Going Forth Podcast

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Going Forth Podcast

A podcast from The Center for Careers, Life, and Service at Grinnell College. Conversations with alu

11/30/2023

This new episode is full of stories and wisdom from alum and recent Scholars' Convocation speaker, David White '90. As a student at Grinnell, David discovered the importance of community, relationships, and a strong sense of self. A Rhodes Scholar with a vast array of professional experience, David reflects on the lessons and philosophies that have shaped his career. Listen to learn more about the important people and moments that led David to Stanford Law School, SAG-AFTRA, and beyond!

Listen on the Going Forth website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎧

David White ‘90, is the CEO of 3CG, a premier executive coaching and strategy consulting firm. He is the incoming Chair of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, the nation’s largest Fed Bank by population and geography. A Rhodes Scholar and Stanford Law School graduate, he is the former CEO of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and is a director of the global consulting firm, RGP (Nasdaq: RGP). David is Board Chair of the Mayor’s Fund for Los Angeles, which brings private sector resources to address public sector challenges. He is a strategic advisor to the VC firm, Ulu Ventures. A member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, he is a director of the Blackhouse Foundation, which supports Black filmmakers and entertainment industry executives. David is based in Los Angeles, CA.

11/22/2023

✨ NEW EPISODE! ✨

We're kicking off the new season with a fabulous guest! Latona Giwa '09, describes themselves as a "Birth Worker, Reproductive Justice Leader & Writer." In this episode we hear about Latona's experience within the realm of birth and reproductive justice, and how they continue to draw on skills and knowledge they acquired as a student at Grinnell.

Latona Tope Giwa (she/they) is a parent, perinatal health advocate, birth doula, Registered Nurse, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), and writer based in New Orleans, LA. Latona has worked as a community organizer, a delivery and lactation nurse in the hospital, a doula wherever birth may happen, and a home-visiting maternal-child health nurse. In 2011 and 2018, they founded the birth justice organizations Birthmark Doula Collective and New Orleans Breastfeeding Center. In 2023, Latona became the Executive Director of the Midwest Access Project- to fill the gaps in comprehensive reproductive health care provider training.

Latona thinks, writes, and builds community around the intersections of birth justice, racial justice, parenting for liberation, and Black body politics. Her analysis builds on her personal experience as a Black, q***r, parent, a daughter, and a survivor. She has taught workshops and lectured on topics ranging from birth justice and Black chestfeeding to eroticism in parenting and trauma-informed perinatal support. She has served on several Louisiana state and provider committees to improve perinatal health inequities.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts, or on the CLS website! https://loom.ly/cJJLZko

08/23/2023

Welcome back Grinnellians! We’re gearing up for season four this fall and can’t wait to bring you new episodes! ✨

But in the meantime, check out some of our most listened to episodes. 🙌

05/26/2023

If there’s one thing we believe on Going Forth, it's in the power of the human voice to tell meaningful stories. So 3 Seasons and 41 Episodes later, we're finally doing an episode all about podcasts.

On the Season 3 Finale, Nicholas talks to Sasha Aslanian ‘90, who spent 30 years in public media working as a reporter and producer before moving to New York City in 2022 to take a job as a Supervising Producer with the podcast team at ABC News. Her commitment to Grinnell is extraordinary: she’s been a longtime Class Fund Director and serves on the Alumni Council, where she chairs a new committee on alumni-student engagement. If that wasn’t enough, she married a fellow Grinnellian and their youngest daughter is a member of the class of 2026.

Later, Going Forth gets ready to embark on an exciting new chapter. Jane and Nicholas say goodbye to the podcast ahead of their upcoming adventures studying off campus as the new hosts and producers, Maya Sciaretta '25 and Lilli Morrish '25 do their first unofficial interview.

🎙️Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

05/11/2023

Cameo Carlson ‘93 is music royalty. On this episode, she is joined by special guest host Emma Kieran Schaefer `23, an Independent Major in multimedia storytelling from Niwot, Colorado, to discuss her career from being dubbed the "rock czarina of San Francisco" to "queen of the ringtone" by Billboard magazine. A talented singer-songwriter, Emma brings her curiosity and interest in the music industry for a conversation about Cameo’s journey, from being a KDIC host and Harris DJ to working at the forefront of streaming music at iTunes and later as the CEO of mtheory, a management and development group that works with over 25 managers representing over 100 artists.

Alongside her triumphs, Cameo also candidly discusses the industry’s challenges with racism, sexism, and ageism, issues she directly engages through her work on the Equal Access Initiative at mtheory, which seeks to expand access to resources for managers that have been historically underrepresented in the country music genre and business world.

This episode features "Mirror," an original song by Emma Kieran. You can find more of her music on ⁠Spotify⁠!

🎙️Listen wherever you get your podcasts!

05/05/2023

Not many Grinnellians can say that when they graduated, the president of the college told their parents how talented they were. But if you're Ian Roberts '87, that was only the beginning. After graduating from Grinnell, he went on to found the legendary improv and sketch comedy troupe the Upright Citizens Brigade. Over his three-decade career in the entertainment industry, he's worked as an actor, writer, and director, as well as showrunner/executive producer of TV Land's "Teachers", and Comedy Central's "Key and Peele" for which he won an Emmy and Peabody Award.

On this episode, host Nicholas Lampietti '25 is joined by special guest-host Nadia Langley '23, a French and History double major from Madison, Wisconsin who's about to enter the job market. Together, they discuss pursuing a career in comedy: from what makes a good scene to following your passions, even when you've racked up tens of thousands of dollars of credit card debt.

Listen on our website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️

04/28/2023

✨NEW EPISODE✨

Deqa Aden, class of 2018, is all about making an impact. Working in the field of international development, she’s applied her research skills, degrees in political science and psychology, and lived experience towards improving the world. A 2022 Obama Scholar, she’s now wrapping up her master’s degree program at the University of Chicago’s Harris School of Public Policy. Her lived experience, professional background in the world of international development, and ongoing academic journey lends her a unique perspective on how the field can make positive change—and highlights the ways that the field itself must change in order to be truly responsive to community needs.

In this conversation, Deqa reflects on her experiences working at both macro and the micro institutions—from the World Bank to an entrepreneurial incubator in Somaliland, and the unique challenges and opportunities innate to both. We touch on building a positive workplace culture, leading with enthusiasm, and the importance of personal mission in driving change.

Listen wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️

04/21/2023

✨New Episode!!✨

27 miles to the southwest of Grinnell is the Newton Correctional Facility. It is a medium and low security prison: one of the 1,500 state prisons that blanket our nation. Since 2002, the U.S. has had the highest incarceration rate in the world. In many parts of America, according to the Washington Post, there are more people living in prisons than there are living on college campuses.

Our guests on this episode are Grinnellians — Emily Guenther ‘07, Jason Ross, and Jason Darrah — whose classes did not take place on-campus, but at the Newton Correctional Facility, as a part of the Liberal Arts in Prison Program. Today, the initiative is one of 15 programs nationally in the Consortium for the Liberal Arts in Prison that offer access to a college education for incarcerated individuals.

This is a story about redefining what it means to be a Grinnellian, and how thanks to the power of a liberal arts education, we grant access to life-changing opportunities. 🎓

Listen wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️

03/22/2023

We hope you’re enjoying spring break like we are! ☀️

🎙️New episodes dropping when we return!

03/03/2023

✨NEW✨

Eric Otoo 01’s resume is the stuff most people dream about. He’s worked across a range of business, finance, and consulting roles at firms like McKinsey and Goldman Sachs, only taking a break to graduate from Harvard Business School. Returning to his home country of Ghana, he’s implemented award-winning turnaround plans to ensure profitability for various companies and was appointed by the Minister of Finance to lead the restructuring of Ghana’s financial sector.

On this episode, we demystify the world of consulting, unpackcareer paths in finance, and explore questions about financial reform. We discuss the importance of mentorship, building and maintaining a successful network, and the value of hard work. For Eric, “paying it forward” is not just a job, but a mantra.

Listen on our website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️

02/24/2023

✨NEW EPISODE✨

Dr. Kartik Sheth ‘93’s career has spanned the solar system. A world-renowned astrophysicist, he’s currently a program scientist at NASA Headquarters while advising science and technology policy at the White House. A committed activist, he’s also had a parallel career in diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility advocacy and is the founder and CEO of Empowered Earth Alliance: a nonprofit that works with local leaders to empower them to crest their own sustainable solutions for climate resilience. 🌎

In this episode, we discuss his advice for navigating and succeeding across academic, government and nonprofit spheres, especially for individuals who have been historically underrepresented in those spaces. The universe is unimaginably vast, but as Dr. Sheth shares with us, we live in a small world where connection is everything. 💫

Available now on our website or wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️

02/10/2023

✨NEW EPISODE✨ Our season 3 opener is a BIG one!

We are thrilled to welcome Oscar-nominated comedian, writer, and actor Kumail Nanjiani ‘01 to Going Forth. In this episode, we chart his course rising through the ranks of stand-up comedy, landing his first writing gig, and making it onto the big screen. We’re excited to share this conversation about the power of storytelling, connection, and creativity. You don’t want to miss this episode!

Available now wherever you get your podcasts! 🎙️

📷: Brian Bowen Smith

01/27/2023

Got that✨BIG✨Energy for season 3!
This is just a hint at what’s coming this semester… 🤯

New episodes dropping soon! 🎙️

01/23/2023

It’s officially the start of spring semester, which means ✨ NEW✨episodes of Going Forth are coming soon!

In the meantime, check out some of our great episodes from seasons 1, 2 & 3 — including this one from season 1! If you’ve got summer on your mind, this episode walks you through different ways to spend your summer in a meaningful way! ☀️

Stay tuned for new episodes soon! 🎙️

12/22/2022

NEW!✨

Welcome to the Season 2 finale episode! Change is in the air as we revisit old friends, who reaffirm that great things happen when you least expect them and sometimes, it’s up to you to take the plunge. We also say goodbye to Producer & Co-Host Meredith Benjamin '24 as she goes forth on a new adventure studying off-campus next spring.

Available now anywhere you get your podcasts!

Be sure to stay tuned for information about Season 3 coming soon! Until then, happy holidays from ‘Going Forth!’❤️

12/22/2022

NEW!✨

Welcome to the Season 2 finale episode! Change is in the air as we revisit old friends, who reaffirm that great things happen when you least expect it and that sometimes, it’s up to you to take the plunge. We also say goodbye to Producer & Co-Host Meredith Benjamin '24 as she goes forth on a new adventure studying off-campus next spring.

Available now anywhere you get your podcasts!

Be sure to stay tuned for information about Season 3 coming soon! Until then, happy holidays from ‘Going Forth.’ ❤️

12/19/2022

NEW!✨

Christa Desir '96 lives by a rule: Say yes, and try everything. Christa has done it all. She’s been a radio producer. A kickboxing instructor. A chief financial officer who works in barter and trade. The talent manager of the Marlborough Cowboys. A small business founder, totally by accident. The editor for novelist E.L. James, author of ‘50 Shades of Grey.’ But perhaps the most fascinating thing Christa has done is do *all* of these things in a world that likes when people fit neatly into a single box.

Filled with wisdom and stories that will make you laugh out loud, this episode is a deep dive into what life looks like when we’re willing to say the simple words, “Sure, why not?”

TW: Christa has worked as a r**e victim advocate, and this episode includes mentions of sexual assault/r**e.

Available now anywhere you get your podcasts!

12/10/2022

NEW!✨

Why does good journalism matter? What does "work-life balance" mean when there’s a 24-hour news cycle to cover? How do journalists cope when reporting traumatic news? As citizens, how should we discern fake news from truth? These are the questions we explore with Silvia Foster-Frau '15, the multiculturalism reporter at The Washington Post, and Stephen Gruber-Miller ‘15, the Statehouse reporter at The Des Moines Register. This episode is your inside scoop on journalism, and breaking news: it's one you don't want to miss.

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https://www.goingforthgrinnell.com/

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Videos

Sneak peak from our latest episode, featuring Leslie Bleichner ‘07. Listen to more in “Education Is My Playground,” available wherever you get your podcasts.