Meet Our Latest Alumna Spotlight: Kit Frazen

Our November Alumna Spotlight, Kit Frazen, shares what she has been up to since graduation. Along with attending law school in Kansas City, she strives to do at least one thing a week that brings her joy. More recently, she has started taking ceramics classes on weekends and has strived to make more of an effort to spend time with friends.

Currently in the midst of finals, Kit is looking forward to starting her work in May for the Western District of Missouri under a panel of federal judges. Continue reading below to learn how Kit continues to explore what makes Kansas City home, as well as how Theta taught her to look for friendship in everyone she meets.

Name: Kit Frazen

Theta pledge class: MC '16

When you graduated from Mizzou: May 2020

Major/Degree: Journalism - Strat Comm

Hometown: Kansas City, Missouri

Where you live now: Kansas City, Missouri

What have you been up to since graduation?

After graduating I moved back to Kansas City. Moving back into my childhood home was certainly not what I had planned, but the pandemic shook up a lot of plans and ended up completely rerouting my career. The summer after graduation I decided I wanted to go to law school. I began studying for the LSAT and started working at a law firm that August as an intern. By January of 2021, the LSAT was finally out of the way, all applications were done, I was working as a full-time legal assistant at the same firm, and FINALLY moved out of my dad’s house (he was such a trooper for putting up with me for that long). In May of this year, I started law school at UMKC and since then it’s essentially been a blur.

What's your favorite thing about law school?

I’m not sure if I have one favorite thing about law school. I think the people really make it a great environment. It’s a small school so there are lots of opportunities to get to know the professors and they are always willing to talk about their interests. Kansas City is a tight knit community, and I love learning about what the professors are involved in outside of the classroom, which is anything from advocating for youth programs or working with refugee assistance organizations. Additionally, I’ve loved getting to know my classmates. I think it’s fascinating that we are here to earn the same degree but almost every person has a different reason or passion that got them here. My classmates have given me so much new perspective and have been nothing but supportive through the last two semesters.

What's your favorite thing about the city you live in?

I loved growing up in Kansas City, but I wasn’t always itching to move home. I was apprehensive when I first moved back because I thought I had already seen and done everything Kansas City had to offer in my 18 years of living here. To my surprise, however, the Kansas City I live in now seems like an entirely different city sometimes. My childhood KC experience took place in a bubble: school, family, and only going to a handful of places that were built into our routine. Now, I love seeing how the city has changed. I make a point to explore any chance I get. My favorite part of Kansas City is the art community (closely followed by the growing food scene). I live right next to the Kansas City Art Institute and the Nelson Atkins Museum of Art. There are always new exhibits and pop-ups to go see.

What are you passionate about?

I am most passionate about creating a better future for younger generations. Practically speaking, I am passionate about making sure all kids have access to a good education and any resources they may need outside of the classroom. I think keeping creativity in the classroom is a necessity. All kids deserve access to art, music, or any other expressive medium. Additionally, I am passionate about encouraging young women through their academic career and into the professional world. I think it is incredibly important to teach young girls that they can do anything and provide spaces for them to thrive in field that are typically male dominated.

What do you do in your free time?

When I started school, I was adamant that I would make myself do at least one thing a week that brought me joy. I started small with things like making myself my favorite meal or setting aside a specific time each week to watch a show. I’ve upped my game a little bit recently and started taking ceramics classes at the KC Clay Guild on weekends and it is easily the highlight of my week. I think most importantly though I have been trying to make more of an effort to spend time with friends. I didn’t think much about it at first, but one of the (many) downfalls of graduating during a pandemic was the unceremonious goodbyes with college friends. Lots of my friends had their plans shift and in all the chaos, long distance friendships fell to wayside. I’m grateful that as the dust is starting to settle, I’ve gotten to reconnect with more Mizzou friends and Theta sisters.

Other future career/life goals:

It has been difficult to think long term when the only thing on my mind right now is getting through finals. I am still in the process of figuring out what exactly I want to do with my career. I look at all previous jobs I’ve had as a narrowing process. I’ve learned that I want to work in environment that values diverse opinions and works for a passion and not just for a profit. Starting in May I will be working for the Western District of Missouri under a panel of federal judges. Right now, I am quite drawn to a career in public service, and I am looking forward to learning from my upcoming position.

What do you miss most about Mizzou?

I miss living in walking distance from all my people. Post-graduation, all my friends are scattered across the country. While I do have a great excuse to visit Chicago, Dallas, or New York at any given time, I miss the impromptu bagel runs and study sessions that turned into wine nights.

What do you miss most about Theta?

As strange as it sounds, I miss running errands. Obviously, I miss the big things too, but some of my fondest memories were running errands for homecoming or recruitment. It was always a hodgepodge group of people from all different grades, and it was the best way to become friends with girls that I likely wouldn’t have gotten to know otherwise. The errand trips usually ended with a trip through the Wendy’s drive through with a trunkful of glitter and chicken wire.

What is one thing you took away from being a part of Theta in college that has shaped you into the woman you are today? (AKA: What impact has Theta left on you?)

Theta taught me to look for friendship in everyone I meet. Theta showed me that friendships can be made in endless ways. When I was a freshman going through recruitment, I met a senior named Lily. I bonded with her instantly and to this day she is my role model. When I met her, I didn’t have much to give in return. She gave me advice about classes, gave me resume feedback, and shared the dos and don’ts of college through hilarious stories and sappy memories. It wasn’t until Lily graduated that our friendship took a new form. Lily’s mom was diagnosed with cancer, and I happened to have lost my mom from cancer about 2 months before meeting Lily. Throughout her mom’s yearlong battle with cancer, we developed an understanding of each other that is difficult to put into words. Many years have gone by now and not a day goes by where I don’t think of Lily. We are still close and lean on each other on our hardest days, but she is more than a sister in grief. She still reads my resumes and I give my opinions of the dress options she sends before weddings or holiday parties.

Do you have a specific favorite Theta memory?

My fondest Theta memories are from when I lived in house. I can’t even count the nights that ended in tears of laughter while sitting in the morning room.

Anything else you'd like to add?

There is a significant difference between being true to yourself and being unable to change your mind. Don’t be afraid to listen to people for fear of being proven wrong. Learning comes in all shapes and from all places and we are never too old for it.