Yuma grad's career change leads to College of Medicine

If you asked Clint McCall 20 years ago what vocation he planned to pursue after graduating from the University of Arizona, he probably would have said a career in agriculture.

However, through various diversions in his career path, while he did graduate with a bachelor's degree in plant sciences from UA in 1994, this year he was named the director of development for the UA College of Medicine.

McCall, a Yuma High graduate and Wellton native, explained that while he was interested in studying agriculture in college, he came to the realization late in his college career that the field wasn't for him.

“While I loved science and understanding the end product, I didn't really like doing science. So I had to figure out something else to do with my life.”

After graduation, he began working with the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) as a program coordinator and adjunct instructor to facilitate the off-campus degree program at Arizona Western College.

Through that position, McCall became interested in recruiting students to UA and later became an admissions officer in the UA Office of Undergraduate Admissions in Phoenix in 1996. During his time as an admissions officer, he worked with more than 40 schools in the Yuma and Phoenix areas.

“I kept working with Yuma high schools all through my tenure in admissions for six years or so. For me, my university experience really helped shape who I am as an adult now. Growing up in Yuma, coming to the UA — it put me on the track to be successful.

“When I went back to campus, I would see students who I had recruited to come here and seeing them loving their experience at the UA and hearing of their successes in different ways, that was the most gratifying thing, knowing that they got here and they were successful.”

After working in admissions, McCall began to wonder what was next for his career.

He said he enjoyed connecting with people and helping to connect back with the university in various capacities, so that led him to fundraising for the college in 2000 as the assistant director of development for CALS.

McCall later began working at the Sarver Heart Center in 2004 as the senior director of development, where he remained for seven and a half years before being named to his current position.

He shared that he now works not only with alumni from the university, but also with grateful patients and their families who are seen by the physicians of the College of Medicine. McCall explained that he also raises funds for research and education at the college.

Locally, he works with the Yuma Friends of the Arizona Health Sciences Center, a group that has been around for 25 year and supports researchers in the UA colleges of medicine, pharmacy, nursing and public health.

“Watching the Yuma Friends and specifically the board support various causes that are important to them and watching them see the results of their investment has been gratifying as well.”

Sarah Womer can be reached at swomer@yumasun.com or 539-6858. Find her on Facebook at Facebook.com/YSSarahWomer or on Twitter at @YSSarahWomer.