Page 55 - spring18

DESIGNING A PATH: ALUMNI CONNECTIONS
Theater alumna creates opportunities for alumni to share their passions at UA
by Robin Tricoles

rankie Kolb ’99 does not shy That’s why she’s been talking
Faway from a challenge. She has with professionals in the Alumni
worked in a cancer clinic, built a Association and other colleges
Martian landscape, met with Middle about how they engage their
Eastern dignitaries, managed a alumni. And she’s been meeting
chaotic dean’s office, and mingled with the College of Science’s
with a pool shark or two. department heads to find out what
Now, she’s taking on a whole they may need when it comes to
new challenge: building a network alumni engagement. Kolb says
of College of Science alumni they’ve already come up with some
engaged in advancing the University compelling ideas, like an alumni
of Arizona through robust academic ambassador program that would
engagement, career development, connect incoming freshmen with
philanthropy and diversity. alumni in their hometown.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Kolb also is looking to start
the light in people’s eyes when they an alumni mentoring program for
get to build on their passion and UA seniors to get advice from UA
help the University of Arizona grow,” alumni in various fields, better
Kolb says. “I like seeing people be preparing students for life after Frankie Kolb / Chris Richards photo
part of something bigger, something graduation.
that comes to life, and something “The Alumni Association will re-enact the problem with the
that they may not have been able to be working closely with Frankie to instruments in the testbed. So, we
do without connections.” engage College of Science alumni created this Martian landscape
Kolb recently accepted a newly from the time they graduate where we printed Martian images,
created position as manager of through their many phases of life,” and then we had a theater-design
alumni relations for the College says Melinda Burke, president of expert come in and help us with the
of Science. The position is part of the UA Alumni Association. “We will ground. We used Martian-colored
the college’s partnership with the partner to build alumni engagement drop cloths and big foam rocks.
UA Alumni Association to build a and provide career resources, That’s the kind of stuff I love doing.”
campus-wide alumni engagement support student recruitment and Kolb says she also loves to build
program. provide alumni data analysis.” and design things. “I’m very artsy.
In her previous role as senior For Kolb, a theater major, life I recovered a door from Zachary’s
program coordinator for Joaquin after graduation began with a full- Pizza. Zachary’s Pizza was a big
Ruiz, vice president of innovation time position helping run a clinical part of UA for many years. So, I’ve
and strategy and dean for the trials office at the Arizona Cancer been sanding that down. It’s on my
College of Science, Kolb says she Center, where she realized she had back porch, but I keep wanting to
learned about forging connections a passion for office management. figure out the best way to revive it.
by watching Ruiz build relationships A few years later, she moved to I’m going to put pictures in it, and
with people within the university the Phoenix Mars Mission, where maybe hang it on the wall or make
and throughout the United States she helped manage the Mission a table out of it. I like reviving things
and Mexico. Operation Center. that have some sort of a memory.”
“We’d get calls from people “I got to help put together a Kolb also reveals that she has
who had heard about Joaquin in Martian landscape in the Drake a penchant for pool. “I love to go
the news and about what great building,” Kolb says. “It’s where to Vegas and play in tournaments,”
things he’s done and wanting to they had the mockup of the lander. she says. “I play on a team. It’s one
be involved in something that he’s Anytime there was a problem of the few things that when I do it, I
making happen,” Kolb says. with the lander, researchers could don’t think of anything else.”

SPRING 2018 53