When Mizzou alumni wanted to become involved in a MAA chapter in Denver in the late 1990s, they soon found there wasn’t an active chapter to welcome them. It was Rich Gould, BES ’84, and three other alumni, who have since revived the chapter to help Tigers connect in the Mile High City.
Colorado transplants Cash (’91) and Susan (’92) Claridge witnessed Gould’s efforts to grow the chapter after they moved to Denver in 1997.
“Rich was one of the founding officers of the new chapter and spent countless hours re-building and re-establishing the Rocky Mountain Tigers (RMT) chapter,” Cash said. Gould didn’t stop at restoring the chapter. For nearly two decades, he has held leadership roles and participated in chapter activities from game day watch parties to special guest events.
Gould has served in positions from RMT social chair to president and vice president—and eventually as a member of the MAA Governing Board. In 2012, he became the Capstone tracker, a position he created to maintain the chapter’s Capstone status in the MAA Columns Program by overseeing required events and obligations.
“Rich’s contribution of time, talent and treasure have been a big part of keeping the Rocky Mountain Tigers one of the top-level chapters in the country,” said David Roloff, MAA director of marketing and communication and former MAA liaison to the RMT chapter.
Gould has dedicated his time, talent and treasure to the Rocky Mountain Tigers. When the chapter re-established a scholarship fund in 2014, Gould pledged a $10,000 matching grant and spurred two more large pledges from alumni. The chapter met a $25,000 goal within a year and awarded its first scholarship from the fund in 2016.
“Had Rich not had such a passion for Mizzou, a desire to re-establish the chapter and the ability to work with a wide variety of alumni”—RMT chapter leadership said in a letter to the Mizzou Alumni Association—“the Rocky Mountain Tigers would not be what it is today.”