Rob Kollin (MGT ’12, ’16) didn’t find Weatherhead School once. He found it twice—and both times, it changed the trajectory of his life.
The first discovery came through a book recommendation. While managing a multi-state marketing program at AT&T, Kollin received a book recommendation from a colleague, Rob Reynolds, who suggested he read Beyond Good Company: Next Generation of Corporate Citizenship by Bradley Googins. There, he encountered the work of David Cooperrider and appreciative inquiry. He went to the back of the book, tracked down the program, and found it right in his backyard at Case Western Reserve University.
The second discovery was more literal: a billboard on Cleveland's West 25th Street advertising the Master of Management Science with a focus on healthcare. “I called my wife and said – air quotes – ‘You’re gonna be so happy,’” he laughs, recognizing the sustainable commitment it takes to complete an advanced degree at WSOM.
“MPOD was life-changing. The MSM was career-changing.”
— Rob Kollin
What the programs provided
Early in his career, Kollin led the way many managers do—focused on outcomes and execution, with less attention to the people side of leadership. After completing the MPOD program, something shifted. Working closely with faculty members Richard Boyatzis, Ron Fry, and Melvin Smith, Kollin embraced what Boyatzis describes as coaching with compassion. Relationships—with teams, stakeholders and peers—moved to the center of how he led.
The MSM healthcare program provided a different, equally critical foundation. As Kollin transitioned from telecommunications into health insurance management, the program gave him the industry grounding he needed to make that pivot successfully. Today, he teaches leadership and finance courses to public health students at Kent State University—a role he describes with clear enthusiasm and purpose.
Twelve years of giving back
Kollin has supported Weatherhead for more than a decade. His motivation traces back to his grandfather, Frank Sroka, a Western Reserve College alumnus who gave to the institutions that mattered to him.
“I think about a guest speaker who gives their time, talent and treasure to support the next generation of students,” Kollin says. “Being able to give financially does exactly the same thing.”
For Kollin, giving isn’t limited to dollars. It also means showing up. His advice to alumni who feel fondly about the school but haven’t yet re engaged is simple: come back.
“Go to an event and just get reengaged with the community,” he says. “Every time I go to a Case Western Reserve kickoff or community event, I come away having received more than I gave.”
For someone considering their first gift
Kollin's advice is to start with a conversation. “Don’t just go online and click something,” he says. “Sit down with someone in development, talk through what you’re passionate about—whether it’s athletics, the business school or just trusting the dean to direct it well—and find where your passion meets the institution’s need.” A conversation, he says, is what helped him turn his own on-and-off support into something more sustained and meaningful.
His broader philosophy says it best: “All great things happen through others.” For Rob Kollin, Weatherhead has been one of those others, more than once.
Outside the classroom, Rob stays active in his community. An avid cyclist, he enjoys spending time on his bike and is deeply committed to volunteering, further reflecting the values of engagement and service that shape both his professional and personal life.
