This is Ezra Alumni Podcast Celebrates Alumni—and their Love for Cornell Stories You May Like In a Posthumous Memoir, Famed Prof Recalls a Turbulent Childhood At the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection, History Is Always in Style Cornellian Crossword: ‘Water World’ The hosts (pals from the Class of ’90) trace fellow alums’ paths from the Hill to success in a variety of fields By Linda Copman “Is it riskier to invest in Bitcoin, or to run down Libe Slope in high heels?” Michelle Stuzin Katz ’90 posed that question to investor John Cota Small ’90 in a recent episode of Cornell (thank) U, a weekly podcast she co-hosts with Stephanie Marmelstein Gitlin ’90. (Small’s answer: the heels.) Launched in November 2021, the podcast spotlights a Cornellian in each weekly episode. Guests have included alumni from all walks of life: doctors, lawyers, writers, entrepreneurs, researchers, social media influencers—even a TV weatherman (Dave Price ’87) and a New Yorker cartoonist (Ali Solomon ’01). Podcasters Gitlin (left) and Katz. (Photo provided) As of August 2022, the show (which is not formally affiliated with the University) has about 40 episodes, all available on Apple and Spotify; new installments air every Monday. Longtime friends, Katz and Gitlin co-host their interviews via Zoom (Gitlin from Florida, Katz from suburban New York)—carrying on lighthearted banter as they follow their subjects’ stories from the Hill to the present day. “We try to approach each guest as if we were having coffee for the first time,” says Gitlin, who majored in psychology in Arts & Sciences and now works as an attorney. The hosts as undergrads. (Photo provided) Katz and Gitlin—who met when they pledged Sigma Delta Tau sorority—particularly enjoy peppering their guests with sassy, unexpected queries. “We find that if we ask the right questions, our guests share wonderful, funny, poignant, and sometimes even embarrassing stories,” says Katz, a former human development major in Human Ecology, who does the bulk of the behind-the-scenes work on the podcast. “I’ve learned so much from them.” Stories You May Like In a Posthumous Memoir, Famed Prof Recalls a Turbulent Childhood At the Cornell Fashion + Textile Collection, History Is Always in Style They asked physician and integrative medicine practitioner Danielle Greenman ’07 whether acupuncture is more or less painful than stepping on hot coals. (Less.) To serial entrepreneur Jeff Wald ’95, MAP ’98, they playfully inquired whether he’d invest in their fictitious startup: a professional hugging school. We find that if we ask the right questions, our guests share wonderful, funny, poignant, and sometimes even embarrassing stories.Michelle Stuzin Katz ’90 “I like it,” Wald replied. “I like it a lot.” Other guests have included the creator of Cornell’s pandemic-era “Zoom mixers” (Tony Chen ’12, ME ’12), a serial entrepreneur and cosmetics guru (Divya Gugnani ’98 of Wander Beauty), a prolific author and former game show contestant (Brad Herzog ’90), a corporate CEO (School of Rock’s Rob Price ’90), and a nationally known pediatrician (Jen Trachtenberg ’89). Living more than 1,000 miles apart, the friends record their show via Zoom. (Photo provided) (To suggest a Cornellian to be featured on the podcast, message them on Instagram or email cornellthanku@gmail.com.) The hosts weave a few common elements into each episode—including a speed round of Cornell-themed questions in which they ask guests to name things like their favorite Collegetown eatery, campus study spot, or Hot Truck order. The venture generates no income for its creators—but for them, that’s part of its appeal. “It’s fun because there’s no pressure to grow,” Katz says. “We don’t have to answer to anyone but ourselves.” At the end of each show, Gitlin and Katz ask their guests to share a piece of advice for current students—and to name one thing for which they’re most grateful to the University. “The three most common answers are: ‘I was thankful to get in,’ ‘for the friends I made,’ and ‘for meeting my spouse,’” observes Katz. “Far and away, our guests are most thankful for the relationships they made at Cornell.” Top image: Illustration by Cornell University. Published August 9, 2022 Comments LT 10 Aug, 2022 Favorite podcast! Reply Mat Zucker, Class of 1992 4 Sep, 2022 So great. Just listened to a few episodes. “Fresh From the Hill” is another Cornell podcast which has featured a lot of Cornell alums as well if people are looking for more. Reply Rebeka Tannenbaum, Class of 2016 2 Jan, 2024 How do I nominate my daughter Rebeka Tannenbaum- class of 2016 to be on your podcast? Reply Leave a Comment Cancel replyOnce your comment is approved, your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *Comment * Name * Class Year Email * Save my name, email, and class year in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ Other stories You may like Students Big Red Volleyball Standout Advocates for Women in Sports Ask the Expert Confused By Crypto and Digital Dollars? Dyson Prof Has Answers Cornelliana Connecting Students with Nature—and with Each Other