through his work at Arty’s Pantry, an on-campus food bank providing students with groceries and essential supplies. As Aims pursued the Hunger-Free Campus designation, it formed the Hunger-Free Student Advisory Council. Jeff stepped up and became the Council's first student chair. His commitment to fighting food insecurity didn’t stop there. Jeff joined the Young Invincibles, a national nonprofit, as an advocate working to end hunger on college campuses across Colorado.

“To be able to help be a part of that, it’s something else,” he said. “There have been times where people come in and they're kind of crying because it means so much to them that they’ll be able to feed their family.” Inspired by Patty Schultz, the Aims Hunger-Free Campus coordinator, Jeff found profound meaning in supporting fellow students. “Food insecurity is a huge thing to me,” he says. “To provide that resource, it just fills my cup.”

Jeff speaks passionately about the people who made his journey possible: the teachers who inspired him, the peers who offered support, and the staff who helped him balance school and life. Chief among them is Schulz, whom Jeff describes as “a very caring person” and a mentor who has helped him grow in countless ways.

Schultz also has lots of good things to say about Jeff, too. “After 23 years working at Aims Community College, I’ve had the honor of meeting many incredible students,” she said. “ But every so often, a student goes beyond the classroom and becomes something more. For me, Jeff is one of those rare few. I consider him my ‘work son.’ I am incredibly proud of all he has accomplished and even more so of who he is: humble, kind, compassionate and a true humanitarian.”

Jeff credits Aims and the people he met along the way with instilling confidence and giving him the tools to succeed academically and personally.“I didn’t think I could go back to school again,” he says. “But Aims changed that and I feel like I can conquer absolutely anything.”

Looking Ahead with Heart and Vision

With plans to transfer to either the University of Northern Colorado or the University of Wyoming, Jeff’s next chapter is still unfolding. His long-term dream is to return to Aims, not as a student, but as a staff member helping future students find their way.

“I would love to stay at Aims forever,” he says. “Not as a student, but existing here so I can help change lives. My life was changed.”

For Jeff, Aims isn’t just a school. It’s home. “It doesn’t matter what you believe. They will accept you for who you are,” he says. “Aims is definitely my home away from home.”