Tune in: Alumni-hosted podcasts offer something for everyone

If you’re looking for a new podcast, why not stream one by a fellow Cornellian? Big Red alumni –including many from A&S – are hosting shows on a dizzying variety of topics—from pop culture to current affairs, sports to science.

Here’s a sampling of Cornellians' podcasts, highlighting A&S alumni: 

Sisters Who Watch

Shelby Holland ’18 & Laura Holland ’22

The title is descriptive: the two alums—Shelby from Arts & Sciences, Laura from ILR—view movies and TV shows and chat about them.

Recent content includes their take on the seventh season of “Love Island USA” and why “Hacks” is comedy gold.

Film-wise, they’ve contemplated whether Tom Cruise is past his prime (in a review of the final entry in the Mission Impossible franchise), how well Thunderbolts* assembles a new generation of Avengers, and much more.

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on Spotify

Good Game with Sarah Spain

Sarah Spain ’02

A longtime journalist at ESPN, Spain hosts the first-ever daily podcast devoted to women’s sports.

Produced for the iHeart Radio network, the show features Spain’s wide-ranging conversations with her guests—on topics from life after pro soccer to the allure of a WNBA fantasy league.

She also delves into social issues, on subjects like mental health, juggling athletics and motherhood, and the intersection of women’s sports and LGBTQ rights.

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on Spotify

The Ball Boys

Paul Munkholm ’99

The Arts & Sciences alum describes his show as a “gay snarky tennis podcast”—combining his love for the sport with comedy and queer culture.

Episodes include a round-up of a certain famed British tournament (“We’re so Wimbledone”) and a debate about the merits of playing on grass (“Agreein’ to Dis a Green”).

He and his cohost also chat about players, travel, tennis culture, and antics on and off the court.

Listen on Apple PodcastsListen on Spotify

The Aspiring Spirit

Kenann McKenzie ’98

An Africana Studies major on the Hill, McKenzie holds a PhD in education policy analysis from Columbia and now works as a consultant, college administrator, and motivational speaker.

She penned Learning, Listening & Leading, a guided journal for professional development. McKenzie started her podcast in memory of her son, Ian. It’s focused on promoting kindness, civic engagement, and connection across differences.

Travel with Purpose

Aileen Webster Hale ’87

Hale, a former government major in Arts & Sciences, holds a doctorate in international education from the University of San Francisco.

A consultant, she advises travelers on planning trips during which they can perform service or otherwise connect and make meaningful contributions.

Her podcast showcases guests who run nonprofits, own companies that offer purpose-driven travel opportunities, are longtime overseas volunteers, and more.

 

Fixing Healthcare … From the Trenches

Alejandro Badia ’85

A Miami-based orthopedic surgeon, Badia founded the podcast as a spinoff from his book, Healthcare from the Trenches. On it, the former biological sciences major talks to fellow surgeons, physicians, academics, administrators, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and others.

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