Rus Pascual and his wife were looking for something more than the city life they had come to know in Chicago, where they had been their whole lives. They weren’t sure what that meant at first, but it clicked when they visited Colorado—friendly and welcoming people, eclectic communities, and of course, the humbling beauty of the mountains.
First, Rus had to find a way here, with the ultimate goal of landing a public-serving role. He found a fit at CU Boulder for more than three years, but in that time he became a new dad—something that hadn’t been on the radar before Colorado. When the university started bringing employees back to the office several days per week, Rus began looking for flexible work that would let him continue serving the public while fully embracing his new role as a dad.
“[And] I wanted to broaden that to say, ‘How can I maybe serve a larger population or a larger audience?’” says Rus over a video interview, his dog and cat bumping and bouncing around his feet. “When I saw the position at OIT become available, it felt meant for me. I figured I’d take a shot and see if others agree that I should be there.”
Others did agree, and he’s been making a difference for Coloradans as OIT’s Budget Director since March 2022. As he continues to build a life for himself and his family, Rus says he feels fortunate to have landed in a role where he is supported in his quest to be a parent, an adventurer and a public servant.
“If I ever have to leave to step out for a doctor appointment or need any flexibility, it’s really awesome to have an organization that supports that,” he says. “If I could have thought up the ideal place to work in the state I live and love, this is pretty much where I’d want to be.”