William A. Franke, global investor, former aviation executive, and namesake of the W.A. Franke Honors College, joins the latest episode of the podcast. In this conversation, Franke reflects on his early life, career in law and intelligence, and decades of leadership in building Fortune 500 companies, as well as his deep commitment to education and creating a lasting impact through philanthropy.

Some of the highest achieving high school seniors from across the state will attend the University of Arizona, and enroll in the W.A. Franke Honors College in the fall. The prestigious Flinn scholarship covers the full cost of tuition, mandatory fees, housing, meals and more – a value of more than $135,000.

Kodi Emerson, a student in the University's Accelerated Pathway to Medical Education program was one of the recipients of the Udall Scholarship, with future goals to provide care to underserved populations as well in Arizona as well as the Navajo Nation.

In collaboration with University of Arizona stakeholders, Franke Dean John Pollard and VP for Student Affairs Amanda Kraus facilitated listening sessions to gather input and further define the University's mission and vision for creating a community focused on learning and discovery.

William A. Franke, whose generous $25 million naming gift has contributed to the thriving success and support of students at the W.A. Franke Honors College, was honored at the University of Arizona’s commencement with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.

In this episode, Dean John Pollard sits down with Dr. Lori Poloni-Staudinger, Dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Arizona, and 2024 Women of Impact Honoree Together, they explore the intersection of fashion, politics, leadership, and the evolving role of higher education in society.

On May 15 at McKale Memorial Center, the W.A. Franke Honors College will be celebrating the spring graduating class of 2025. Every semester, we acknowledge select students that have exemplified the values of the college; what it means to seek, connect, create, evolve and celebrate, both personally and academically.

The Franke Honors College is excited to celebrate this year's Mensch Prize winners! The Mensch Prizes at the W.A. Franke Honors College are given each year to students in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation (BCII) degree who exhibit the creative intelligence and innovative abilities exhibited by the microprocessor pioneer, inventor, embedded intelligence visionary, business founder and philanthropist, Bill Mensch, who, along with his wife, Dianne, have endowed the Mensch Prizes at The University of Arizona.

The W.A. Franke Honors College is thrilled to recognize Dr. Kristy Doran as the winner of the University of Arizona's 2025 5-Star Teaching Award. This award, funded by donors Dr. Margaret M. Briehl and Dr. Dennis T. Ray, is the only student-selected award that recognizes excellence in teaching across The University of Arizona.