I Went to College in Westminster, CO, and Stayed

Jeff Adkins

Megan Grass moved from Colorado to Louisiana in the middle of high school, where she attended a school focused on college prep. After graduation, she couldn’t wait to get back to Colorado again, but she didn’t feel ready to enroll in a traditional college program.

Grass took some time to decide her path, then decided to enroll at Front Range Community College in Westminster, CO, where she got an associate degree in history. She is now the director of corporate events at Exotic, a luxury supercar driving experience, and she is also a freelance photographer and owns a small marketing company. Livability chatted with Grass on what it’s like to live in Adams County.

How did you transition from a history degree into what you do now?
My degree is a passion degree, not a paycheck degree, and my other jobs over the past 20 years have primarily been in hospitality, so that’s the field I’ve stayed in. I was in restaurants, but now I am more in the event space.

What are ways you’ve been able to stay involved with Front Range Community College?
They’re in the process of building an alumni association, and I’m involved in that. I try to do as much with them as I can and stay part of that community because I’ve found it very beneficial to have connections with people and to network. Most of my jobs have been found through networking, especially with my photography business.

I really credit my time at FRCC with preparing me for higher education. I later graduated with honors from Metropolitan State University in Denver.

How did Front Range Community College help you prepare for the professional world?
They had all kinds of personal development workshops you could take for students and for alumni. Last year, as alumni, we held a career day for current students to review resumes, talk about job interviews and discuss different networking options. We’re planning to continue these types of events.

But outside of these, there’s always someone there on campus you can sit down with and ask any questions about any type of personal or professional development.

When you’re not working, how would you spend your ideal Saturday?
My boyfriend and I try to do family things or go out and enjoy the beautiful Colorado scenery. We love Mexican food, and where we live in Thornton, we’re surrounded by so many great places. We ride motorcycles, and we like to get into the mountains.

There are also a number of parks near where we live, plus the Carpenter Recreation Center, which was recently remodeled. The parks and rec centers host quite a few events for the community throughout the year.