Wesleyan University Podcasts: Recent Episodes
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At Wesleyan, our open curriculum challenges and teaches you to think creatively, become intellectually agile, and take meaningful risks. This flexibility prepares you both for success and the inevitable setbacks along the path to discovery. Learn more at https://www.wesleyan.edu/
President Michael S. Roth ’78 joins Wesleyan’s Executive Director of the Allbritton Center for the Study of Public Life and host of NPR’s Disrupted Khalilah Brown-Dean for a wide-ranging discussion on fostering hope in the face of cynicism, escaping our echo chambers, what DEI really means, and building fellowship by granting the permission to be wrong.
Wesleyan University's Democracy in Action podcast asks how institutions of higher education can cultivate the ways we show up as citizens. It underscores Wesleyan’s unwavering dedication to preparing future generations for a world where the free exchange of ideas and the vibrant clash of perspectives reign supreme. Each episode narrows in on a topic where universities and democracy intersect, beginning with an episode about free expression on college campuses. Future episodes will cover topics ranging from affirmative action, racial belonging at predominantly white institutions to media literacy and historic coalitions formed between colleges to imagine a world worth striving for.Democracy in Action is produced and hosted by Anya Kisicki and executive produced and edited by James Sims.
Earlier this spring, Wesleyan University President Michael S. Roth ’78 was joined by Amin Abdul-Malik Gonzalez ’96, vice president and dean of admission and financial aid, to discuss the still-pending ruling by the Supreme Court on Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. University of North Carolina and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard University, two cases which are expected to have broad, adverse impact on the future of recruiting students from under-represented communities.Discover more Wesleyan University Magazine stories at http://magazine.wesleyan.edu
Acclaimed author, Wesleyan Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of Creative Writing, and Director of the Shapiro Center for Writing Amy Bloom talks to President Michael S. Roth about the rhythm of writing, the elasticity of language, and creating a home for creative writing at Wesleyan independent of major or department.
Established in 2009 with a gift from John Shapiro ’74 and Shonni Silverberg ’76, the Shapiro Center brings together academic, creative, and public writing at Wesleyan University. In 2022, Wesleyan launched the Shapiro-Silverberg Distinguished Writers in Residence program, which was made possible through the continued generous support of Shapiro and Silverberg. Discover more Wesleyan University Magazine stories at http://magazine.wesleyan.edu
In this week's episode of the WesConnects Podc(A+), Roger Maynard Award winner Ralph Savarese ‘86 discusses teaching and coaching at Deerfield Academy, briefly living in Poland, the skills he learned from playing an individual sport, and his current position as an English Professor at Grinnell College.
In Episode 25 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, 7x All-American Jenna Flateman Posner ‘04 talks about being inducted into the Wesleyan athletics hall of fame and winning a national championship, being opportunistic while entering the workforce, and her current role as the VP of Digital at SNIPES.
Mike Whalen’s (Coach) college roommate, Steve Sorkin ’83, joined the podcast to reminisce with his good friend and former Wesleyan football teammate. Sorkin and Whalen shared several memories from their playing days in Middletown. They also went on to coach together, and against each other, for several years post-graduation before Sorkin made a career change and got into sales. The Wesleyan University fight song leader is extremely passionate about his alma mater, and it is evident throughout this interview.
Former Wesleyan dual-sport athlete (basketball and baseball), Christopher Roellke '87, is now the President at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida. Roellke joined Chris & Coach to relive his days in Middletown, tell stories about legendary coaches Herb Kenny and Peter 'Kosty' Kostacopoulos, talk about how he met his wife Kim at Wes, and he discusses his path to becoming a University President, among much more.
Following an incredible baseball career as an undergraduate for the Cardinals, in which he was named to the NESCAC All-Conference Team three times and set the program record for doubles, Julian Sonnenfeld '11 is now helping athletes perform at their best for a living. Sonnenfeld is currently a fellow in Sports Medicine, Shoulder & Elbow surgery in North Carolina, where he is enjoying a fellowship as a Team Physician for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL).
Avery Esdaile '00 is currently the athletic director for Boston Public Schools. Prior to that, he spent 12 years at Wellesley College in the Athletic Department. The former Wesleyan men's basketball player joined Chris & Coach to talk about his career path, his current job and the impact of Covid-19 on sports, and how he got into athletic administration.
Blair Ingraham '14 played field hockey for four years at Wesleyan under head coach Patti Klecha-Porter and two years of women's lacrosse under head coach Holly Wheeler. After a successful playing career, she returned to Middletown to pursue her Master's degree while acting as a graduate assistant coach for both programs, learning from Klecha-Porter and current women's lacrosse coach Kim Williams. Ingraham, who has a strong family history at Wesleyan, is now an Associate Director of Admission, and Field Hockey and Girls' Lacrosse Program Director, at the St. George's School in Middletown, R.I.
In Episode 24 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, host Brian C. Adams talks to his former lacrosse teammate Jeff Jorve ‘04 about how he found his way to Middletown from Seattle, WA, his post-college career in China as a writer, working at the World Bank and, most importantly, how you should always follow your heart.
In Episode 23 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, Tim Gallivan ‘15 (men’s basketball) speaks about his unhappiness in financial services, how playing a sport in college builds resilience, and his current job as a full-time math teacher and part-time DJ.
In Episode 22 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, Julie Bennett ‘00 chats about participating on the undefeated women’s rugby team at Wesleyan, the importance of knowing the ins and outs of your resume, and what sales and trading is really like.
Kyle Weiss ’12, a former two-sport (baseball, football) athlete for the Cardinals, is now the Running Backs Coach for UConn Football. Weiss rejoins his former head coach, now athletic director Mike Whalen ’83, to relive his football playing days in Middletown and how his career in coaching began. Weiss also tells the story about how he met his wife, Jenna Waters Weiss, who is an Administrative Assistant in the Athletics Department.
In Episode 21 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, Nick DiNardo '05 (football) addresses getting rejected from all six of his first interviews after college, working in the publishing industry, feeling like a failure, and his current position in Higher Education at Salesforce.
In Episode 20 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, recent graduate Henry Martellier Jr ‘19 highlights the Non-profit organization Prep For Prep, being a walk-on to the men’s lacrosse team, and working at Bloomberg.
Kathy Keeler ’78 is the only Wesleyan graduate to win an Olympic gold medal, as she helped stroke the women’s eight crew to a top finish at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles. Keeler, who was inducted into the Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008, caught up with Chris & Coach to reminisce about both her days in Middletown and competing in the Olympics. The gold medalist reflects on her time at Wes, in which she played multiple sports throughout her career, and also tells some incredible stories about qualifying for the Olympics and what it was like to walk in the parade.
In Episode 19 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, Maggie Feldman-Piltch ‘14 describes how she found a way to be involved in everything, receiving her Master of Arts (M.A.) in Security Studies, and her own start-up company.
In Episode 18 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, International Student Noah Schlesinger ‘13 (men’s soccer) unravels his journey from the United Kingdom to Wesleyan, how he started a bowling league within the U.S. Trust and the tight-knit group of friends that came with it, and working in Private Wealth Management.
In Episode 17 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, Sam Ebb ‘13 reveals how playing a sport in college gave him structure, what turned him away from Law School and towards Business School, his time at Deloitte, and, finally, his transition to his current role in the sports industry.
Spike Malangone '09 was a 3-time All-American for the Wesleyan men's lacrosse team and was named the best defensive player in the country in 2009. He was one of three Malangone brothers to play for head coach John Raba and the Cardinals, joining his older brother Paul '05 and his younger brother Conor '11. Following a stellar playing career, Spike carried that momentum into the professional world and has excelled thus far with jobs working in the NFL, for Sports Recruits LLC, the NFL Network, and now as the VP of Programming for Cadence13; a leader in premium podcasting. Spike has worked on shows such as "Gangster Capitalism", "Zack to the Future", and many more.
In Episode 16 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, Joe Edmonds ‘16 (men’s basketball) discusses his college transfer process, landing summer internships in the sports industry while at Wesleyan, and some basic BTC knowledge.
The winningest hockey coach in the history of New England prep school hockey, John Gardner ’74, joins Chris & Coach to talk about his playing days, his career at Avon Old Farms, recruiting, coaching players that went on to have NHL careers, and he tells stories about the Stanley Cup! Gardner was inducted into the Wesleyan Athletics Hall of Fame in 2011. He played baseball and hockey at Wes, including one year of football, and shortly after graduation, he began his 46-year legacy at Avon began.
Growing up in San Francisco, California, Perry Hammond ’03 chose to move east to enroll at Wesleyan University where he enjoyed a successful four-year career with the Cardinals men’s soccer program. Following graduation, he moved back west to begin a career in the sports industry, which included stops at Nike and Adidas. His career path has led him to his current role as General Manager at Lane United FC, an American soccer club based in Eugene, Oregon that currently plays in the USL League Two. Hammond joined Chris & Coach to talk about his journey post-Wesleyan, which included professional stops in Spain and an incredible story from his undergraduate playing days that you will not want to miss.
In Episode 15 of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, host Brian C. Adams '04 talks with his old friend Charlie Munzig ‘07 about his natural business interest from a young age, the benefits of having a mentor, and the typical 2-2-2 path to get into private equity.
Another Wesleyan men’s basketball great joined Chris & Coach as the hosts welcomed Class of 1986, Michael Arcieri. Arcieri was a 1,000-point scorer for the Cardinals, reaching that feat before the 3-point line was even introduced. His incredible story of perseverance is a must-listen for those looking to achieve their dreams. Arcieri has done everything from coaching high school basketball, attending law school, and working for several NBA teams as a scout and director of basketball operations.
Former women’s tennis superstar Victoria Yu ’19, one of the most decorated athletes in Wesleyan Athletics history, joined Chris & Coach on Zoom to discuss why she chose Wes, what it was like playing alongside and against Eudice Chong ’18, what it was like playing doubles with her sister Kristina [‘22], and she relives the 2019 NCAA National Championship match in which the Cardinals became the first women’s team in school history to win a national team championship.
In Episode #14, Catherine Taibi ‘13 (women's lacrosse) highlights being a Senior Interviewer for Wesleyan University’s Office of Admissions, her fellowship at the HuffPost and the imposter syndrome that came with it, and her biggest achievement of receiving a Forbes 30 Under 30 award last year.
The 2018 NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Jordan Sears ’18, was a shutdown defender for the Wesleyan men’s basketball team. Now, the Assistant Video Coordinator for the Milwaukee Bucks gets to guard two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in practice!
The all-time leading scorer for both goals (35) and points (87) in Wesleyan men's soccer history, Amos Magee '93, joins Mike Whalen '83 and Chris Grace in this week's episode of Chris & Coach; Beyond the Box Score. Magee was named an NCAA Division III All-American in 1992 and helped guide the Cardinals to a 15-1-1 record in 1991, the program's greatest record in school history. He went on to play 12 years of professional soccer and was inducted into the Wesleyan Hall of Fame in the fall of 2008. Magee is now the Director of Player Personnel for Minnesota United FC.
Former 1,000-point scorer for the Wesleyan men’s basketball team and now head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Tobin Anderson ’95, joins Mike Whalen ’83 and Chris Grace on Zoom to relive his playing days and discuss his career. Anderson has excelled as the Spartans’ coach and has guided them to a 142-50 (.740) record in six seasons, including five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. At Wesleyan, Anderson was a four-year starter and two-year captain. He graduated as a top-10 scorer in program history and currently sits tied for 11th all-time with 1,129 career points.
In this interview, Caleb King ‘17 talks about transitioning from prep school to the Wesleyan community, his choice to attend law school, and the importance of a summer associateship.
Former 1,000-point scorer for the Wesleyan men’s basketball team and now head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas College, Tobin Anderson ’95, joins Mike Whalen ’83 and Chris Grace on Zoom to relive his playing days and discuss his career. Anderson has excelled as the Spartans’ coach and has guided them to a 142-50 (.740) record in six seasons, including five-straight NCAA Tournament appearances. At Wesleyan, Anderson was a four-year starter and two-year captain. He graduated as a top-10 scorer in program history and currently sits tied for 11th all-time with 1,129 career points.
In this episode of the WesConnects Podc(A+)st, Ryan Hendrickson ‘07 (men's hockey) explains the benefits of failing while you’re young, his day to day life in financial advising, and how there is always someone willing to help.
Bill Mandigo '83, a classmate of Athletic Director Mike Whalen '83, joins Chris & Coach on Zoom to reminisce about his days in Middletown. Mandigo is the head coach of the Middlebury women's ice hockey and women's golf programs. He enters his 33rd season as the women's ice hockey coach and has amassed a 598-158-48 record while winning three NCAA National Championships. He talks about his journey to Vermont, how he was fortunate to coach one of his daughters at Middlebury, what life and coaching have been like during the Covid-19 pandemic, and much more.
The all-time leading scorer in Wesleyan men’s basketball history, Shasha Brown ’13, joins Chris & Coach for the podcast to talk about his playing days with the Cardinals, his young coaching path thus far, the importance of culture when building successful programs, and he discusses his current position as Director of Men’s Basketball Operations at Vanderbilt University, among much more.
Ellen Paik ’15, Innovation Fund Manager at New Story Charity shares how Wes allowed and prepared her to explore her passions from intending music major to investment banker and social entrepreneur helping the homeless secure home ownership.
Whit Harrison ’06, Production Designer at Comedy Central, talks about his athletic experience as a lacrosse goalie to day to day life as a freelance editor with stints at Harlem Films and Time Magazine to Scholastic and Comedy Central
In this informational interview, Bernadette Doykos ’04, educator and Organizational Learning Partner at Catalyst:Ed discusses the pros and cons of entering graduate school and describes her personal journey earning a Ph.D. and the myriad of ways it has affected her life.
The first episode of 2021 features a top-5 scorer in Wesleyan men’s basketball history and current Associate Head Coach of Yale men’s basketball, Matt Kingsley ’98. Kingsley joins co-hosts Chris Grace and Mike Whalen ’83 to reminisce about his playing days with the Cardinals, how he got into coaching, the recruiting process, and he discusses Yale’s upset win over Baylor in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Senior Babila Fomuteh, football captain and president of the Student-Athlete of Color Leadership Council, talks about his path from prospective student to campus leader, Patricelli Fellow and nonprofit founder. He further explains how during the pandemic he was able to secure an internship which lead to a job offer after graduation.
Additional links: http://vitalfinancial.wescreates.wesleyan.edu/
Former Wesleyan football player now Director of Athletics at Boston University, Drew Marrochello ’91, joins Chris & Coach on Zoom to talk about his administrative path to becoming a Division I AD, his hiring practices, and The Beanpot. Marrochello also reflects on his football playing days at Wes.
Five-time NCAA National Champion Eudice Chong ’18 of women’s tennis joined Chris & Coach on Zoom, all the way from Hong Kong, to talk about how she ended up at Wesleyan, her experiences playing for National Championships in both team and individual events, how she became mentally strong, where she was when the Cardinals won the 2019 title, and she provides updates on her successful professional career thus far.
Description of episode: Portfolio manager, Michael Dorsey ‘08 talks about the personal experience which motivated him to always be prepared, two common misconceptions about networking, and how 10 years later, a college summer internship impacted his career.
Five-time NCAA National Champion Eudice Chong ’18 of women’s tennis joined Chris & Coach on Zoom, all the way from Hong Kong, to talk about how she ended up at Wesleyan, her experiences playing for National Championships in both team and individual events, how she became mentally strong, where she was when the Cardinals won the 2019 title, and she provides updates on her successful professional career thus far.
Commercial real estate analyst, Corey Aviles ‘19 submits effective networking begins with your peers. Networking with teammates and other student-athletes who share similar career aspirations is some of the most important work that you can do when first developing your network. A broad tree of relationships within your peer group empowers you with a wealth of information which can help decision making (including class selection) and accomplishing career goals. P.S. GPA does matter in landing that first job.
Entrepreneurs Chris Meade ’05 (lax) and Matt Wheeler ’05 (lax), co-founders of SportsRecruits, speak about the importance of using resources available on campus, repetition in developing your networking skills, and being open to a wider breadth of career opportunity. The more chances you have to talk about yourself and tell your story, like working out, will pay off down the road.
Marine scientist and author, Dr. Ellen Prager ‘84 (field hockey, lacrosse), speaks about her Wesleyan athletic experience, and how she combined personal passions with professional acumen AND NETWORKING in developing a successful career making science entertaining and understandable for people of all ages while also building a national reputation as a spokesperson for the earth. For more information: http://earth2ocean.net/bio.html
Shane Scannell ’15, NFL pro scout for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former offensive lineman for the Wesleyan Cardinals, sat down with Chris & Coach on Zoom for Episode 11 of Chris & Coach; Beyond the Box Score. Scannell, who played for Athletic Director Mike Whalen ’83 (Coach) at Wesleyan, reminisces about his Wes playing days, talks about his high school playing days at national powerhouse Don Bosco Prep, discusses his career development and what a typical week is like for a NFL scout, and much more.
Chad Malinowski ’19 (hockey, lacrosse), Investment Banking Analyst at J.P. Morgan, talks about his Informational Interview process – viewing networking as a 5th class to knowing which questions to ask and etiquette after a connection is made. https://www.linkedin.com/in/chad-malinowski-649686121/
Senior Director of Team Marketing and Business Operations for the National Basketball Association (NBA) and former women’s lacrosse player, Dipali Ottaviani ’01, joins Chris & Coach on Zoom to discuss why she chose Wesleyan, her path from Wes to the NBA, how the league handled Covid, and her appearance on the fan board during the 2020 NBA Bubble.
Madeleine Lundberg ’19 (volleyball), Consultant at Trinity, speaks with A+ host Brian C. Adams ’04 (lacrosse), President of Excelsior Capital, about her Wesleyan athletic experience, non-traditional path to finding a major and what worked in her transition from college to a career in life sciences consulting. https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeleine-lundberg-92971410b/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-c-adams/
Former NFL Head Coach and now analyst for Fox Sports 1, Eric Mangini ’94, joins Chris & Coach on Zoom to talk about his football playing days at Wesleyan, how he got into coaching, his career path in the NFL, and he provides excellent advice for current students. You also won’t want to miss his story about how he landed a cameo on the award-winning HBO series, ‘The Sopranos’.
A Middletown, Connecticut native and former Wesleyan women’s ice hockey player, Jennifer Heppel ’90 talks to Chris & Coach about her favorite Wes memories, her career path and how she became the Commissioner of the Patriot League, the differences between working on campus for an institution versus working in a conference office, and the challenges that Covid-19 has put on Athletic competition, among much more.
Episode 7 of Chris & Coach; Beyond the Box Score features former Wesleyan men’s basketball player, Greg St. Jean ’13. St. Jean is quickly moving up the NBA ranks and is currently a Player Development Coach/Advance Scout for the 2020 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. In this must-listen interview, St. Jean discusses how he ended up at Wesleyan, what it takes to be a leader, the emotions of winning the NBA Finals, and gives some incredible personal stories about LeBron James and other NBA stars.
Host Brian C. Adams ’04 (lacrosse), President of Excelsior Capital, speaks with John Gannon ’86 (hockey, crew), Director of Development & Alumni Affairs at the Hackley School. Gannon talks about his Wesleyan experience as a student and an athlete, his career path and provides advice and best practices on how to leverage the alumni network in securing work experience. https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-c-adams/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-gannon-63a4a9/
Episode 6 features the first interview with Wesleyan student-athletes as Chris & Coach talk to executive board members of the Student-Athletes of Color Leadership Council (SACLC), President Babila Fomuteh ’21 (football) and Vice President Myla Stovall ’22 (field hockey). Check out this must-listen as Babila and Myla discuss what SACLC has been up to, why they chose Wesleyan, how Wes and their sports have shaped them, and hear them relive some big games from 2019.
Ted Dalton ’95, Senior Vice President for Corporate Partnerships & Business Development for the Boston Celtics, talks to Chris & Coach about his football playing days at Wesleyan, the career grind, how Wesleyan helped shape him, and he gives an incredible inside look into the challenges the NBA faced due to the pandemic.
NFL Insider for ESPN and Co-Host of the Fantasy Focus Football podcast, Field Yates ’09, joins Chris & Coach to reflect on his Wesleyan days being a member of the football and men’s lacrosse programs. Yates also discusses his career path, in which he started as a Team Scout for the Kansas City Chiefs, and talks about his worst beat as a fantasy football manager. Yates also provides invaluable lessons to current and prospective students.
Chris Grace and Mike Whalen ’83 interview NFL reporter at ESPN, Kimberley Martin ’03, for episode 3 of Chris & Coach; Beyond the Box Score. During the interview, Martin talks about her time working in the equipment room at Wesleyan, what it was like covering the New York Jets as a beat writer, and her position at ESPN as a NFL reporter, before answering rapid questions from the hosts in a 60-second interview to wrap things up
In the second episode of Chris & Coach; Beyond the Box Score, Chris Grace and Mike Whalen ’83 interview Senior Vice President and Editor-At-Large of ESPN Content, Rob King ’84. King explains why he chose Wesleyan, what it was like playing for legendary men’s basketball coach Herb Kenny, how ESPN production navigated through tough times with no sports due to Covid-19, ‘The Last Dance’ documentary on Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, and he gives valuable advice to current students, among much more.
In the first episode of Chris & Coach; Beyond the Box Score, the voice of the Cardinals Chris Grace and Wesleyan University Athletic Director Mike Whalen ’83 interview the Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Chicago Cubs, Jed Hoyer ’96. Hoyer talks about his Wesleyan experience as both a student and an athlete on the baseball team, his career path, free agent signings, navigating a baseball season during a pandemic, and provides insight into how he helped two organizations (the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs) break World Series curses.
Season One Finale: Carter Bays ’97 and Craig Thomas ’97, television writers, producers and show runners best known for their hit show How I Met Your Mother. “You want to find that spark of a story you have to tell, a story only you can tell, only in the way that you can tell it."
We repost our 2016 conversation with Laura Walker ’79, President and CEO, WNYC, the nation’s largest public radio station. “For me a lot of the fun of it, and the challenge of it, and the kind of stuff I love to do, is the mix of the creative and the business… I think that actually started at Wesleyan… There’s something about seeing connections and drawing them and reveling in them…and not being scared by the ambiguity, but being challenged by it.”
Lael Brainard '83, member of the United States Federal Reserve's Board of Governors. "I found the transition [to business] relatively seamless…Wesleyan does a good job not just of exposing students to disciplinary rigors…but also of helping them and encouraging them to become engaged with the real world.”
Michael Fries ’85, President and CEO of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international TV and broadband company. “You have to be willing to take some risk in your life…I always tell younger people, just get started, figure out what you’re good at. Be patient, but if an opportunity arises be willing to take that risk, because if you’re confident in yourself and you have skills and you have that drive you’re going to land somewhere. No one is ever going to look at you and say, “Well, why did you do that?” If it doesn’t work, they’re going to say, “Wow, that was pretty gutsy. Tell me what you learned in that experience"…every stop along the way is going to help make you a better candidate for what you want to do in life.”
In honor of the success of the film "Get Out" we had to repost our interview with Bradley Whitford ’81, film and television actor (The West Wing—Emmy Award, Billy Madison, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Cabin in the Woods, Trophy Wife, Saving Mr. Banks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Happyish, Transparent). “I urge people to really examine what brings you joy creatively. That is not always going to be commercial success.”
Jennifer Tour Chayes ’78, Distinguished Scientist and Managing Director of Microsoft Research New England and Microsoft Research New York. "It’s really important to always be talking about what you’re passionate about…I’m always looking for somebody whose [story] is deeply engaging."
Dr. Suzanne Gilberg-Lenz '88, California-based OB/GYN and integrative medical doctor. “I didn’t really have a plan. I knew who I was and I stayed close to who I am, and I think that's how these things happen. And a lot of them were surprises…a lot of times when I planned, that’s exactly what didn’t happen."
In honor of Black History Month, an encore presentation of this interview with Beverly Daniel Tatum ’75, HON’15, President Emerita, Spelman College; author of "Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?: And Other Conversations About Race." “There was a line [in a Spelman brochure], that said, ‘This is your heritage and your calling.’ And I really felt like that sentence was speaking to me…there was that moment of recognition that this is it.”
In honor of Black History Month, an encore presentation of this interview with Theodore M. Shaw '76, Julius L. Chambers Distinguished Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Civil Rights, University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. “In a sense it was very selfish of me to pursue this path. Because I think I probably would have gone crazy if I didn’t find a constructive way to engage in the work of racial justice and change for our country. I don’t think there’s anything really altruistic about it. And in some ways it was very selfish...it was a hopeful choice."
Jed Hoyer ‘96, Executive Vice President and General Manager of the Chicago Cubs. “I think every day, forming an argument to support your beliefs and trying to be creative and think of new ways to build a great team…those are things that you learn getting a really good liberal arts education...You’ve got to think critically and you’ve got to be curious [to compete].”
Pete Ganbarg ‘88, Executive Vice President and Head of A&R for Atlantic Records. “Don’t wait for somebody to validate your own opinion. If you believe that it’s the right idea, do it. And if they want you to stop, they’ll tell you to stop."
Anya Fernald ‘98, sustainable food expert and CEO of artisanal food-and-agritourism company Belcampo. “We’re looking to set a precedent for how you can do the right thing and make money at it. And I’m hoping that the precedent that we set is going to inspire a lot of people…Come on world, let’s fund something that’s really real. Let’s invest in the fundamentals. Let’s invest in good agriculture."
John Yang ’80, Peabody Award-winning journalist, broadcaster, and special correspondent for PBS NewsHour. “I always wanted to know what was really going on behind the scenes...I also loved to be the first person to tell people things, to rush in and say, you won’t believe what just happened. And when I discovered you can get paid for doing those two things, that really set me.”
Peter Olson ’97, Director and Creative Technologist at IDEO, the global design and innovation firm. “I don’t think critical thinking can be [automated]. I think as machine learning and things like those become more sophisticated, the thing that’s going to be important to have really good positions in the labor market in the next 20 to 30 years is not going to be knowing a specific skill, but knowing how to learn new skills and knowing how to think analytically and critically about things. And also creatively."
A Veteran's Day special! Mary Roach ’81, bestselling popular science writer and author of Grunt: The Curious Science of Humans at War. “There’s aways going to be a need...for good writing. It’s just a matter of finding your way to a place where you can get some sort of income stream from it."
Michele Roberts ’77, Attorney and Executive Director of the National Basketball Players Association, the union for NBA players. “I’ve never, ever stopped believing that there are no limits...I’ve done well with that mantra professionally, and I’ve done well with that mantra personally…stop yourself from stopping you. Always say no limits."
David Weild ’78, stock market expert, former Vice Chair of NASDAQ, CEO of IssuWorks, “father” of the JOBS Act. “I started to see that there were major shifts in technology over time that were creating revolutions...investment banking and capital markets [were] getting money into the hands of entrepreneurs so that they could reenergize the economy and bring real quality of life changes to humanity.”
Dominique Browning ’77, writer, editor, and environmentalist, former editor of House and Garden magazine and a founder of Moms Clean Air Force, a program of the Environmental Defense Fund. “The one thing I advise everybody to do is find blue sky. Never stay in a place where you are being told explicitly you have a limit to your future."
Theodore M. Shaw '76, Julius L. Chambers Distinguished Professor of Law and Director of the Center for Civil Rights, University of North Carolina School of Law at Chapel Hill. “In a sense it was very selfish of me to pursue this path. Because I think I probably would have gone crazy if I didn’t find a constructive way to engage in the work of racial justice and change for our country. I don’t think there’s anything really altruistic about it. And in some ways it was very selfish...it was a hopeful choice."
Thomas Kail '99, Film and Theater Director. “I was working 18 hours a day, and I was working probably two or three weeks in a row…and I couldn’t have been happier…I was hungry, I was thirsty to learn...I tried to make the most of whatever opportunity was in front of me."
A conversation with Ellen Prager '84, noted marine scientist, aquanaut and author of a number of popular science books, including "Chasing Science at Sea." "Opportunities don't necessarily come to you. You have to ask for opportunities."
An Olympic special with Kathy Keeler '78, who was the stroke for the women's 8 boat that took gold in rowing at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games. "[I had] in the back of my mind, I'll just do this until someone tells me I'm not good enough...just keep rolling with the punches."
We speak with Jim Citrin, who leads the CEO Search and Succession Practice at Spencer Stuart and is a bestselling writer of a number of books on leadership and career development. "You don’t want to make mistakes, but we all know you’re going to make mistakes. And as painful as they are to make and experience at the time, you genuinely can only learn from making some sidesteps.”
Hope Ring '89 reminisces about one stormy day in the fall of her frosh year.
Story here: http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/storytelling-hope-ring-89
Hope Neiman '77 reminisces on how caring and supportive the Wesleyan community was to her during an extremely difficult time.
Story here: http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/storytelling-hope-neiman-77
Brad Whitford ’81, Film and television actor (The West Wing—Emmy Award, Billy Madison, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, The Cabin in the Woods, Trophy Wife, Saving Mr. Banks, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Happyish, Transparent). “I urge people to really examine what brings you joy creatively. That is not always going to be commercial success.”
How do people decide what careers to pursue? Hear from scientists, entertainers, business people, activists, academics, and everyone in between about how they designed paths that were right for them, and what advice they have for you. Check out "Careers by Design," the course, on the Wesleyan University Gordon Career Center website. http://www.wesleyan.edu/careercenter/careersbydesign.html
Joshua Boger ’73, Founder and Board Director, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Executive Chairman, Alkeus Pharmaceuticals. “That’s, by the way, the career advice I would give everybody. That’s the question you need to ask yourself. Are you happy?”
How do people decide what careers to pursue? Hear from scientists, entertainers, business people, activists, academics, and everyone in between about how they designed paths that were right for them, and what advice they have for you. Check out "Careers by Design," the course, on the Wesleyan University Gordon Career Center website. http://www.wesleyan.edu/careercenter/careersbydesign.html
Elaine and Denise recall their unexpected encounters with tango and singing at Wesleyan.
Story here: http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/storytelling-denise-giacomozzi-79-and-elaine-winic-79
Marcie '79 And Cathy '79 pay tribute to their dear friend and roommate Fran Smith '79 who passed away in 2013.
John and Jim remember their good times at Wesleyan. After all these years, it's still fight, fight, fight, for ole Wesleyan.
"A Body in Fukushima," a haunting series of photographs, is the collaborative work between Eiko Otake and Japanese historian and photographer William Johnston.
During Reunion & Commencement 2015, Eiko gave a WESeminar about the project.
This clip was produced by Tess Altman '17.
Read more on Wesconnect: http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/podcast-fukushima-eiko
This week, we hear Mia Lobel '97 in conversation with Marc Mowrey '83. He shares the story of his somewhat nontraditional path into Wesleyan.
"After trying so hard to get in, I just took off."
Marc Mowrey, co-author of Not in Our Backyard, sits in the middle of three generations of Wesleyan students. His father (Olin scholar Ed Mowrey) attended for two years, dropped out, and never came back. Marc went to Wesleyan for one semester, dropped out, returned years later, and graduated without distinction. Marc’s son (Tennessee Mowrey '14) matriculated four years in a row, never dropped out, and graduated with distinction. Evolution!
These days, Marc writes and records music (his latest effort, “Bang Your Head Slowly”, is available from the usual sources), hosts a monthly storytelling event in Berkeley, CA called “That Really Happened??”, adores his wife Susie Davis, and helps the US EPA save the planet.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
In 2014, Mary-Jane Rubenstein discussed multiverse cosmology at WESeminars on the road around the U.S.
"How on earth did an infinite number of parallel universes become a respectable scientific hypothesis? How did that happen?"
Mary-Jane Rubenstein is Professor and Chair of Religion at Wesleyan, where she is also core faculty in Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and affiliated faculty in the Science and Society Program. She works in the intersections of continental philosophy, western religion, gender, and science, and is the author of "Strange Wonder: The Closure of Metaphysics and the Opening of Awe" and "Worlds Without End: The Many Lives of the Multiverse."
More at: http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/podcast-multiverse-rubenstein
This week, we hear Mia Lobel '97 in conversation with Annie Paladino '09 and Miriam Krent '09, who met while working on a thesis production of “We Can’t Reach You, Hartford” their sophomore year.
"...so, Miriam was underneath the stage."
Since graduating, Annie has continued her work in theater, working as an actor, director, stage manager, dramaturg, and producer in the Bay Area and Seattle. She now serves as Associate Artistic Director with Akropolis Performance Lab. Annie also works in education, currently coordinating the Extended Day and Summer Programs at Seattle Waldorf School.
Miriam has been working as an elementary special education teacher at a public school in Brooklyn. This fall she will begin a masters program in communication sciences and disorders at Teachers College to become a speech-language pathologist.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
"I was the secret butler of Russell House." Daniel Handler '92, sometimes known as Lemony Snicket, talks about writing at Wesleyan, being an Olin fellow, and a very magical dishwasher.
Aditi Natasha Kini '13 and Tess Altman '17 interviewed Daniel when he was on campus for the Russell House Series - Prose and Poetry in February 2015. It was fitting that he remembers his time in the basement of Russell House.
This clip was produced by Tess Altman '17. You can listen to more Wesconnect audio at http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/audio and submit leads to wesconnect@wesleyan.edu.
More info on Wesleyan writing events: http://www.wesleyan.edu/writing/community/writing-events.html
This week we hear from Ben Solnit ’79, Laura Walker ’79 and Pamela Dorman ’79. They recall a story involving financial aid, Jerry Cunningham, and the admission offer from Wesleyan.
“I actually use that story with my staff and with my kids. You have to ask for what you want. For me, it was such a big deal to ask for it and get it.”
Laura Walker is the President and CEO of New York Public Radio and a Distinguished Alumna Award recipient. Pamela Dorman is Vice President and publisher at Viking Penguin. In 2008, she founded her eponymous imprint Pamela Dorman Books through Viking Penguin. Ben Solnit is a graduate of Yale Law School. He is currently practicing law in Connecticut.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel '97 and production intern Tess Altman '17.
A lively and provocative online conversation about threats facing higher education, with Wesleyan President Michael S. Roth ’78, author of Beyond the University: Why Liberal Education Matters.
Event information here: http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/s/1318/index.aspx?sid=1318&gid=1&pgid=5109&cid=9016&ecid=9016&crid=0&calpgid=2733&calcid=9044
This week, we present Paul Hadzima's the story of the lost Judd Hall Museum. You can watch the slideshow with archival images supplied by Wesleyan’s Special Collections & Archives on Wesconnect.
At Reunion & Commencement 2014, Paul Hadzima ’59 told his to Wesleyan Storytelling Project producers Mia Lobel ’97 and Tess Altman ’17.
So, is it really lost?
We have records that indicate that some of the artifacts of Judd Hall Museum went to the Middletown schools, the Smithsonian, Yale, and other places; some items considered poor-quality was discarded; and the remainder went into storage at Wesleyan. Of the items that were stored at Wesleyan, some went to the Peoples museum and others, including the monumental megatherium fossil, cannot be presently accounted for and are lost. It is uncertain how you would track down the materials that went to other places today, so in that sense, maybe you could say that they are “lost,” too.
"He was a Bigfoot type of creature. And he was real."
What were the Wesleyan legends of your time? A roving reporter gets some answers.
These answers were collected by Tess Altman '17, A.N. Kini '13 and Caroline MacNeille '16 during Reunion & Commencement 2014. This clip was produced by student producer Tess Altman '17.
"I'd be very surprised if that access was open now."
What was your favorite place on campus? A roving reporter gets some answers.
These answers were collected by Tess Altman '17, A.N. Kini '13 and Caroline MacNeille '16 at Reunion & Commencement 2014. This clip was produced by student producer Tess Altman '17.
Excited about R&C 2015? Registration is open and the schedule is positively teeming with interesting events. http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/rc
This week, we hear about the music of Memorial Chapel from Deborah Pearson Woodhouse '79, with special instrumentals by Professor Neely Bruce, who played at her wedding.
Deborah and John C. Woodhouse ’79 were married in 1982 at Wesleyan. Their story was featured as part of Wes-Side Story a Wesleyan Valentine’s Day Special, 2015.
Deborah is a psychologist and a professor of child psychiatry at the University of Texas Medical School at Houston. In this role, she has studied psychopathology in children who have developmental disorders (e.g., autism), as well as interventions for these children. In addition to these research efforts, she directs a developmental neuropsychology clinic, is an active teacher, and provides service to her community.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
“Double A” by Robert Levin, performed by Urban Renewal, featuring Abraham Adzenyah on percussion.
This week, we hear from Rachel Mandal '99 and Nell Robinson '99.
Their story was featured as part of Wes-Side Story a Wesleyan Valentine’s Day Special in 2015.
Rachel is a public health analyst at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Nell is a med student at George Washington University. They live in DC with their two cats, Tweak and Luna. Tweak was recently featured as the Most Studious pet in “Washingtonian Magazine.”
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
This week, we hear from Kate and Mike Gilles, Class of 2004.
Mike and Kate are looking forward to celebrating their 7th wedding anniversary this May, and expecting their second child in July. Their story was featured as part of Wes-Side Story a Wesleyan Valentine’s Day Special in 2015.
Kate and Mike were married in 2008, and currently live in Washington, D.C., with their two-year-old son, Sebastian, and two dogs. Kate works as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Population Reference Bureau, where she focuses on youth, gender, and sexual and reproductive health policy issues. She is also a coordinator for the D.C. Doulas for Choice Collective. Mike works as an Attorney-Adviser for the U.S. Department of State, where he current serves in the office of economic and business affairs. He also teaches a course in International Business Transactions at American University's Washington College of Law.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
This week, we hear Mia Lobel '97 in conversation with Honorable Terry J. Hatter, Jr. '54, a United States federal judge and one of the first black students to graduate from Wesleyan.
"I would take the station wagon in the middle of the night and drive to New York City...I would go listen to Latin Jazz at the Apollo theater— Tito Puente, Joe Loco. Get back in the car, get back on the Merritt Parkway, get back to the fraternity, —and start writing papers in the middle of the night, while the guys were asleep."
After receiving his BA from Wesleyan in 1954, Terry went on to receive his JD from the University of Chicago Law School, and was a US Air Force NCO-In-Charge. He went on to have an illustrious career in the law.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
This week, we present the first of our recordings from Reunion & Commencement 2014! In this clip, Jeanne Kramer-Smyth '90 recalls how her work-study jobs as a student, beginning with a mice lab, shaped her career.
"When you left that building, you smelled like mice. You reeked of mice. I would beeline for my dorm room, hope I never see anyone on the way, take every stitch of clothing off and put it in a sealed trash bag, and take a shower."
Nowadays, student jobs aren't assigned. As Jeanne notes, it was an important lesson to her that she was able to stick with a job she didn't want to do, and that even when she asked for a change, her sticking with it was appreciated. After working with mice, Jeanne was given a job in the computer center and the library - and ended up working as a software developer and then archivist in Library school.
Jeanne is an archivist at the World Bank Group archives, and covers the intersection of archives and technology on her blog. She has a written a short story for a sci-fi anthology, which seeks to increase the diversity and expand the universe of sci, and is currently raising money on Kickstarter. In addition to all of this, Jeanne has also taken on the challenge of a 50,000 novel in the formidable NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month).
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
In this interview, Aditi Kini ’13 speaks with writer Alexander Chee ’89 for Wesconnect. Image: via Brooklyn Book Festival. Transcript and details: http://wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/interview-with-alexander-chee-89
This interview was produced by Tess Altman '17.
This week’s story is from Caroline Wilkins whose thesis advisor, Dick Ohmann, played a pivotal role in her personal and professional development. They still keep in touch today.
After studying English at Wesleyan, George Mason University, and the University of Maryland, Caroline pursued a career in teaching. She is a senior lecturer at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she has been teaching since 1991.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
How did you meet your best friend at Wesleyan? This week, Mia Lobel ’97 speaks with Amanda Marks ’88 and Sarah Madsen Hardy ’88 who, in an entertaining exchange, share an unusual housing request that brought them together.
Amanda: “Why would you request such a crazy thing?” Sarah: “They aren’t uptight—they tend not to be too controlling. Nobody who’s going to be anal or demanding…”
At Wesleyan, Amanda studied film, and continues to work in that industry as a creative—Amanda is a Key Art award winning copywriter and producer and is the Creative Director of Deacon Entertainment in Los Angeles. Amanda continues to study at Wesleyan, in a way—she's taking a Coursera class with Scott Plous on Social Psychology. She recently had a class-related videochat with 5 other students from all over the world—"It was so cool that all learning and connection came from our wonderful little school in Middletown, CT."
Sarah studied English at Wesleyan and went on to receive her PhD at the University of Michigan. She now teaches writing at Boston University.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
Cardinals nest for life: In this week’s story, we hear Miguel Guadalupe and Maria Santana Guadalupe ’98 tell the story of how they first met—through a mutual love of dance.
Miguel:“How did we first meet? There’s a debate about that. I think I saw her first.” Maria: “You did.”
After studying government and Latin American studies at Wesleyan, Miguel went on to work in the financial services industry and is now a director at Gartner. Miguel is also an active alumni volunteer and a member of the Board of Trustees at Wesleyan. Listen to his Storytelling clip from last year: Storytelling clip Maria, who studied psychology at Wes, is a journalist and a television personality. She was recently nominated for an Emmy for her work as the New York Anchor/Correspondent for CNN En Español.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
In this week’s story Marie-Carole Desrosiers ’83 and Marva Angel ’83 recall a very different sociopolitical climate in Connecticut, and how the Wesleyan community, led by President Colin Campbell, banded together when the lives of black students were threatened.
“In other places, you did have an African American presence but it was scattered. Here, it was more organized… you have the Malcolm X house, Center for African American studies. I felt like there was a part of me here too, I didn’t feel like I was coming to a foreign place, a foreign land.”
At Wesleyan, Marie-Carole studied biology and went on to receive her MD medical degree from Yeshiva University's Albert Einstein Medical School. She is now a private physician in Miami, Florida. Marva, who studied anthropology at Wesleyan and received her master’s from Pace, is a surgical nurse at North Shore Medical Center.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
This week, we hear Kate and Andrea in conversation about their first days as roommates, and how they handled each others’ opposing political views.
Andrea: “It started with an innocent enough campaign poster…” Kate: “It was very, very Wesleyan.”
Kate, who was in the College of Social Studies at Wesleyan, previously served as an aide to Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell and is currently an international development professional based in Pakistan. Andrea, who studied English and Theater at Wesleyan, taught theater in Hartford and Boston for years and continued her study of educational theater at Lesley University. She is currently a recruitment consultant at a turnaround charter school network.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
During Reunion and Commencement Weekend 2013, graduating senior Julia Mark ’13 reflected with her father about her time at Wesleyan and the lives of generations of students living on campus and calling its buildings home.
Julia: “A lot can change in fifty years.” Charlie: “These places may still here, but…” Julia: “You’re sort of replaced by other people. The campus is always in flux. Every four years it’s all new.” Charlie: “Yes, it’s always changing. These objects are in a sense different, as they go through time.”
Julia, after graduating with degrees in music and psychology, moved to Boston where she designs and teaches a youth music curriculum. She also performs original music as a singer/songwriter.
Charlie Mark is a clinical psychologist by day and a jazz saxophonist by night.
The Wesleyan Storytelling Project is produced by Mia Lobel ’97 and production intern Tess Altman ’17.
This week, we hear Jaron, Aaron and Claire in conversation. They remember a song that has stayed with them through their years of friendship.
Jaron: "People got to know as the duo - the rhyming Jaron and Aaron." Aaron: "...it was a brand - Jaron and Aaron... mostly it was because people wanted to say it. Not that they were that excited to see us."
As students, Jaron and Aaron were active members of the a capella group, the New Group. Jaron studied Government and Spanish, and is a partner at ADR Media Integrators. Aaron studied sociology, and is a mental health counselor at an alternative school. Claire, who studied psychology, is now the director of the Speech & Language department at Park Terrace Care Center in New York.
In this clip, Midge Carroll '14 and Simone Hyman '15, who bonded over shared agony, stress the importance of collaboration over competition in science.
"But they already had a study group called The Org-gy...it's like orgy and orgo rolled into one."
Both Midge (Madeleine) Carroll and Simone Hyman are pre-med students and part of the Neuroscience and Behavior program at Wes.
In this clip, Taylor Matthew ’17 talks with her mother Megan Norris ’83 P’17 about her lifelong connection with Wesleyan, annual trips to Reunion & Commencement, and knowing where the pink elephant is.
Taylor: “I went to her and was like, I learned the fight song! And she said, we have a fight song? And I was like, yes, I’m a pro. I got this.”
Megan Norris ’83, is chair of the Alumni Association and is a former member of the Board of Trustees. She is currently the MD of the Detroit office of Miller Canfield. Taylor, who is wrapping up her first year at Wesleyan, attended her first Wesleyan event when she was 10 weeks-old.
You can find Megan’s own story at https://soundcloud.com/wesleyanuniversity/storytelling-megan-norris-83, follow @Detroitmpnorris on Twitter, and engage with her and other alumni on WesChat.
In a conversation with Cynthia Rockwell, Xiomara Lorenzo ’05 talks about the transition from college to the workforce, the pull of labor and capitalism, and putting convictions into the questions she asks.
“Still feels like a rare breed—the Wesleyan MBA.”
Xiomara is a principal consultant at High Start Group in Boston, MA. At Wesleyan, Xiomara studied History. She went to receive an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business.
In a conversation with Mia Lobel ’97, Gary Mezzi ’83 and Rick Velleu ’83, reminisce about the music scene at Wes—and in particular, their punk new wave-of-the-day band “Dr. Mezzi Fights Infection,” which brought together art, football, classical music in a microcosm of Wesleyan diversity.
“A good band on campus can do a lot to bring people together.” “Eclectic at the time, like you say … was goth tattooed, pierced … freaky guys”
At Wesleyan, Gary studied English while Rick studied art. Gary is a library media specialist in Connecticut; Rick is an associate at Counter Culture in New York.
In a conversation with Mia Lobel ’97, Ron Nowek ’58 and Bob Furber ’58 recall their exuberant days at Wes, including the great water fight of 1956.
Ron: “…Yeah we were pretty bad, actually. Remember when we had the fireworks—” Bob: “I remember the catapults. Remember the catapults?”
At Wesleyan, Ron majored in Mathematics, and Bob in Physics and Astronomy. Both were members of the John Wesley Club, mentioned in the water fight story. Ron went on to study aerospace engineering, and Bob, physics, at University of Southern California. Bob received a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota in nuclear theory. Bob recently published an article titled “Kepler accuracy model for co-periodic satellite separation extrema” in the Springer-Verlag journal “Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy.” Ron retired from Boeing in 2000, and Bob from Hughes Aircraft the same year.
In this clip, Bill Roberts '63 P'96 talks about a life-changing experience at the Chapel in the spring of 1962.
At Wesleyan, Bill studied History. He went on to receive his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary. Bill Roberts was the minister of the First Church for twenty years, and went on to work for KMPG and Prudential before beginning his own consulting firm. He has written two books: Initiation to Adulthood: an Ancient Rite of Passage in Contemporary Form (1982), and Crossing the Soul’s River: A Rite of Passage for Men(1998).
In this clip, Megan Norris '83 P'17 reminisces about her days at Wesleyan, Handel's Messiah, and the funk of the marimba.
Megan studied government and music at Wesleyan, and went on to earn her J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School. She is the Managing Director of the Detroit office of Miller Canfield.
Megan is a tireless advocate for Wesleyan, currently through her service as chair of the Alumni Association and previously as a Trustee. She can be found engaging with Wes alumni on WesChat or tweeting as @Detroitmpnorris.
Wesleyan alumni, faculty, staff, family, and friends experienced a one-of-a-kind Wesleyan-themed version of the Blue Man Group's 2013 show at a special fundraising event at Boston's Charles Playhouse on November 13. Blue Man co-founder Chris Wink '83 was on hand for a post-show talkback with President Michael Roth.
The Blue Man Group's interactive multimedia spectacle combines music, technology and comedy to create a form of entertainment that defies categorization and appeals to people of all ages. The show has been described by critics as "innovative," "energetic" and "wildly entertaining."
The special Boston performance—a fundraiser to support financial aid—also included Wesleyn-themed paint-splatter art, the auction of a sculpture created on stage, and an audience-participation section featuring references to Cardinal sports, notable alumni in attendance, and more.
After the show, Blue Man Group co-founder Chris Wink '83 joined President Michael Roth on stage for a wide-ranging conversation on art, music, performance and the origins of the Blue Men. Wink, a member of the Eclectic Society while at Wesleyan, asserted that without the uniquely rich education he experience at Wesleyan, there'd be no Blue Man Group today.
This event was part of a series in the $400 million THIS IS WHY campaign to support the University’s endowment. All proceeds from ticket sales—100%—go directly to financial aid for Wesleyan students.
For more information, visit wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/thisiswhy-events-boston
Accompanied by her own guitar playing, Dar Williams ’89 sang for two hours before a rapt Homecoming & Family Weekend crowd in a benefit for financial aid on November 1.
Between songs, she often broke off spontaneously to recount memories from her time on campus—including a favorite class that met in the concert hall. The large audience included alumni, students and their parents, local community members, and Dar’s own family—her husband, also a Wes grad, and their two children. Most of the evening’s set was drawn from Dar’s two most recent albums, Many Great Companions and In the Time of Gods, with a sprinkling of such older favorites as “The Christians and the Pagans.”
The audience joined Dar for a rousing finale of “If I Had a Hammer” followed by a q&a session focused on how her songs get written.
For more information, visit wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/thisiswhy-events-hcfw
On October 22, in a historic San Francisco industrial space that once housed the printing plant of William Randolph Hearst, nearly 100 Wesleyan alumni and friends enjoyed an intimate and thought-provoking conversation with two of the nation's foremost voices on food and the food industry: Michael Pollan P'15 and Jonathan Bloom '99.
The occasion was "Table Talk," an event underwritten by generous Wesleyan donors to help support financial aid; the place was The Box San Francisco, in the South of Market district. President Michael Roth welcomed guests to the event and introduced Pollan and Bloom.
Pollan, the author of Food Rules, Cooked, and The Omnivore’s Dilemma, shared with the audience his thesis that the simple act of cooking our own food can be a political act, and he mentioned efforts including Wesleyan's Long Lane Farm as evidence of a farm and food movement that increasingly enables Americans to avoid the highly processed, "edible food-like substances" so widely available in supermarkets.
Bloom, a food waste activist known for his blog Wasted Food and his book American Wasteland, enlightened the audience with his assertion that Americans waste more than 40 percent of the food we produce for consumption.
An engaged audience—made up of alumni, friends, and current students—then had the opportunity to question the two writers about everything from ballot measures requiring the labeling of foods with genetically-modified ingredients, to the role of food banks in making farm-direct food available to urban neighborhoods.
This event was part of a series in the $400 million THIS IS WHY campaign to support the University’s endowment. All proceeds from ticket sales—100%—go directly to financial aid for Wesleyan students.
For more information, visit wesconnect.wesleyan.edu/thisiswhy-events-sf
In this clip, Bill Brooks ’49 P’71 and his wife Audrey P’71 reminisce about Bill’s athletic achievements at Wesleyan. Bill set the track record for the 100-yard and 220-yard dash, in addition to having the longest run from scrimmage in football.
“And the day he won the [220-yard] race, I was 8 months pregnant and very large—and I ran down the track after him,” says Audrey Brooks.
Bill graduated from Wesleyan with a degree in English, and worked at Morgan Stanley as a financial officer. Bill’s late brother, Ralph, attended Wesleyan at the same time, graduating in ’48. The couple’s son, William Brooks Jr., also attended Wesleyan to study English, graduating in 1971.
(Image: Olivia Drake MALS ’08. Pictured: Mia Lobel ’97 interviewing Bill and Audrey Brooks.)
In this clip, Bob Gallamore ’63 revisits his favorite memories of Wesleyan, which include two seminar courses he took with famed theorist Hannah Arendt, who was a visiting professor at Wesleyan from 1961–63. Bob remembers the professor who had the greatest impact on him—from her guttural, gravelly voice and melancholy eyes, to the questions she asked his class, to her seminar on “Eichmann in Jerusalem” at Russell House.
Bob Gallamore is a leading expert on railway and intermodal economics, technology and safety. He has worked in both policy and leadership positions in government, industry, academia, consulting and non-profits. In addition to teaching at Northwestern University and Michigan State University, Bob founded and expanded The Gallamore Group consultancy.
Bob received his B.A. from Wesleyan with high honors in government. He went on to receive an MA in Public Administration and Ph.D. in political economy and government from Harvard University.
[Ed. Note: Bob would like us to clarify that “A Report on the Banality of Evil” is the subtitle of Arendt’s “Eichmann in Jerusalem,” not her earlier book “The Origins of Totalitarianism,” and that Arendt did not consider herself a philosopher but someone engaged in political theory.]
A crowd of more than 160 Wesleyan alumni, parents and friends gathered June 19 at the Knight Conference Center of the Newseum in Washington, DC, to "Talk Politics" with three high-profile Wes alumni.
The event, a fundraiser for financial aid, featured a lively discussion among Colo. Gov. John Hickenlooper '74, Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin '79 and U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet '87, who all credited Wesleyan's interdisciplinary programs and spirit of inquiry for their political success.
The fundraiser was part of a series in the $400 million THIS IS WHY campaign to support the University's endowment. All proceeds from ticket sales—100%—go directly to financial aid for Wesleyan students. Learn more: http://bit.ly/1blfBzT
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8n4XSWAoT4
At a special Reunion and Commencement appearance with all ticket sales going to financial aid, Amanda Palmer ’98 played the piano and the ukulele and joyfully performed a set of her inimitable songs on the stage in Crowell Concert Hall on the Wesleyan University campus May 24, 2013. Her husband, Neil Gaiman, winner of writing honors from the Newbery Medal to the Hugo Award to the Will Eisner Comic Award, read from his work and joined Amanda in fielding questions from a rapt audience of alumni, parents, and students.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8GwhGkZauI
This week, listen to Mia Lobel, Class of 1997 in conversation with Dan Haar, Class of 1981. Dan, who studied government at Wesleyan, is the business editor at the Hartford Courant. He has previously worked for the Courant as a photographer, town reporter, business reporter and columnist and political writer. In this clip, Dan talks about how he handled being waitlisted, and reflects on the role of the university in expanding our appreciation of other people’s points of view.
More than 100 Wesleyan alumni and guests in the Los Angeles, Calif. area attended “A Conversation in Hollywood,” an intimate conversation with Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper ’74 and Emmy-award winning actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus P’14. The fundraising event took place at the Paramount Theatre in Hollywood on May 1. (Photos by L. Maizlish Connolly ’90) More: http://thisiswhy.wesleyan.edu/events
More than 280 Wesleyan alumni, parents and friends attended “An Evening with ‘Mad Men’” April 25 in New York City. The NYC campaign kickoff featured “Mad Men” creator Matthew Weiner ’87. All ticket proceeds went to Financial Aid. More: http://thisiswhy.wesleyan.edu/events
This week, listen to Mia Lobel '97 in conversation with Sheila Tobias, Wesleyan's first female Provost. Sheila, who studied literature and history at Radcliffe College (Harvard), went on to get her MA in History and M. Phil from Columbia. She has also received numerous honorary doctorates. Sheila, renowned for her work as a scholar and feminist activist, came to Wesleyan in the 1970s, at a unique point in history.
Sheila ushered in the era of co-education: Wesleyan had just begun admitting female students, and for her eight years as Provost, Sheila oversaw the inclusion of women in student life and assisted in the hiring of female faculty. Sheila has covered an array of topics in her scholarship: from math anxiety to science education to military spending, Sheila has made a mark on many disciplines. Listen to Sheila Tobias reminisce about radical change in this week's clip.
This week, listen to Mia Lobel, Class of 1997 in conversation with Miguel Guadalupe, Class of 1998. Miguel studied government and Latin American studies at Wesleyan before going on to work in the financial services industry in New York. In his spare time, Miguel writes for magazines and blogs, and engages in volunteering. In this short clip, Miguel reminisces about the Wesleyan Student Assembly, about creating a legacy, and what he learned from Michelangelo.
This week, listen to Mia Lobel ’97 in conversation with Brad Towson ’94. Brad, who lives in Middletown, is a Senior Legislative Attorney for the General Assembly of Connecticut. After graduating in government from Wesleyan, Brad went on to study law at Rutgers University. He continues to engage in the Wesleyan community—from running the moot court, acting as a liaison for the Wesleyan Lawyers Association, to speaking at WESeminars. Listen to Brad discuss coming to Wesleyan as a transfer, and what it took to find his niche.
This week, listen to Mia Lobel ’97 in conversation with Ed Thorndike, Class of 1989. Ed Thorndike is one of Wesleyan’s well-known entrepreneurs—if you’ve ever been to Wes Wings or Red & Black Cafe, you’d know why. An English major at school, and a restauranteur by profession, Ed is not only the 4th generation in his family to attend Wesleyan, but he’s also the 4th Edward Thorndike to do so.
For the past 22 years, Wes Wings and Red & Black have comprised the core of a modern-day Wesleyan experience, and Wesleyan students continue to enjoy Ed’s close relationship with Wesleyan. Tune in for five minutes and listen to Ed discuss the most common Wes Wings misconceptions and how he got into this business in the first place.
This week, listen to Mia Lobel '97 in conversation with Joyce Y. Hall, Class of 1978. Joyce studied sociology at Wesleyan and went on to study public health at the University of Rochester and non-profit management at Columbia University. Joyce is now the Executive Director of the Federation of County Networks, a lecturer at CUNY Hunter, an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Long Island University Brooklyn MPH Program, and a consultant at JYHall & Associates. Joyce continues to foster a strong relationship with Wesleyan as an alumni-elected trustee.
Listen to Joyce discuss what Wesleyan meant to her as an undergraduate in the 70s, in this short piece.
This week, listen to Joe Giaimo '11 and Justin Freres '11 reminisce about their time at Wesleyan, in an interview with Mia Lobel '97. Joe and Justin have a lot in common: both were members of Delta Kappa Epsilon, both majored in Economics, and both captained the baseball and football teams. Their unique friendship continues to flourish, years after graduation.
This week we hear a clip from our interview with Kirk Adams, class of 1973 and College of Social Studies major. Kirk is a trade unionist and serves as executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Here he recalls a rally in the chapel where students and faculty debated their commitments to ending the Vietnam war and working for social justice and civil rights. Kirk’s daughter Hannah is a member of the class of 2013.
This week, we hear a clip from our interview with Kirk Adams, class of 1973 and College of Social Studies major. Kirk is a trade unionist and serves as executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Here he recalls a rally in the chapel where students and faculty debated their commitments to ending the Vietnam war and working for social justice and civil rights. Kirk’s daughter Hannah is a member of the class of 2013.
This week, listen to Mia Lobel ’97 in a conversation with Diane S. Goldstein Stein ’81. Diane majored in music at Wesleyan and went on to earn her law degree at The City University of New York Law School at Queens College. She practiced public interest law for 8 years before her children were born. When her son and daughter were young, Diane saved a zoo in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania by starting a grassroots effort that led to a small group of supporters, including Diane, forming a 501(c)(3) organization which leased the zoo from the county. She currently teaches second grade at a religious school. Diane now shares her college experience with her son, Matthew Stein ’16, who joined Wesleyan this past Fall. Matthew is planning to double major in music and computer science with a certificate in Jewish and Israel Studies. Listen to Diane Goldstein Stein reminisce about her time at Wesleyan, from visiting as a prospective student to her senior recital.
This week, listen to Mia Lobel ’97 in a conversation with Diane S. Goldstein Stein ’81. Diane majored in music at Wesleyan and went on to earn her law degree at The City University of New York Law School at Queens College. She practiced public interest law for 8 years before her children were born. When her son and daughter were young, Diane saved a zoo in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania by starting a grassroots effort that led to a small group of supporters, including Diane, forming a 501(c)(3) organization which leased the zoo from the county. She currently teaches second grade at a religious school. Diane now shares her college experience with her son, Matthew Stein ’16, who joined Wesleyan this past Fall. Matthew is planning to double major in music and computer science with a certificate in Jewish and Israel Studies. Listen to Diane Goldstein Stein reminisce about her time at Wesleyan, from visiting as a prospective student to her senior recital.
This week, Mia Lobel '97 interviews Ayelet Waldman '86. After studying psychology and government at Wesleyan, Ayelet went on to study law at Harvard. Ayelet is a novelist and essayist, best known for her NYT best-selling collection of essays 'Bad Mother.' She has written the novels 'Daughter's Keeper,' 'Red Hook Road,' and 'Love and Other Impossible Pursuits,' and the Mommy Track murder mystery series. 'Love and...' was made into 'The Other Woman,' a film starring Natalie Portman.
This week Mia Lobel ’97 interviews Michael Lewis, a College of Social Studies major and member of the class of 2003. A Philadelphia native, Michael now conducts market research for Teach for America. He is also a sitting member of the Wesleyan University Board of Trustees. In this conversation Michael recalls how CSS altered his career trajectory, and how Wesleyan strengthened his relationships, with newer and older friends alike.