Rhiannon Kolb, a 2003 Mount Union graduate and Morrison Scholarship recipient, has built a career in engineering and program management.
By STATON HUNTER | Journalism Student, Mount Union Area Senior High School
Mount Union, Pa. — Mount Union Class of 2003 valedictorian and Morrison Scholarship recipient Rhiannon Kolb reflects on how Mount Union shaped her career.
The John S. Morrison Scholarship is awarded to qualifying Mount Union graduates pursuing a degree in engineering, physical science, or computer science. It provides a full ride to one of six schools: Carnegie Mellon, Cornell, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Stevens Institute of Technology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), or Yale. The scholarship is typically awarded to one or two Mount Union students each year; however, it is also open to students from other schools in the county.
Kolb earned the prestigious scholarship and chose to attend Carnegie Mellon, where she earned a degree in chemical engineering. When asked what the Morrison Scholarship meant to her, Kolb said, “It gave me the incredible opportunity to pursue my goal of a college education at Carnegie Mellon without the associated financial burden. Knowing that my community believed in my potential enough to invest in my future was an additional confidence boost!”
Kolb’s career started in the offshore oil and gas industry, but her interests in the field extended beyond chemical engineering. “I’ve always been drawn to science and complex problem solving. For me, engineering was the perfect bridge to allow me to utilize scientific concepts and apply them to solve real-world challenges,” she explained.
As her career developed, her background gave her a strong foundation in industrial operations, program management, and safety. All of her experience has led her to where she is now: a U.S. program manager at Rocsys, where she “oversees complex autonomous EV charging infrastructure across the country.”
Having grown up in Mount Union and graduated from MUASD, Kolb learned what it’s like to be part of a tight-knit community early in her life. She also gained a lot of experience working closely with peers who had different interests and backgrounds. This experience gave her a better understanding of how to communicate effectively with people who think differently from her, an important skill in engineering, where teamwork plays a major role in solving problems. Kolb said learning how to communicate, build relationships, and work well with others early on was “easily the best preparation for my career.”
Interestingly, the classes Kolb said influenced her most were not science or math classes, but rather her art and language classes with Mr. Norm Wilson and Ms. Jeanette Bumbaugh, respectively. “Looking back, those creative and humanities-focused subjects were just as important as math and science for my overall growth,” Kolb explained.
When asked what part of her career she is especially proud of, Kolb said, “I take a lot of pride in my ability to handle high-complexity projects in extreme environments. Coordinating all those moving parts and watching everything land on target is deeply rewarding. But behind that professional drive is a personal accomplishment I hold just as high: having the courage to move around the U.S. and the world as a young single woman and build my life and career from the ground up.”
Her experiences have also shaped the advice she would give to students who hope to follow a similar path. For those considering pursuing the Morrison Scholarship or a career in STEM, Kolb offered a simple piece of advice: “View your degree as the starting line, not the destination.”
Rather than expecting their careers to follow a set path, Kolb encourages students to remain open to where their skills may take them. “Your career will likely take exciting, unexpected turns you can’t predict right now. What matters most is building a solid technical and analytical foundation. That adaptability and core skill set are what real-world employers value above all else,” Kolb said.
Kolb saw an opportunity in the Morrison Scholarship and used it as the starting point for a career that has taken her far beyond Mount Union, but the lessons she learned there have stayed with her.
This article was published as part of Ms. Dimoff’s Journalism class at Mount Union Area Senior High School.
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