Finding Success Through Collaboration: Phoebe Frankel ‘25
The first time Phoebe Frankel ’25 traveled to Colorado was on move-in day of her first year at Colorado College. More than just a cross-country move from her hometown of Princeton, New Jersey, it felt like a hard reset, and a much-needed breath of fresh air.
“
At my high school, it was very much an ideology of Ivy League or bust, and I didn’t realize it, but I needed a break from that. It was a leap, but I was ready for change. At CC, I could still pursue strong academics, but in a setting that was more collaborative instead of competitive.
”
Frankel noticed the difference right away in her First-Year Program class, where students came together to prepare for oral exams.
“
Without any assistance from the professor, our class organized study sessions where nearly 30 of us would meet at the library and work together. The exams were conducted with two people at a time, but it was a supportive environment where you were trying to assist each other in answering the questions, versus trying to outshine the other individual.
”
Collaboration became a guiding theme in Frankel’s time beyond the classroom as well. As a Bonner Fellow, a program that connects students with community organizations through sustained service work, she was part of a 2024-25 cohort of 41 students who contributed 2,639 hours of service valued at $39,084 in economic impact. Frankel spent three and a half years working with the Catamount Institute, a nonprofit that provides environmental education programs for K–12 students.
“
It’s not just about doing something, it’s about thinking about the impact and being intentional about it. Oftentimes, people will approach volunteering as just inserting themselves into these environments and logging hours. Instead, you should first be an observer, then reflect on where the needs are, and ask how you can help. You should be supporting them instead of inserting yourself.
”
While creating lesson plans and leading programs, Frankel found her work with the Catamount Institute complemented the Block Plan. Though her campus routines shifted each block, returning to the same organization for three and a half years gave her a sense of continuity and consistency. The intensity of each 3.5-week block required her to communicate proactively with her coworkers to balance both commitments effectively.
“
It had a big impact on helping me develop responsibility and communication skills, which are essential in the workplace. I also learned a lot about being proactive and taking initiative since my role wasn’t part of a structured program. Instead, I had to notice issues and step up wherever I saw an opportunity to help.
”
Her volunteer work through the Bonner program, combined with a study abroad experience during her junior year that included an internship at an investment firm in Buenos Aires, Argentina, helped prepare her for her transition to the workplace.
Frankel is now working for The Vanguard Group at their corporate headquarters outside Philadelphia in a two-year rotational investment management development program. As a young professional, she credits her CC experience with shaping how she approaches the workplace.
“
CC changed my mindset on how to go about any professional or academic endeavor. Before CC, everything was inadvertently competitive. But being at CC where your classmates and your professors want to challenge you and want to see you succeed was a positive experience for me. That will stick with me and remind me to be supportive of others. You don’t have to push people down to bring yourself up. We can work together and all move upwards.
”
Office of Communications and Marketing
14 East Cache La Poudre St. | Colorado Springs, CO 80903
communications@coloradocollege.edu
Built with Shorthand