Episodes

  • Elizabeth Doyle Shows How An Amherst Degree Can Lead Somewhere Beautifully Unexpected

    Elizabeth Doyle Shows How An Amherst Degree Can Lead Somewhere Beautifully Unexpected
    Feb 17 2026
    Elizabeth Doyle is one of the proprietors of Doyle & Doyle, a purveyor of antique and vintage jewelry based in New York City. We talk about her wonderfully serendipitous path from Amherst College to the Gemological Institute of America, and then into building a jewelry business that has now spanned decades. Her journey is a delightful example of the good things that can happen from saying 'yes,' learning by doing, and staying open to whatever unfolds. Elizabeth also gives a window into what makes her so good at her work. It's so liberal arts. She knows the chemistry, histories, and stories of the objects she sells. She also has what it takes to guide couples from engagement ring decisions to helping them celebrate life's most memorable milestones. Highlights: Why selling engagement rings can feel like providing couples therapy How Elizabeth went from pre-med to geology to gemology Her leap into entrepreneurship, starting from nothing, learning on the fly, and the early lesson of “don’t spread yourself too thin” Why it's a really bad idea to serve red wine during a store opening Visit https://doyledoyle.com and email Elizabeth at elizabeth@doyledoyle.com.
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    56 mins
  • John Haskell Chose Russia, And One Forged Signature Changed Everything

    John Haskell Chose Russia, And One Forged Signature Changed Everything
    Feb 10 2026
    John Haskell has spent over 20 years living in Russia, a decision that began as a calculated professional bet in the post-Soviet 1990s and became, almost accidentally, a permanent life. John walks us through what it has meant to build a family, a business, and a sense of home in a place most Americans only know through headlines, and why the reality on the ground often looks very different from what we imagine from afar. We talk about the moment that anchored him there: a near-surreal episode involving forged documents, vanished partners, and a company secretly sold out from under him. Out of that chaos came an improbable outcome: John salvaged thousands of acres of farmland and eventually built a cattle operation that he still operates to this day. Along the way, he offers rare, thoughtful context about personal safety, perceived risk, and what daily life in Russia actually feels like for an American who has chosen to stay. John also reflects on the enduring value of a liberal arts education—especially language learning—as preparation for an uncertain future. Highlights include: What it’s really like to live in Russia as an American during decades of political and social upheaval How a near-fraud and forged signature unexpectedly rooted John there Why perceived danger and lived security often don’t line up The long-term value of language learning and a liberal arts toolkit The Amherst classmates he wants me to interview next. Email John at johnhhaskell@gmail.com or find him on Facebook. Big thanks to Evan Wollen for nominating John.
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    1 hr and 20 mins
  • Ricky Quinones Has A Grammy, And Yet Still Approaches Music With Humility

    Ricky Quinones Has A Grammy, And Yet Still Approaches Music With Humility
    Feb 3 2026
    Ricky Quinones has spent his life exploring and expressing music across genres, geographies, and stages, from Amherst to New York, including Broadway, and Grammy-winning collaborations. Ricky opens up about his musical evolution, the artists who shaped him, and why the blues remains the emotional and structural foundation of everything he plays (and, surprisingly, what he sometimes hears in the music of JS Bach). We talk about the lessons learned from proximity to greatness, playing alongside artists like Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, and India.Arie (with whom he won a Grammy). Ricky reflects candidly on what it takes to sustain a career in one of the most competitive and uncertain of professions, and why preparation and empathy matter more than virtuosity alone. He also revisits his Amherst years, a time he describes as creatively fertile but emotionally difficult, when music became something deeply personal and stabilizing. Today, Ricky continues to evolve as a musician and as a mentor and substitute teacher in Queens, finding new ways to keep his creative cup full while giving back. Highlights: Why the blues serves as Ricky’s musical “mother tongue” across genres What he has learned by watching and working alongside legendary collaborators The keys to sustaining a long career in professional music The classmate he wants me to interview next Email Ricky at rickyqmusic1@gmail.com. Big thanks to David Young for nominating Ricky.
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    51 mins
  • Sonia Nagorski Reads Earth’s Past To Help Predict And Improve Its Future

    Sonia Nagorski Reads Earth’s Past To Help Predict And Improve Its Future
    Jan 27 2026
    As a very amateur geologist, I've been looking forward to catching up with Sonia Nagorski ever since my podcast project started. That's because she's a geologist whose work focuses on understanding Earth’s history and what it can tell us about the world we humans are shaping today. Perhaps not surprisingly, she and I share a sense of wonder about the mind-bending qualities of Earth time and the pleasures of connecting to the geology right under our feet. We talk about her two decades living and teaching in Alaska, the sense of community that comes from life at the edge of wilderness, and her recent move to the University of Colorado Boulder. Along the way, Sonia explains how geology provides essential context for understanding topics that go beyond geology, and why learning to notice and name the landscape around us can deepen both curiosity and responsibility. Highlights: Why geology is best understood as history told on Earth’s timescale What living in Alaska taught her about community, resilience, and connection to place Simple ways to build curiosity about the geology all around us The three Amherst classmates she wants me to interview next You can email her at sonianagorski@gmail.com. Also, check out the Rockd app to learn about the geology in your neck of the woods. Big thanks to Deb Thalheimer Long for nominating Sonia.
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    44 mins
  • Mike Gold Makes The Case For Big Swings That Lead To Practical Good

    Mike Gold Makes The Case For Big Swings That Lead To Practical Good
    Jan 20 2026
    Mike Gold has built a life defined by range. He ran an art gallery in New York. He scaled an animation studio to nearly 200 artists. He has built backend systems for massively multiplayer online games, collaborated with DARPA on next-generation engineering tools, and even mined gold on a beach in Nome, Alaska. Mike traces the throughline that unites these pursuits: he loves learning, assembling strong teams, and building systems that improve the human experience. Today that compass points to two long-term missions: helping more children learn to read earlier, and reducing serious sports injuries through a short weekly training regimen that is proven to deliver outsized results. Highlights include: Mining gold in Nome and what it taught him about persistence and problem-solving Why early reading is one of the most studied areas of learning yet still lagging in successful outcomes An introduction to RIIP REPS, a 35 to 40 minute weekly program designed to reduce injuries and improve performance especially for teenage athletes The Amherst classmate he nominates for a future episode You can email Mike at HancockGold@gmail.com. Thanks to Jordan Hayslip for nominating him.
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    47 mins
  • Asim Ahmed Reflects On Caregiving, Infectious Disease Sleuthing, And The Soundtrack Of His Life

    Asim Ahmed Reflects On Caregiving, Infectious Disease Sleuthing, And The Soundtrack Of His Life
    Jan 13 2026
    Asim Ahmed has three passions: the detection and workings of infectious diseases, sports (especially his hometown St. Louis teams), and music, and in this wide-ranging conversation, he shows how each one has shaped his life. We talk about his one-of-a-kind custom jerseys (clever mashups of teams, players, and music references), his journey from pediatric infectious disease (ID) in academic medicine to metagenomic diagnostics in biotech, and the “detective work” mindset that drew him to ID in the first place. We also close with something deeply personal: Asim reflects on the reality of caring for aging parents, including how complex the system can be, and why he’s willing to help others who find themselves learning it on the fly. Highlights include: The art (and satire) of his custom sports jerseys Why he was drawn to infectious disease The promise of “liquid biopsy”–style diagnostics for infections The live shows and venues that he'll never forget The Amherst classmate he wants me to interview next For those not familiar with "Seven Nations Army" by the White Stripes, you can listen to it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0J2QdDbelmY. You can email Asim at atothe3@gmail.com. Big thanks to JC Leveque for nominating him.
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    51 mins
  • Mariela Rexach Learned To Stop Following The Script

    Mariela Rexach Learned To Stop Following The Script
    Jan 6 2026
    Mariela Rexach's life reflects a combination of steadiness, self-knowledge, and humble assertiveness. From Amherst to Penn Law and back home to Puerto Rico, Mariela has raised a family and built a nearly three-decade career at the same women-owned labor and employment law firm. She shares the thinking that has helped her make decisions that align with her values rather than conventional expectations. Mariela reflects on the mentorship of a federal judge she credits with giving her more than any advanced degree ever could. She talks candidly about how fear fuels her courtroom preparation, the recurring discomfort that comes with new challenges, and how she has learned to recognize those feelings as signals that she’s exactly where she needs to be. Listen carefully and you'll take away so much wisdom, including what it looks like to advocate for yourself, how to shape your work around your life, how to ask for what you need, and the importance of leading with empathy. Highlights Why “getting comfortable being uncomfortable” has been one of Mariela’s most valuable skills acquired at Amherst How fear and self-doubt can be harnessed as tools for preparation and excellence Why there’s no single template for success, and why playing to your strengths is so much more important than playing to expectations The importance of asking for what you need and modeling humane leadership for the next generation Three new classmates she'd like to hear me interview next To get in touch with her, find her on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Big thanks to Alisa Pincus for nominating Mariela!
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    53 mins
  • Kensei Nishikawa Champions The Humanities In A Divided World

    Kensei Nishikawa Champions The Humanities In A Divided World
    Dec 30 2025
    Kensei Nishikawa arrived at Amherst as a transfer student from Japan already holding a degree from the University of Tokyo, carrying with him two languages, two cultures, and a deep love of literature. What he didn’t yet know was how profoundly Amherst would shape not just how he reads and writes, but how he listens. We explore Kensei’s lifelong devotion to the humanities, especially poetry, and the role they have played in his life as both a student and a teacher. Now a professor of English and poetry in Japan, Kensei has spent decades moving between languages and academic traditions, translating words, structures, and ways of thinking. He shares why he believes the humanities remain essential for cultivating empathy, moral imagination, and the ability to hear one another. Kensei also speaks candidly about aging, memory, and the work of maintaining one’s intellectual vitality over time. Rather than chasing novelty, he is focused on preserving the richness of language and thought. Highlights include: What it meant to arrive at Amherst as an international transfer student in 1992, and how that moment shaped his understanding of America. How Amherst taught him to listen in the classroom, across differences, and in a second language. The challenges and rewards of teaching poetry and literature across Japanese and American academic traditions. Why the humanities matter now more than ever, and how they help us live more human lives. The classmate he hopes to hear from next. To get in touch, you can email Kensei at kenseini@inst.kobe-cufs.ac.jp. Many thanks to Brian Clark for nominating Kensei.
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    49 mins