Best Alumni Organization Podcasts (2025)

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How Agentic AI Is Changing Onboarding, Mentorship, and Retention 30:34

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10h ago30:34

30:34

AI isn’t just generating insights anymore—it’s acting on them. In this episode, I talk with Francisco Marin, CEO of Cognitive Talent Solutions, and Dan George, the company’s Chief Experience Officer, about how agentic AI is changing the game for HR. These aren’t your standard dashboards—they’re autonomous systems that detect workforce patterns in r…

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The ROI of AI: How to Build an AI-Augmented Organization 21:05

7d ago21:05

21:05

We’re in an era where everyone’s talking about AI, but few are actually getting value from it. In this episode, futurist and author Ravin Jesuthasan joins host David Rice to unpack why the ROI of AI is still so elusive — and why most organizations are looking at it backwards. Ravin argues that the problem isn’t technological; it’s human. Companies …

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Preparing Bobcats for their Career Paths with Ray Rogers 25:47

13d ago25:47

25:47

In the 19th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks to Ray Rogers, director of TXST’s Career Services. They discuss how he found his way to the university after spending time at other institutions, how the Career Services staff helps students get their careers started while at TXST and after they graduate, and the importance of being par…

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What AI Fluency Actually Looks Like—and How to Get There 38:24

13d ago38:24

38:24

Generative AI has crossed the threshold from novelty to necessity—but most organizations still haven’t caught up. In this episode, I talk with Kenneth Corrêa, global AI educator and author of Cognitive Organizations: Leveraging the Full Power of Generative AI and Intelligent Agents, about what it actually means to be AI fluent. Kenneth breaks down …

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Finding Art in Everything feat. Marian Villegas ’23 37:37

14d ago37:37

37:37

For Marian Villegas ’23, art can be found in everything — even petroleum engineering. Raised in Tabasco, Mexico, Marian grew up inspired by her father’s work in oil and gas and her own lifelong love of painting. That dual passion led her to a career in petroleum engineering — and eventually to Rice Business, where her MBA helped her grow in both he…

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Pints and Policy: Can Craft Brewing Unite Us 54:00

19d ago54:00

54:00

Craft beer is booming—but can it help reconnect our divided communities? Join Noreen Otto, LW’06, executive director of the Iowa Brewers Guild, for an engaging look at the economic and social impact of craft brewing. She’ll explore shifting consumer habits, emerging policy issues, and the creative evolution of the industry. You’ll also get expert t…

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Why Financial Wellness Programs Fail—and How to Fix Them 25:03

22d ago25:03

25:03

Why is financial wellness such a universally agreed-upon priority yet so painfully hard to deliver in practice? In this episode, I sit down with Jason Lee—founder of DailyPay, Salt Labs, and now Chief of Chime Enterprise—to break down why employees don’t engage with financial programs, why saving feels like the world’s most boring habit, and what i…

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Bats to Cats ACC to TXST Transfer Partnership with Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart 27:40

27d ago27:40

27:40

In the 18th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks to Dr. Russell Lowery-Hart, chancellor for Austin Community College District. They discuss his journey into a career in higher education, his love for working with community college students and advocating for them, and the Bats to Cats guaranteed transfer program between TXST and ACC. …

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Entrepreneurship Is in the Rice DNA feat. Al Danto ’00 1:13:29

28d ago1:13:29

1:13:29

Al Danto, senior lecturer in entrepreneurship, has been a trusted mentor and beloved member of the Rice Business community for more than two decades. A serial entrepreneur, he launched his first company at the age of 23, growing it through multiple acquisitions before selling to a private equity-backed group. After earning his MBA at Rice Business,…

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Equipping Teams to Use AI Without Losing Purpose 50:44

28d ago50:44

50:44

Most people don't burn out because they're working too hard—they burn out because they’re performing at a pace they were never built to sustain, chasing goals that don’t align with who they are. Matt Granados joins David Rice to unpack why the language we use around productivity—high performance, hustle, passion—is misleading at best, and actively …

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How AI Is Reshaping Leadership (and Why Agility Matters More Than Ever) 31:20

1M ago31:20

31:20

In a world where AI is eating the routine work and career ladders look more like Escher paintings, what does leadership agility really mean? In this episode, I sit down with David Jones, CEO and Partner at Mercer Assessments, to explore how leaders can ground themselves in productivity, positivity, people, and purpose while rethinking the broken sy…

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Inside College Athletics with Brian Hardin: NIL, March Madness & the Making of a Golden Era 1:13:00

1M ago1:13:00

1:13:00

Join us for an insider Everclass with Brian Hardin, Des Moines native and Director of Athletics at Drake University. Since 2017, Hardin has led Drake through its “golden era,” marked by record academic, competitive, and fundraising achievements. In this session, Hardin shares candid insights on Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and its impact on stud…

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Coaching the Leaders of Tomorrow feat. Sujeev Chittipolu ’21 27:35

1M ago27:35

27:35

After many successful years as a mechanical engineer for Baker Hughes, Sujeev Chittipolu ’21 thought it was time to invest in his leadership potential. That led him to Rice Business. As part of Rice’s Professional MBA program, Sujeev formed invaluable connections through programs like CoachRICE and even joined the board of one of his classmate’s no…

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Building Hybrid Teams That Work — Lessons Leaders Need Before Adding AI 38:03

1M ago38:03

38:03

We’ve all heard the pitch: “Hybrid work is the future.” But dig beneath the slogans and you’ll find wildly different realities—some thriving, others quietly imploding. In this episode, I sit down with Lynette Caruso, a PhD candidate at Australian National University, to unpack her field research across public and private sectors on what makes hybri…

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How Nextdoor’s Head of People is Protecting Workplace Mental Health While Adopting AI 25:04

2M ago25:04

25:04

We’ve spent the last few years talking about mental health at work like it’s always a crisis—trauma, burnout, damage done. Bryan Power, Head of People at Nextdoor, thinks that framing actually makes the conversation harder. Instead, what if we positioned mental health as something everyone can access, not just people in distress? In this episode, w…

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Taking TXST Football to New Heights with Head Coach GJ Kinne 41:02

2M ago41:02

41:02

In this bonus episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with GJ Kinne, head coach of the TXST Bobcats football team. They discuss his playing career from high school through the NFL, how his journey led him to wanting to be a head coach, hitting the ground running once he got to San Marcos, and his favorite moments from the recent success …

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AI Risks in HR: Bias, Leadership Buy-In, and Employee Trust 28:44

2M ago28:44

28:44

What happens when an executive quietly outsources performance reviews to ChatGPT? Or when your C-suite is loudly preaching about AI adoption while refusing to touch the tools themselves? In this episode, I sit down with Talk HR to Me columnist and Head of People at Quantum Metric, Alana Fallis, to tackle real listener questions in a live advice-col…

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Making Venture Capital More Accessible feat. Emmanuel Yimfor '20 41:28

2M ago41:28

41:28

At a time when startups are primarily funded by private market investors, who you know has become a critical factor in gaining access to that venture capital. But how does the reliance on alumni and professional networks create barriers for startups from historically disadvantaged groups? Emmanuel Yimfor ’20 is a finance professor at Columbia Busin…

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Getting Involved with Student Organizations with Raven Griffin and Kaison Ward 24:02

2M ago24:02

24:02

In the 17th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with students Raven Griffin, president of the Bobcat Belles, and Kaison Ward, president of the National Pan-Hellenic Council and the Black Presidents’ Council. They discuss the similarities and differences between student organizations and academic student organizations, how to get invo…

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Team USA, Bulldog Roots: A Conversation with Reed Fischer, AS'17, JO'17 1:09:37

2M ago1:09:37

1:09:37

Join us for an inspiring Everclass session featuring two Drake Bulldogs who are making big moves on the world stage. As Team USA gears up for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, two familiar names are heading overseas: Reed Fischer, a standout 2017 Drake grad and elite marathoner, and Blake Boldon, current Franklin P. Johnson Director …

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From Layoffs to Loyalty: Building Alumni Networks That Work 22:30

2M ago22:30

22:30

Layoffs are often treated like a dirty secret—a rushed, impersonal process designed to move people out the door with as little friction as possible. But the way you offboard employees says just as much about your company culture as the way you welcome them in. In this episode, I sit down with Jena Dunay, founder of Recruit the Employer and host of …

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Umar Johnson In Retrospect His Downfall Scams Lies FDMG Will Be Auctioned 2:04:05

2M ago2:04:05

2:04:05

Umar Johnson’s legacy is under the microscope. In this episode, we take a deep dive into his rise and downfall, exploring the scams, lies, financial mismanagement, and the truth about FDMG Academy possibly being auctioned. From broken promises to unanswered questions, we unpack what really happened and what it means for the community that once beli…

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Bringing Clarity to Women’s Healthcare feat. Monique Pourkarimi ’25 31:04

2M ago31:04

31:04

After navigating a challenging endometriosis diagnosis, multiple surgeries, and a complex healthcare system, Andria “Monique” Pourkarimi ’25 decided to tackle a gap she experienced firsthand. While pursuing an online MBA at Rice, an idea born in the classroom grew into Dr. Clara, LLC — a women’s health startup focused on closing the communication g…

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Beyond Corporate Astrology: The Science and Strategy of Personality Assessments in Hiring 26:53

2M ago26:53

26:53

If you’ve ever sat through a personality test during hiring and thought, “This feels a bit like corporate astrology”—you’re not wrong. In this episode, I talk with Jason Hreha, Founder & CEO of Persona, about why so many workplace assessments are built on outdated theories and questionable science, and how to separate the gimmicks from the tools th…

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Serving up Culinary Experiences in San Marcos with Chase and Seth Katz 24:33

3M ago24:33

24:33

In the 16th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with alum Chase Katz and brother Seth Katz, the duo behind popular eateries in San Marcos, including Dos Gatos Kolache Bakery, Zelicks Icehouse, Pie Society, and North Street Curry Shop. President Damphousse and the Katz Brothers discuss why Chase decided to stay in San Marcos after gra…

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Redefining Engagement in a Post-Trust Era 32:41

3M ago32:41

32:41

The word “engagement” gets thrown around a lot—but what does it really mean in today’s workplace? In this candid, first-half conversation with Kamaria Scott, industrial-organizational psychologist and founder of Enetic, we take a hard look at how the definition of engagement has drifted, how the psychological contract between employees and employer…

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Connecting Investors and Veteran Entrepreneurs feat. Mike Tatz ’14 and Corban Bates ’15 38:29

3M ago38:29

38:29

During their time at Rice Business, Mike Tatz ’14 and Corban Bates ’15 saw an opportunity to connect veterans with capital and the network needed to start a business. As veterans themselves, they understood how important it is to have the right connections and platform to pitch an idea. With that, the Veterans Business Battle was born. But Mike and…

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No Secrets, No Surprises: Inside a Firm with 15 Years of Open Books 21:10

3M ago21:10

21:10

Most leaders assume that transparency around pay and finances will sow discord or fuel envy. Mel Price is living proof that the opposite is possible. As co-founder and CEO of Work Program Architects, she’s spent the last 15 years running a firm with full salary and financial transparency—by design, not by accident. The result? A company where peopl…

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Waving the TXST Flag at ESPN’s College GameDay with Dr. Abel Guevara III 20:21

3M ago20:21

20:21

In the 15th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with alum Dr. Abel Guevara III, an accomplished healthcare executive and member of the Texas State University Alumni Association Board of Directors. They discuss why he applied to be on the Alumni Association Board of Directors, the Health Information Management Program at TXST, and his…

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How AI Can Help HR Speak CFO: Turning Data into Strategy 32:05

3M ago32:05

32:05

HR leaders say they want a seat at the table—but too often, they show up without speaking the language. In this episode, David talks with Julie Mahfouz Rezvani, Managing Director of The Orion Group, about the critical gap between HR's people expertise and the commercial acumen needed to drive real business impact. Julie brings clarity to the misund…

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Lab-Grown Organs and a $900k Win feat. Charlie Childs and Madeline Eiken 29:29

3M ago29:29

29:29

Like the discovery of penicillin, it started with an unexpected moment in the lab. Charlie Childs and Madeline Eiken didn’t set out to revolutionize drug testing — but a surprise breakthrough led them to create the world’s first lab-grown human intestine and win the 2025 Rice Business Plan Competition's grand prize. Their startup, Intero Biosystems…

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Is Your Mission Real or Just Branding? How to Tell (and What to Do About It) 13:52

3M ago13:52

13:52

What happens when your mission statement no longer fits the company you're building? For Chase Warrington, Head of Operations at Doist, that question wasn’t rhetorical—it was a radical prompt that reshaped their culture. In this candid, live conversation recorded from the lawn of a remote work conference in Austin, Chase and David Rice unpack how p…

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The Importance of Public Art on Campus on College Campuses with Matthew Mazzotta & Nisa Barger 27:56

3M ago27:56

27:56

In the 14th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with artist and activist Matthew Mazzotta. They discuss how he became interested in the intersection of public art and activism, some of his most-known pieces, and how he created the recently installed public art piece at TXST, “Local Habitat” (also known as the Sleeping Bobcat). Presid…

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TXST Joins the Pac-12 Conference with Don Coryell & Brant Freeman 26:52

4M ago26:52

26:52

In this bonus episode of The Current, Athletics Announcer Brant Freeman talks with President Kelly Damphousse and Athletics Director Don Coryell about Texas State University joining the Pac-12 Conference. They discuss why the decision to change conferences was made, what joining the Pac-12 Conference means for the university, and how this milestone…

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Why Connection in Remote Teams Must Be Designed, Not Accidental (And How to Do It) 23:39

4M ago23:39

23:39

We’ve heard all the usual suspects when it comes to remote engagement—Slack check-ins, virtual happy hours, maybe an annual engagement survey if we’re lucky. But what if the problem isn’t the tools, but the assumptions? In this episode, David Rice sits down with Dr. Adora Ikwuemesi, whose recent qualitative study of remote workers in Nigeria reveal…

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How a Disney Skater Became a Startup Founder feat. Becky Jackson ’25 32:02

4M ago32:02

32:02

As the first figure skater to play Elsa in Disney On Ice’s Frozen and now a pioneer in the private security industry, Becky Jackson knows a thing or two about creating something from scratch. Before earning an MBA at Rice and becoming an entrepreneur, Becky had an illustrious figure skating career with Team USA and Disney. Now, she’s revolutionizin…

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From Values to Behaviors: How to Build a Culture of Candor 21:26

4M ago21:26

21:26

Candor is easy to value and hard to operationalize. It takes more than writing "feedback" on a poster and hoping people magically feel safe being honest. In this episode, I talk to Valentina Gissin, Chief People Officer at Garner Health, about how her team institutionalizes candor and turns culture into lived behavior—not empty slogans. We dig into…

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From Seaworld to San Marcos CISD Superintendent with Dr. Michael Cardona 21:23

4M ago21:23

21:23

In the 13th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with Dr. Michael Cardona, San Marcos Consolidated ISD superintendent. They discuss his changing interests while in college, how he landed on pursuing education administration, the new dual credit program with TXST and San Marcos CISD, and the importance of mentorship. Listen to new epis…

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The New Workplace 57:55

4M ago57:55

57:55

The COVID pandemic reshaped how we work, shifting many from office desks to home setups. As organizations consider office-forward, remote-first, or hybrid strategies, employees have their own preferences. In their new book, The New Workplace: Employee Alignment in Remote-First, Office-Forward, and Hybrid Work Organizations, Drake professors Dr. Rad…

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The New Manager Playbook: How to Lead with Clarity and Confidence 37:24

4M ago37:24

37:24

Most new managers aren't failing because they're bad at the job. They're failing because no one ever told them what the job actually is. In this episode, David talks with Lia Garvin, author of The New Manager Playbook, about the real barriers keeping new managers from delivering results. It's not a lack of ambition or intelligence. It's a complete …

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Shaping The Future of Retail feat. Ramon Marquez ’25 and Taylin Luzcando 36:37

4M ago36:37

36:37

Retail executive Ramon Marquez can point to virtually every store in a shopping mall and explain how he helped that brand grow. With a passion for retail dating back to his childhood, he’s built a career as a leader in merchandising, product management and retail operations for major retailers like JCPenney, Abercrombie & Fitch, Old Navy, and is no…

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From Government to Growth: Lessons in HR Leadership Across Sectors 20:51

4M ago20:51

20:51

Transitioning from the public sector to private HR isn't just a career move—it's a full-on culture shock. In this episode, Kimberly Williams, VP of People, Culture & Compliance at Walker Advertising, joins David to unpack her journey from federal HR to private enterprise, sharing hard-won lessons, surprising similarities, and the real stakes of nav…

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From Politics to Supporting Student Leaders with Jack Martin 27:11

4M ago27:11

27:11

In the 12th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with Jack Martin, TXST Distinguished Alumnus and thought leader in communications, politics, and business. They discuss how he became interested in politics while running for Student Senate at TXST, meeting LBJ during his visits to campus, his time as a Regent, and his support of the Ja…

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The Tech Talent Shift: Navigating AI, DEI, and Next-Gen Workforce Demands 29:20

4M ago29:20

29:20

What do tech hiring, Olympic figure skating, and the shifting tides of global work culture have in common? According to Ann Kuss, CEO of Outstaff Your Team, more than you'd think. In this episode, Ann joins David Rice to dissect the rapidly evolving landscape of tech talent: who's winning, who's losing, and why so many companies are still playing y…

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Transforming AI Literacy in the Classroom feat. Corey Layne Crouch ’13 38:39

5M ago38:39

38:39

Despite entering college as a pre-med major, Corey Layne Crouch ’13 found her calling in the classroom after working as a teacher’s aide for a kindergarten class. Switching majors, she set out on a path to transform the education system from within. Corey’s entrepreneurial mindset in her work as a high school English teacher and school principal le…

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Offsites Are the New Office: How to Drive Connection and Alignment in a Distributed World 24:48

5M ago24:48

24:48

Jared Kleinert, founder and CEO of Offsite, shares insights on the growing importance of team retreats in today’s distributed work environment. As remote and hybrid models become the norm, retreats have evolved from perks to essential strategies for keeping teams connected, aligned, and engaged. Jared emphasizes that planning intentional offsites i…

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Encouraging Dissent for Better Outcomes 35:58

5M ago35:58

35:58

In this episode of the Practitioner Scholar podcast, host Julio Zelaya sits down with Dr. Marikay Forst, a distinguished alumna of the Penn Chief Learning Officer program with over 25 years of experience in learning and development, human resources, and organizational behavior. Dr. Forst shares her academic journey, including her decision to join t…

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Authenticity or Bust: Why Performative Values Don't Work Anymore 24:04

5M ago24:04

24:04

Kelly Meerbott, CEO of YOU: Loud and Clear, dives into the growing disconnect between the C-suite and everyday employees, exposing how middle managers become "human shock absorbers" caught between corporate pressures and workforce realities. She calls out performative leadership and urges executives to prioritize coherence over charisma, advocating…

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The Benefits of Outdoor Therapy and Supporting Foster Alumni w/ Dr. Christine Norton 28:00

5M ago28:00

28:00

In the 11th episode of The Current, President Damphousse talks with Dr. Christine Norton, professor in the School of Social Work. They discuss why she entered the field of social work, her path to becoming a professor at TXST, her work with outdoor behavioral therapy, and the creation of the Foster Alumni Creating Educational Success (FACES) progra…

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Investing in Ideas You Believe in feat. Ben Mayberry ’76 32:40

5M ago32:40

32:40

As a seasoned entrepreneur, investor and mentor, Ben Mayberry ’76 has seen a lot of change in the Houston business sector over the last 50 years. Beginning his career in the technology sector, Ben went on to co-found companies like BSG and Winston Sage, and has been deeply involved in the Rice Business community through mentorship and recruiting. B…