Wesleyan University Podcasts

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 knowi...

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 thin...

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 sci...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

"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 Russ...

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 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