ALASKA
Bart Rudolph ’06
Public transportation planning manager, Municipality of Anchorage

As a child, Bart Rudolph (B.A. ’06) drew imaginary cities and street patterns. Little did he know he would one day have a career in transit planning.

When he came to UMKC, Rudolph didn’t have a clear idea of his career path. He sat down in a counselor’s office and saw a brochure advertising urban planning, and something clicked. A talk with Professor Michael Frisch in the Architecture, Urban Planning and Design program made his decision final.

“I had no idea it was a profession until after reading through the brochure.”

After graduation, Rudolph applied for a job with the Alaska Department of Transportation. He hoped they would fly him out for an interview, so he could check “visit Alaska” off his bucket list.

“In the end, they never flew me out for an interview, but sold me on what Alaska had to offer in terms of recreational activities and the roles and responsibilities of the job,” he says.

Two weeks later, Rudolph moved to Alaska, sight unseen. He’s never looked back.

Today, he is the public transportation planning manager in Anchorage, Alaska. Since moving there, he has climbed glaciers, hiked mountains, kayaked around icebergs and camped under the northern lights.

At the start of 2016, Rudolph resolved to spend every weekend of the year outside.

“In Alaska, it’s so easy to go outside, and people really prioritize outdoor recreation,” he says. “Plans don’t change if it’s raining, snowing, or even if temperatures drop to 20 degrees below zero.”