当人们去学校获得学位时，他们追求的不仅仅是 the reading, writing and arithmetic. 他们去磨练技能，建立人脉，这将推动他们进入富有成效的职业生涯.

Two UMKC Henry W. 布洛赫管理学院(Bloch School of Management)的校友仍在建立这些联系，并与他们一起建设堪萨斯城.

The partnership between the two began when Kiona Sinks (MBA, ’21), 黑人棒球联盟博物馆的数字战略经理, 注意到当地的一个障碍，并决定把它变成一个机会. Sinks was aware that Alec Rodgers (B.B.A. ’20), a fellow Bloch School graduate, had purchased the local ice cream staple Betty Rae’s, and she wanted to show her support.

“我认为我在堪萨斯城学到了一件事——我们有所有合适的人, all the right tools, all the right resources, but sometimes we're not great at aligning things strategically,” Sinks says. “Ice cream and baseball historically go hand in hand. When you go to the ballpark, you get a hotdog and a cone. That’s when I thought it’d be really cool to reach out.”

A sweet new collaboration was born.

“Kiona联系了我们，问我们是否愿意与黑人联盟棒球博物馆合作, and of course it was a yes from the start,” Rodgers says. “我认为为博物馆筹集资金和提高公众意识会很有趣，即使只是为了与冰淇淋和博物馆本身的合作. It's like a match made in heaven. Baseball and ice cream go so well together anyway.”

The plan went into motion with the Betty Rae’s truck outside of the museum. Passersby were eager to investigate the bright blue truck, and the warm day called for something cold. 每个购买独家新闻的人都可以享受2美元的博物馆入场费折扣. 这次合作还产生了一种标志性的口味:蛋糕，面糊 Batter ——在经典风味的基础上，融入了博物馆的色彩. 这次款待是一次全垒打，两人的新伙伴关系也很成功 Roos.

罗杰斯说:“我认为，与密苏里大学堪萨斯分校的校友合作是对密苏里大学堪萨斯分校文化的一种证明。. “It’s great. 当你身处校园并参与其中时，你会开始有家的感觉. It’s been neat to make the city an extended home of UMKC. 这种感觉就像你在任何地方都能见到你认识的人，这让人很欣慰.”

辛斯对她在密苏里大学堪萨斯分校的研究生院经历也有同样的感受. 这也是她一开始联系罗杰斯的部分原因.

“I've watched his story progress in the community, in his 20s, thrust into this new role,” Sinks says. “当他接手时，我真的很想支持他. And obviously, I literally love ice cream.” 

Alec Rodgers

当谈到她对冰淇淋的感觉时，绝非只有sink一个人. 罗杰斯碰巧和贝蒂蕾餐厅有特殊的联系这种联系不仅仅局限于独家新闻.

罗杰斯在2021年成为头条新闻，当时他刚从布洛赫学校(Bloch School)毕业，接管了贝蒂·雷(Betty Rae)餐厅. 当他还是UMKC的学生时，他在那里舀冰淇淋，这对他有帮助, but it was more than a part-time job. 他经常在店里消磨时间——即使他没有安排工作——一边做新一批的华夫蛋筒，一边和同事们聊天. The stores also provided a change of scenery for studying.

Because of his passion for Betty Rae’s, 当前任老板来找罗杰斯谈收购生意的事时，罗杰斯一点也没有犹豫, even during a pandemic. He has experienced plenty of success since, though he still faces challenges as a young business owner.

“大多数时候，这确实有点吓人，”罗杰斯说. “In other ways it's been really good 因为在一个年轻的老板手下有很多员工，这让我有了不同的视角. I find it’s easy to relate to them and where they are in life.”

Under Rodgers’ leadership, Betty Rae 's利用冬季的淡季开发新产品, 就像蛋糕和冰淇淋航班一样，除了季节性轮换和粉丝最爱之外，还将有素食和非乳制品选择.

Betty Rae’s has also added some new creations. 他们的旋转存货的特色风味的灵感来自麦克莱恩的面包店, Andre’s Chocolates and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, as well as UMKC, of course. The Roo Blue Swirl flavor was added to the store last August, with the ceremonial first scoop going to Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal.

That UMKC connection is apparent with both Bloch School alumni. 

Kiona Sinks

罗杰斯在贝蒂雷的时光可以追溯到他的大学经历, 辛克斯在黑人联盟棒球博物馆的时光也遵循着类似的道路. Having been with the museum for more than a year and a half, 辛克斯在UMKC攻读硕士学位时开始了她的数字战略经理工作.

“Students in the MBA program are working professionals, first and foremost, 在此基础上还要接受正规教育,” Sinks says. “It can be difficult. Things are not promised. I didn't have this job when I started my degree. 我自己做咨询，我没有等着什么东西来找我. Looking back, it was a great self-investment for me.”

辛克斯也知道，布洛赫商学院的MBA项目在社交机会方面有好处.

“With the Bloch school, 我不能告诉你有多少人在当地的商业社区,” Sinks says. “他们是首席执行官，他们是高管，我经常能够与他们互动并了解他们. 你可以看到人们对这个机构倾注的爱. It makes you proud. That's what you want. You want to be proud of where you've invested your time.”

In the meantime, 黑人联盟棒球博物馆正准备庆祝杰基·罗宾逊打破肤色障碍75周年. Sinks is eager to get the word out and grow the museum.

这些来自黑人联盟故事的人生教训每天都在激励着我, and I think that was the motivation to reach out to Alec,” Sinks says. “Obviously, it doesn't hurt that he’s also a UMKC alum. It puts two and two together. 他是个很棒的人，我祝愿他在堪萨斯城取得一切成功.“社区可能也没有看到他们友好伙伴关系的结束.

“We both quickly realized that we share a love for Kansas City, a love for the communities that we’re involved in,” Rodgers said. “基奥娜有一颗仆人式领袖的心，这一点在她身上很快就能看出来. 我们都意识到我们在这方面也有很多共同点. 我们只是互相宣传我们在这个城市的长期目标和想法，然后他们就一致了 really well.”