Cornell (thank) U

Meet Yaneris Rosa, Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at WWE and a trailblazer in sports entertainment.  Yaneris shares her inspiring story from growing up in the Dominican Republic and then Long Island, NY, to attending Cornell University as a first-generation student, and ultimately earning a degree from Harvard Law School! She has a remarkable career path, including her time at startu...

In this powerful episode, we reconnect with Holly Zax Shuter, a beloved sorority sister from Los Angeles.  Holly shares stories of resilience during the recent California wildfires, detailing the challenges of evacuation, the generosity of her community, and the inspiring efforts to rebuild and support those affected. We also delve into Holly's treasured memories of Cornell—her experience as...

Tara "Blitzy" Blitzer Benson ’93 brings her signature humor, sharp insights, and favorite Cornell memories to the podcast! From her days as an enthusiastic social chair to her impressive career as Vice President and General Counsel at Proscia, a cutting-edge digital pathology company, Tara’s story is as inspiring as it is fun.  She raised two Cornellians, one starting next fall, and she...

You’ll love this conversation with the legendary Jeremy Schaap, Cornell alum and Emmy-winning ESPN sports journalist. From his roots at the Cornell Daily Sun—where he spent more time than anywhere else on campus—to his 30+ years at ESPN, Jeremy has covered every major sporting event and the most fascinating athlete stories. Known for award-winning documentaries like E:60 and Outside the Lines , he...

From pioneering patented construction technologies that transformed NYC’s infrastructure, to working underground for over a decade (and surviving to share  with us what’s really down there!), Stephen Paletta '87 has built a career and a life defined by innovation and purpose. A life-changing trip to Rwanda sparked a mission of giving back, and he’s been reshaping philanthropy ever since. As t...

This was the perfect conversation to have just days before Christmas. We spoke with Beth and Dan Duffy, whose love story began on campus in 1978. Dan, a member of the Cornell hockey team, and Beth, known for her warmth and wide circle of friends, created lifelong connections during their time on campus. Their love story started as freshmen, took a pause, and then started again 20 years later when...

This week we’re thrilled to celebrate the incredible Randye Ringer, who was recently introduced to us by Peter Kaplan (thank you, Peter!) and she was just inducted into her high school’s Hall of Fame! Why, you ask? Randye’s career has been a testament to creativity, resilience, and a passion for making a difference. From her 15 years with the New York Mets to her humanitarian work with First Pitch...

Meet Georgia Kelly, a fierce defender on Cornell’s field hockey team with ties to both England and Ireland. Georgia shares her inspiring journey of overcoming injuries, adjusting to life at Cornell, and making an impact on and off the field. Known for her stellar defensive skills and unstoppable spirit, Georgia gave us the inside scoop on life as a student-athlete. With her humor, energy, and auth...

Frank Kelly III’s journey is one of resilience, faith, and family. As a standout athlete at Cornell, he captained the lacrosse team, played football, and overcame injuries-- and most of all, he had a profound spiritual awakening his sophomore year.  Now he’s the CEO of Kelly Benefits, a coach, speaker, and author! Frank shares how his faith shaped his life and guides his work and family. And we wa...

Welcome to season 4 of the Cornell (thank) U Podcast! Meet Yanni and Nour, two extraordinary 20-year-old Cornell students who are revolutionizing the way we learn math with their groundbreaking platform, MathGPT. They started MathGPT to make math more accessible and less intimidating, empowering students everywhere to truly understand the subject. Their website has quickly become the go-to resourc...

Join us as we look back on three incredible years of Cornell (thank) U with highlights from our anniversary party, guest shout-outs, and a thank you to our amazing community. AND! Ryan Greene, Cornell fiber science grad and returning guest, tells us about his life from the Cornell classrooms to the labs of NIST. Hear about his groundbreaking work in fiber science, the surprising applications of hi...

Our 3-year celebration came with an unexpected twist—just the kind of story we love to tell.  Thank you for being here every week for 3 years. We appreciate every single one of you, guest and listener--often that's one and the same! Not sponsored by or affiliated with Cornell University

Here's your exclusive peek into the mind of a true innovator! Get ready for insights and laughs as we chat with Robyn Carter, CEO of Jump Rope Innovation! Since 2005, Robyn’s been turning consumer trends into product ideas that make us ask, "Why didn’t I think of that?" (And yes, we pitched her a few trending ideas that we did   think of —tune in to hear her take!) With an impressiv...

Get ready for the Empty Quester revolution as Donna Korren shares her inspiring take on life after kids in this uplifting episode! Donna, founder of the Empty Quester community, is on a mission to help women redefine their next years by embracing the excitement and opportunity of an empty nest (even if we all also miss our kids just a little bit). From her unforgettable Cornell days and lifelong f...

Meet Adele Smolansky, a charismatic and brilliant Cornell Engineering graduate with a master’s from Stanford. Yup. Adele has already made waves by creating AI Learners, a cutting-edge platform that helps kids of all abilities tailor their learning experiences. Wait until you hear what inspired her—or rather, who . We discuss her passion for inclusive and personalized education in the 2020s and hav...

BURST ALERT! We are bursting with this week's guest! A very fortunate introduction at Orange Theory led us to Anthony Petrillose, whose family legacy is intertwined with some of the most iconic spots in Cornell’s history (at least as far as we're concerned). For generations, the Petrillose family has been at the heart of Cornell’s college town culture, running Johnny’s Hot Truck and John...

Meet Rebekah Goldstein, a remarkable student from the Dyson School. As a dedicated RA and TA, Rebekah expertly balances her academic pursuits with a demanding work week. She shares her journey of transferring schools, building a competitive concrete boat, her passion for technology and data analytics, and the challenges she faces as a student during significant global events.  Rebekah manages her...

We loved our time with Peter! He is brilliant and a lot of fun. In this episode, we talk about his career that started at the Cornell Daily Sun and catapulted him to esteemed opinion writer for The New York Times.  Peter shares his experiences as a student journalist, where he honed his writing skills and developed a great sense for storytelling and attention to detail that shaped his career. AND!...

You asked, he answered. Brendan Kempff is back to tell us how he’s transitioned to a career in consulting, thriving in the heart of San Francisco.   We reminisce a bit about his campus reporting days as a Cornell Sun writer, what it's like to go back the first time after graduation, and he reveals his future plans to become a...  Tune in for a great conversation about living your dreams and e...

Clean house and clean slate, Gwen is back with exciting news. Her passion for healthy living shines through as she discusses her innovative new line of eco-friendly, wildly affective, aromatherapy-filled cleaning products. Ever since receiving ours, we are cleaning 10X more than normal just because her products smell so good! Find out what happened since the last time she was on the show, now that...

In this episode of Where Are They Now , we reconnect with two inspiring Cornellians: Jemma Hendricks, a first-semester freshman, and Kayla Singer, a first-semester senior. Both returning guests share updates on their lives since we last spoke, reflecting on the growth they've experienced and the excitement they feel for what’s ahead. Kayla discusses the profound changes she’s witnessed over h...

Meet Osei Boateng, A CNN Hero and Cornell Human Ecology Young Alumni Achievement Award winner. Osei is the founder of the OKB Foundation which provides critical clinical care and accessibility in Ghana. Osei’s passion for community and saving lives has made him an extraordinary leader, dedicated to making a big difference. We discuss how his work is changing lives and leaving a lasting impact, and...

Meet Derek Ting and Joyce Yung. Derek, a writer and martial arts enthusiast, and Joyce, a renowned photographer, teamed up to create films that pack a punch—literally. If you like action movies, you will like their latest movie Agent Recon. Derek may have caught the movie bug in Acting 101. Other than that, neither had filmmaking in their post grad plans. They transitioned from impressive corporat...

Jackie Garrido is a Cornell ILR graduate and seasoned Talent Development Leader with over 25 years of experience. She shares her journey in transforming workplaces into environments where people not only excel but also love what they do. Her career path is a highlight reel of dream employers. And she met her husband at one of them... Plus she is an expert on workflow and minimizing distraction. Gu...

We were thrilled to talk to Matthew, a rising junior and a rising star in the culinary world.    Matthew has captivated the hearts, appetites and inner chef of millions with his vibrant, humorous, and approachable cooking style, making his kitchen and his dorm room a global stage on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram.  He’s got 3 million followers across his platforms. THREE MILLION. We met him on a p...