Best Alumni Affairs Podcasts (2025)

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Jim Rushton - Senior Vice President, Business Strategy and SoFi Stadium Affairs, Los Angeles Chargers 1:00:05

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3y ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Send us a text Jim Rushton’s love of media started in high school and flourished while working at, and ultimately running, WHCL. He turned that love into a career that went from radio to professional sports. In this episode Jim shares insight into the business side of sports and how it teaches you to watch a different game. Get tickets to Gabe Moll…

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Tom Vilsack - United States Secretary of Agriculture 46:02

3y ago46:02

46:02

Send us a text Tom Vilsack grew up a Democrat in a family of Republicans. The skills learned then have served him well throughout his 35 years in politics. This week he shares how he got his start in public service, how lessons learned at Hamilton have served him thorough out his career and what’s different the second time around serving as the Sec…

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David Chanatry - Journalist, Professor, Film Producer 1:00:52

3y ago1:00:52

1:00:52

Send us a text David Chanatry has long had a love of long form storytelling. This week he shares how that love fueled a career in journalism and how along with a love of Utica, it drove him to help create the documentary film Utica: The Last Refuge. Learn more about the film Utica: The Last Refuge Learn more about David’s show, The Ivory Tower on W…

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Helen Morse - Artist/Photographer/Author 58:40

3y ago58:40

58:40

Send us a text Photographer Helen Morse says the pandemic drained her creative desire to make images. But it awakened her desire to write. This week she joins the show to give insight into her art and why now was the right time to write her memoir, The Difficult Girl. She shares some details into the heartbreaking stories in the book and how they h…

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Peter Muggleworth, Film/Television Grip, Sound Operator, Actor 57:01

3y ago57:01

57:01

Send us a text As a high school student in Germany, Peter Muggleworth fell in love with TV & Movies. Hear how he went from Hamilton College to a wide ranging career that has seen him involved with many aspects of entertainment. He shares how he’s played a collection of villains as an actor, worked long hours as a member of production crews and how …

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Ryan Serhant, Real Estate Broker/Reality TV Star/Entrepreneur 1:01:50

3y ago1:01:50

1:01:50

Send us a text Ryan Serhant moved to New York City after college determined to be successful. This week he shares how he found that success but not in the way he originally planned. Hear how he went from actor to real estate agent to launching a successful real estate company. Learn more about Ryan’s business Order your copy of Wally Bressler’s new…

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Jessica Mozeico, Co-founder, Et Fille Wines 54:15

3y ago54:15

54:15

Send us a text As Jessica built a successful career in biotech, she never imagined her father’s interest in wine would lead her down an entirely new career path. This week she shares the story of how Et Fille came to be, how her early career prepared her for winemaking even if she didn’t know it and she gives Dave a lesson in the business of wine. …

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Kamila Shamsie - Award-winning Author 55:18

3+ y ago55:18

55:18

Send us a text Kamila Shamsie came to Hamilton from Pakistan with a dream of becoming a published author. This week she’s shares how that dream became a reality and how, as she gets ready to publish her eighth novel, her process helps her build on her incredible success. Preorder Kamila’s forthcoming novel Best of Friends . All music by Doctuh Mich…

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Justin Ginsberg - Founder & President, OnHold.com 1:02:06

3+ y ago1:02:06

1:02:06

Send us a text For many in the Hamilton community this week's guest is known as Justinio on the Radio, the voice of WHCL in the early 2000's. Justin Ginsberg took that voice and used it--along with a lot of guts and hard work--to build a successful business. This week we hear how Justin built OnHold.com into one of the top on hold messaging and mus…

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John Hewko - CEO, Rotary International 55:43

3+ y ago55:43

55:43

Send us a text As the world focuses on Ukraine, we talk to a man who had a front row seat to the country’s history. John Hewko was in the Ukrainian parliament the night they declared independence in 1991 and helped craft the post-Soviet constitution. This week he shares his story, his role in helping shape Ukrainian history and his thoughts on the …

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Missy Segall - Professional Hockey Player 54:53

3+ y ago54:53

54:53

Send us a text Just when Missy Segall thought her hockey career was ending prematurely due to COVID-19, the Buffalo Beauts came calling to fulfill Missy's childhood dream of playing professional hockey. This week Missy talks about making the jump from D3 to the Premier Hockey Federation and how she's also getting hands on business school training w…

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Sammy Johnson & Chad Varney - Cofounders, Upcurl 54:18

3+ y ago54:18

54:18

Send us a text This week we meet Sammy Johnson and Chad Varney who turned an independent study project into a successful business. Upcurl is a clothing brand making a positive impact on the environment. Learn how to all started and what the future holds for Upcurl. Learn more about the brand at Upcurl’s website Check out Upcurl on Instagram - DM th…

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A Trip Down Memory Lane 23:21

3+ y ago23:21

23:21

Send us a text Weather knocked out this week’s guest, so a scramble to put together an episode leads to a painful but possibly entertaining trip down memory lane. In this episode you get to hear Dave like never before...or at least not like you’ve heard in 25 years. Music by Doctuh Michael WoodsBy Dave Bolger

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Fred Rogers - “Dean & Docent of the Hamilton College Cemetery”; Director of Gift Planning 1:06:40

3+ y ago1:06:40

1:06:40

Send us a text Fred Rogers is a trained historian so it was only natural that he’d dig into the deep history of Hamilton upon his arrival. Through his research he discovered a personal connection to the school and developed a deep appreciation of just how much history is buried in the school’s cemetery. His love of that history led him to giving co…

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Kyandreia Jones - Author 57:43

3+ y ago57:43

57:43

Send us a text Kyandreia Jones dreamed of being a writer as a young child. By twenty she was a published author, This week she talks about the adjustment moving from South Florida to Clinton, NY, what it’s like writing Choose Your Own Adventure books and the importance of joy. Preorder Kyandreia’s next book The Ghost on the Mountain Buy Kyandreia’s…

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David Solomon - Chairman & CEO, Goldman Sachs; Chair of the Hamilton College Board of Trustees 39:00

3+ y ago39:00

39:00

Send us a text We kick off 2022 with the Chair of the Board. David Solomon shares how Hamilton made an impact on him, why he remains engaged with the school, and the different types of leadership lessons he learned in school. Check out Dave Bolger’s appearance on Life on the Hill All music by Doctuh Michael Woods…

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McDonough Talks | Student Government Association 30:20

4y ago30:20

30:20

Outgoing President and Vice-President of the McDonough School of Business Student Government Association, Stephanie Morales, and Alina Rosenthal, join the podcast to reflect on their time serving our community. In this Roundtable episode, we discuss why Stephanie and Alina chose to be in leadership positions, some of the challenges they faced, advi…

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Meg Swertlow - Award-winning Filmmaker 57:07

4y ago57:07

57:07

Send us a text When you know you want to do something, sometimes you just need to make the decision to go ahead and do it. That’s how Meg Swertlow became a filmmaker. This week’s guest talks about the various times in her life when she made changes to go after what she wants. A fun chat with a woman the International Screenwriters Association calls…

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Rachel Weinstein - Tony Award-winning Producer 54:23

4y ago54:23

54:23

Send us a text Rachel Weinstein went to Hamilton College thinking she’d be a lawyer. While studying theater she set herself on a path to becoming a successful Broadway producer. This week she shares insight into how she got her start, how she built her career, and all that goes in to creating a show. All music by Doctuh Michael Woods…

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Marge Petteys - Legendary dining hall worker 45:02

4y ago45:02

45:02

Send us a text For nearly 30 years Marge Petteys has served as a surrogate mother to countless students. She’s helped students overcome loneliness, offered advice and given big hugs. While she’s played a role in helping students overcome their insecurities, she shares how working at Hamilton helped her deal with her own insecurities. She’s truly on…

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Jeff Cournoyer, Managing Director - Mount Ida Campus of Umass Amherst 1:16:22

4y ago1:16:22

1:16:22

Send us a text A liberal arts education is said to help develop well rounded individuals. This week’s guest Jeff Cournoyer credits his Hamilton experience for his ability to navigate a career that has spanned roles in government, professional sports and higher education. Despite being close friends, Dave still hears stories he’s never heard and lea…

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McDonough Talks | War Stories 23:46

4y ago23:46

23:46

McDonough Military Association leaders Derek Cunningham and Chrissie Kasper join the podcast to promote War Stories. War Stories is an annual KEGS event and serves as a platform for military veterans to share their active military service stories. The stories run the gamut, and this is a fantastic event for the McDonough community at large. Not onl…

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Reflections on a Visit to Campus 25:50

4y ago25:50

25:50

Send us a text No guest this week. Instead Dave shares some thoughts on his first visit to Hamilton in almost 15 years. All music by Doctuh Michael WoodsBy Dave Bolger

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Alex Slater, Founder & CEO Clyde Group 49:08

4y ago49:08

49:08

Send us a text Alex Slater only spent one year at Hamilton College, but that year played a significant role in his life. This week Alex talk about coming to the US from Scotland and how his year at Hamilton influenced his decision to settle in America. He also provides insight into what it’s like building his own company and the health issues he’s …

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McDonough Talks | Letters to My Brown Mother 40:44

4y ago40:44

40:44

In this episode, we welcome our first-ever alumni guest to the show, Muzna Abbas. Muzna is a dual master’s degree graduate from Georgetown in business and foreign service. Currently, she is a Strategy & Analytics Consultant in Deloitte’s Federal Practice, and she’s also a published author. As a first-generation Pakastani-American, Muzna wrote “Lett…

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McDonough Talks | An International Affair 38:15

4y ago38:15

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On this Roundtable episode of McDonough Talks, we chat with second-year (FT '22) MBA student Chuks Igabari and first-year (FT '23) MBA student Sophia Estermann about their MBA experiences as international students. Prior to coming to Georgetown, Chuks worked in a strategy role for an Africa-focused integrated digital payments and commerce company. …

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Wally Bressler, Real Estate Advisor/Sales Coach 1:07:39

4y ago1:07:39

1:07:39

Send us a text Wally Bressler coaches his clients on the importance of overcoming the reluctance of making sales calls. That reluctance, he says, often comes from deep seeded issues of anxiety, self-esteem, or even depression. He knows because he’s dealt with all of those issues and more. Those issues led to bad decisions throughout his life and ul…

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Lauren Reynolds, ESPN Executive Editor 1:04:00

4y ago1:04:00

1:04:00

Send us a text Lauren Reynolds knew she wanted to work in sports journalism from a young age. Hear how she turned a role as Sports Editor of the Spectator into a successful career at ESPN. She also shares lessons learned throughout her career and what she shares with students looking to follow in her footsteps. All music by Doctuh Michael Woods…

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Chris Holm, Award-winning Author 1:18:10

4y ago1:18:10

1:18:10

Send us a text In moving from a career in science to becoming an award-winning author, Chris Holm learned the importance of admitting when something isn't right for you. This week he talks to Dave about his evolution from a career in science to becoming a fiction writer. He talks about finding the right agent and shares some behind the scenes insig…

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McDonough Talks | A Dual Degree Experience at Georgetown 43:32

4y ago43:32

43:32

Joey Gonzales, a dual-degree, SFS – International Relations and MBA student, joins the podcast to share his perspective on his Georgetown experience. Joey graduated from West Point, and he has a passion for serving others. After leaving West Point, he served as a Field Artillery Officer in the US Army in Operation Inherent Resolve in Syria and Oper…

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Mason Ashe, Sports Agent, Talent Manager, Hamilton College Trustee 1:17:16

4y ago1:17:16

1:17:16

Send us a text Mason Ashe has helped grow the careers of professional athletes, entertainers and content creators for over 30 years. This week he joins to share his view on how he views what his job entails, how persistence and the power of persuasion have been key for his success and how Hamilton College has played a role throughout his career. Al…

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Matt Cartwright, US Representative 1:00:44

4y ago1:00:44

1:00:44

Send us a text United States Representative Matt Cartwright joins this week to share some of the lessons he learned as a trial lawyer and how those lessons translate into valuable skills in Congress. He also talks about how he balances the many aspects of his job and the importance of seeking out advice. https://www.cartwrightcongress.com/ All musi…

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Jon Bellona, Sound Artist, Professor, Founder - Run For The Fallen 1:09:18

4y ago1:09:18

1:09:18

Send us a text As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, we hear from Jon Bellona as he recounts the creation of Run for the Fallen which honored his Hamilton roommate Matt Cleary and all those killed in action. Jon also talks about his Hamilton experience as the son of the head of Hamilton’s physical plant and shares insight into his art and art…

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McDonough Talks | All in on Conservation and Social Impact 44:07

4y ago44:07

44:07

On this Roundtable episode of McDonough Talks, we chat with second-year (FT '22) MBA students Hallie Sacks Danberg and Leo Taffe to learn about their summer internship experiences. Hallie worked with The Conservation Finance Network, while Leo spent his summer in Colorado working for the National Parks Service. In addition to these endeavors, Halli…

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Matt Zeller, Combat Veteran, Former CIA Analyst, Co-founder of No One Left Behind 53:07

4y ago53:07

53:07

Send us a text For months, combat veteran and former CIA analyst Matt Zeller warned US officials that the situation we now see unfolding in Afghanistan was coming. He has been an outspoken leader in the fight to help evacuate Afghan interpreters. And now, as the situation worsens, Matt is working tirelessly to help save the lives of those that help…

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McDonough Talks | Taking the Unconventional MBA Route 28:53

4y ago28:53

28:53

In Season 2, we begin looking into all things related to MBA Careers. And in episode 1, we are joined by Justin Chaljub, a current FT '22 MBA student at the McDonough School of Business who is working towards a career in sports. After graduating from the University of Chicago and beginning a career in marketing and Digital Media for Exelon, Justin …

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Travis Hill, Associate Dean of Students for Student Engagement 58:39

4y ago58:39

58:39

Send us a text Travis Hill has spent 18 years working to make life more engaging and rewarding for students at Hamilton College. This week he joins Dave to talk about how he’s seen the school evolve over those 18 years and what the school is doing now to help students be successful outside the classroom. He also talks about the podcast he’s created…

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Remembering Robert Moses, Civil Rights Activist & Educator 1:02:37

4y ago1:02:37

1:02:37

Send us a text This week the Hamilton College community lost a truly great member of its family with the death of Civil Rights activist Robert Moses. As a way to honor him, we share the audio of an on-campus event he did for the Days-Massolo Center in February 2019. Hear him talk about his work in the movement, the role education—particularly math …

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Michael Breslin, Writer & Performer 1:04:00

4y ago1:04:00

1:04:00

Send us a text From Circle Jerk, to Ratatouille: The Tik Tok Musical, to This American Wife, it’s been a wild ride of a year for producer, writer and performer Michael Breslin. He joins the show this week to talk about all of his recent success and how the theater program at Hamilton College put him on this path. Learn more about Michael’s work: ht…

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Gabe Mollica, Comedian & Podcaster 1:03:27

4y ago1:03:27

1:03:27

Send us a text Comedian Gabe Mollica joins this week to share what it’s like working in NYC as a stand up. He talks about how he got into comedy, how lessons learned at Hamilton College help him today, and how starting a podcast has helped him reconnect with people he hasn’t spoken to in a decade. Check out Gabe’s podcast on Apple or Spotify All mu…

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Edvige Jean-François, Journalist & Producer 1:02:15

4y ago1:02:15

1:02:15

Send us a text Award winning journalist Edvige Jean-François was a driving force behind the creation of the very special “We Are Hamilton” issue of Hamilton Magazine. This week she joins to talk about the creation of the issue, the importance of amplifying the voices of black members of the Hamilton community and how working on the magazine helped …

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Michael Tennant, Empathy Expert & Entrepreneur 56:49

4y ago56:49

56:49

Send us a text In the recent edition of Hamilton magazine, Michael Tennant writes, “The healing we are looking for might need to start from within.” This week he talks to Dave about how his quest for healing put him on a path to helping others find that healing and begin spreading empathy. Learn more about Michael’s work at Curiosity Labs Learn mor…

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Kat McGrory, Pulitzer Prize-winning Investigative Journalist 1:02:41

4+ y ago1:02:41

1:02:41

Send us a text This week’s guest Kat McGrory says watchdog journalism is critical to help local newspapers hold those in power accountable for their actions. That’s something she’s done so well in her career, she recently won a Pulitzer for her work in exposing questionable policing tactics by a local sheriff. Hear the Deputy Editor of Investigatio…

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McDonough Talks | Time to Flex 46:51

4+ y ago46:51

46:51

On this Roundtable edition of McDonough Talks, Sam and I welcome two "flex" students here at the McDonough School of Business to the show, Yasi Akbari and T.J. Fleming. Yasi works for PwC full-time as a consultant, and T.J. is pursuing a career in real estate finance. T.J. was a teacher but found his way into the wine industry as the founding and h…

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Gillian Zucker, President, Los Angeles Clippers 43:04

4+ y ago43:04

43:04

Send us a text When Gillian Zucker heard Steve Ballmer was buying the LA Clippers she knew being President of the team would be the perfect job for her. This week she shares insight into her career through professional sports, how she landed her current job, and what it’s like as one of the highest ranking women in professional sports. This episode…

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Sarah Damaske, Sociologist & Author 1:00:25

4+ y ago1:00:25

1:00:25

Send us a text Sarah Damaske is a sociologist, a professor, and an author. This week she tells Dave there is nothing else she’d rather be doing. During this great conversation we hear about Sarah’s path to discovering her calling as a sociologist (via a major in Comparative Literature) and we hear about her new book The Tolls of Uncertainty, which …

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Derek Brand, Chief Operating Officer, New York Bio 1:07:23

4+ y ago1:07:23

1:07:23

Send us a text Like many first year college students Derek Brand thought everyone else had it figured out. Over the course of his time at the school playing rugby and studying abroad he came to understand that few people had it figured out. This week Dave welcomes Derek, his classmate and former rugby teammate for a chat that explores Derek’s journ…

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Lisa Magnarelli, Hamilton's Director of College Events & Scheduling 59:30

4+ y ago59:30

59:30

Send us a text Fresh off completing a year that saw her team manage Hamilton’s COVID testing program and plan Commencement in a condensed timeline, Lisa Magnarelli joins to talk about her unique Hamilton experience. Lisa discovered the possibility of a career as a college administrator as a student intern in Hamilton’s Student Activities office and…

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Ty Seidule, Retired US Army Brigadier General/Author/Chamberlain Fellow 53:09

4+ y ago53:09

53:09

Send us a text Less than 24 hours before he delivered Hamilton College’s 2021 Commencement Address, Ty Seidule joins Dave for a conversation. During this chat, Ty shares his impressions of Hamilton and its students, how they compare to West Point cadets and he talks about his latest book Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s Reckoning with the Myth …

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McDonough Talks | Wise words and sage advice from a McDonough second-year student 51:56

4+ y ago51:56

51:56

Rohan Shamapant, a second-year student and almost MBA graduate, joins the podcast to reflect on his time at the McDonough School of Business. During business school, Rohan was an integral part of the McDonough community. Please tune in to this episode to hear our fascinating conversation about service leadership, empathy, selfishness, role modeling…