Princeton Alumni Weekly Podcasts

How is the news media covering the MAGA movement? Four journalists and a Princeton historian during the Princeton Alumni Weekly’s 2025 Reunions panel delved into questions about reporting on Trump voters, whether the press should use the word “lie,” today’s fragmented media landscape, and how even the most explosive investigations don’t spur change the way they used to. Said Kathy Kiely ’77, of the Missouri School of Journalism: “The press is doing its job, but Congress, there’s no sign of vertebrate life up there. If Congress and the other institutions in our democracy aren’t responding to those stories, then it is like the tree falling in the forest.” For this episode of the PAWcast, we’re pleased to share a recording of the session. Find the transcript at paw.princeton.edu/pawcasts.

On this episode of the PAWcast, Princeton valedictorian Erik Medina ’25 talks about majoring in chemistry and his thesis, for which he researched ways to upcycle plastics. Erik has been accepted into a Ph.D. program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but first he’s taking a year off to teach at his old high school near Miami.

PAW Memorials editor Nicholas DeVito sat down with Steve McNamara ’55 to discuss Bill Miller ’55. Bill was a geologist and landman, but he was well known more for his vintage car racing.

When Milano Buckley ’02 was born, her mother was homeless. She was living in her car, and she kept baby Milano in a basket in the backseat. What followed was an exceptionally unusual childhood that remarkably led Milano to the Lawrenceville School, and then later to Princeton. When Milano became a mother herself, she figured parenting would be a cinch compared to what she’d experienced in her own life. It turned out to be much, much harder. And now she’s telling people. With a friend, Milano has started a podcast called Bare Naked Moms that seeks to tackle the challenges of parenting through honest conversations. Milano agreed to come on the PAWcast and talk about the work that she’s been doing, and the part that Princeton played in her journey.

On this episode of the PAW Book Club podcast, we speak with Sash Bischoff from Princeton’s Class of 2009 about her debut novel and our latest book club read, “Sweet Fury.” From the very first page, “Sweet Fury” takes the work of F. Scott Fitzgerald, famously of Princeton’s Class of 1917, and begins to play. A famous actress and film director, characters named Lila and Kurt, are collaborating on a feminist adaptation of “Tender is The Night.” Then into the mix strides a psychotherapist named Jonah, a character awfully similar to Jay Gatsby. The story unfolds in some surprisingly dark directions, including one disturbing scene set at a Princeton eating club, and prospective readers should note that this podcast will contain spoilers as we probe the ideas and intentions that ran through Sash’s head as she wove this story, building up her characters — and destroying some in the end.

PAW Memorials editor Nicholas DeVito sat down with Shelley Slade ’80 and Marie Yovanovitch ’80 to discuss Jennifer Beale Parmalee ’80. Jenni was a journalist in East Africa, covering politics, war, and personal stories.

On this episode, PAW Memorials editor Nicholas DeVito sat down with Elyse Graham ’07 to discuss Professor Victor Brombert, who died Nov. 26, 2024.

On this episode of PAW’s Book Club podcast, we ask bestselling author and playwright Jodi Picoult ’87 about her latest book, “By Any Other Name,” which presents readers with a hypothesis: Could Emilia Bassano, a woman who really lived in Tudor England, have written some of the most famous plays attributed to William Shakespeare? Picoult discusses why she believes it, how her book has been received by scholars and fans, and the experiences she’s personally had with the persistent misogyny in the theater world.

As a volunteer with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Stephen Lamberton ’99 is sharing the story of his father’s death in 1985 in hopes of destigmatizing suicide and helping others struggling with the loss of a loved one. On this episode of the PAWcast, Lamberton describes his journey toward processing his father’s death and discussing it with his own children, as well as the meaningful experience of attending his 25th Princeton reunion — an experience that his father, who also attended Princeton, didn’t live to see. Note: Listeners of this podcast will be hearing about some difficult topics. If you or anyone else you know needs help, you can reach the Suicide and Crisis Hotline by dialing 988, and you can text the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741.

On this episode, PAW Memorials editor Nicholas DeVito sat down with Jim Kempf ’67 to discuss Karl Hummel ’67, who died July 23, 2023.

On this month’s Memorials PAWcast, we remember Isabella de la Houssaye from the class of 1986. Isabella was a lawyer, mother, art curator, and endurance athlete. She died December 2nd, 2023.

On this episode of the PAW Book Club podcast, we talk with Katie Kitamura ’99, author of our latest read, “Intimacies.” The much-lauded novel follows a woman who comes to The Hague as an interpreter for the international court and begins to interpret for a former president who’s facing war crime charges. Kitamura answered our questions about the book, discussing why she gives so little backstory to her characters and why readers’ strong dislike of one character surprised her. She also discussed her writing philosophy and what advice she gives as a creative writing professor at NYU. “The writing itself, when it is private, when it’s just myself, when I can do whatever I want, that is the most special part of writing to me,” she said. “That’s my favorite part.”

In this episode, we bring you a conversation between Reina Coulibaly, who just graduated with Princeton’s Class of 2024, and Ara Tucker, from the Class of ’01, who just published her second book, titled “How to Date a Black Girl.” Both identify as queer Black women, and they connected in September at Princeton’s Every Voice summit celebrating LGBTQ+ alumni, where Ara spoke on a panel about intersectional identity. With Coulibaly, Tucker discussed her career path and how being a part of the Princeton community has fundamentally influenced the way she relates to the multitude of identities she carries.

When Cameron Hume ’68 graduated from Princeton, he joined the Peace Corps and was sent to Libya, where his two-year stint was cut short by a coup d’etat. The experience launched him on a diplomacy career that has taken him to some of the world’s most dangerous — and interesting — places. On the PAWcast, he spoke about two hot topics where he has expertise: prisoner exchanges and humanitarian aid. He discussed his recent work trying to get aid into Gaza, he and explained why sometimes you need to go to a place to understand its people.

On this episode of PAW’s Memorials PAWcast, we remember Ernie Pascarella ’65. Ernie played on the 1964 undefeated football team and was All-Ivy two years.

On this first episode of PAW’s new Memorials PAWcast, we remember Joe Schein ’37, the longest-living member of the Class of ’37 and the oldest undergraduate alum in Princeton’s history. Joe carried the Class of 1923 Cane — an honor given to the oldest returning alum — at Princeton Reunions eight times.

Princeton’s Office of Religious Life recently saw a transition in leadership, and we thought it would be an ideal time to speak on the PAWcast with the two people passing that figurative baton: The Rev. Alison Boden, who recently retired after 17 years as dean of religious life and the chapel, and the Rev. Theresa Thames, the new dean of religious life and the chapel, who has been associate dean since 2016.

This episode was recorded at Princeton University’s 2024 Reunions Weekend, when PAW sponsored a panel discussion featuring five alumni experts who addressed two questions: Is student mental health in crisis, and what can be done about it? The conversation begins with moderator Lucy McBride ’95 and continues with Jeremy Nobel ’77, Joshua Blum ’02, Chioma Ugwonali ’24, and Jess Deutsch ’91.

On this episode of the PAW Book Club Podcast — where Princeton alumni read a book together — Bianca Bosker ’08 talks about her latest book, “Get the Picture: A Mind-Bending Journey Among the Inspired Artists and Obsessive Art Fiends Who Taught Me How to See,” for which she ventured into the secretive and exclusive world of fine art. She was trying to answer what you’d think would be an easy two-part question: What counts as art, and who gets to decide? But as she talked her way into galleries, art shows, and museums, getting to know artists, collectors, and curators, the answer turned out to be anything but simple.

Princeton’s newest valedictorian, Genrietta Churbanova ’24, is an anthropology major who spent much of her time here researching Russia-China relations in both the Russian and Chinese languages. On this episode of the PAWcast, she talks about her research, about growing up in both Moscow and Little Rock, Arkansas, and about her extracurriculars — including serving as president of the Student Society of Russian Language and Culture and opinions editor of The Daily Princetonian. Faculty have described Churbanova as a hard worker and researcher, “conscientious to a fault and deeply ethical, someone who’s young, but already producing scholarship that will stand the test of time.”