The Eugene McDermott Scholars Program Alumni Association has officially launched a podcast! We are excited to be hosting this series, titled Graduates, which focuses on the lives of alumni post-graduation. Joined by our host, Ali Peterkort (‘14), alumni share insights about their path after UTD, discuss their careers, and talk about the hobbies and other joys that fill their days. They also reflect on their time as Scholars, walking us through how their experiences in the McDermott Program–and the people they met at UTD–helped them get where they are today.
Ali, the host and brains behind Graduates, has long been intrigued by podcasts as a form of media and storytelling. “I love reading, and Q&A interviews are great, but there’s something more personal about hearing a voice when you’re learning about someone. I also selfishly have missed the McDermott cohort and got really excited about the prospect of catching up with folks I haven’t spoken to in four years or more!” Ali loves learning how the McDermotts she interviewed have continued to achieve exceptional things and live in exceptional ways. She has found it inspiring and motivating to hear what alumni have been up to since graduating and hopes you will too.
In our first episodes, Nate Fairbank (‘11) shares the factors that motivated him to join the Army after graduation and his inspiration for running the Boston Marathon. Kiara Dandridge (‘15) talks about her experience as a nursing student and first months as an ICU nurse in the throes of COVID, and who she turns to at the end of a long shift. Nancy Fairbank (‘13) discusses her work to build community within academia through Dear Future Colleague, inspired by her experiences within the McDermott Scholars Program. Elyse Mack (‘14) recounts how she pursued her passions for art and social justice as she took on new roles in her hometown.
We hope you give these episodes a listen and join us as we learn more about the lives of our fellow alumni in EMSPAA’s new podcast, Graduates.
Find Graduates on Anchor or Spotify!
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