Cornell (thank) U
Take a trip down memory lane with other Cornellians. Weekly conversations with Michelle and Stephanie will introduce you to past and present Cornellians to hear where they are now and why they are most thankful to Cornell. (Not affiliated with or sponsored by Cornell University)
She Didn't Wait for Opportunity. She Created It. Meet Jordy Singer '28
Jordy Singer isn't waiting around for opportunities to come her way. She's making them happen.
A Cornell junior who transferred from Human Ecology to the Hotel School, Jordy has embraced everything Cornell has to offer—from competitive business clubs and leadership roles to internships at Rose Associates and an upcoming summer at Blackstone.
She takes us behind the scenes of Establishment, where Hotel School students run a real restaurant. We also talk about her Cornell family ties, our SDT, and a surprising talent she's had since she was five.
But what we loved mo...
The New Girl: Caroline Coors on the Cornell Experience
Caroline Coors has lived in more places than most people twice her age, so she knows a thing or two about being the new girl!
After transferring from Cal Poly to Cornell, she learned that finding your people doesn't always happen overnight. She also discovered that Cornell is, as she puts it, "sneaky fun," and that there are endless opportunities to be engaged in and out of the classroom.
We catch up with Caroline in Copenhagen to talk about making friends, building confidence, Slope Day memories, and her passion for helping children learn through play.<...
The Stories That Bring Us Together
It's been a difficult and heartbreaking time for the Cornell community. Recent events have left many feeling angry, saddened, disappointed, and concerned. We share those feelings, recognize the pain of those directly affected, and appreciate the voices speaking up, asking hard questions, and demanding accountability and meaningful change.
This week, it's just the two of us. We wanted to acknowledge what's happening, share some of our own feelings, and talk about what it means to love Cornell while expecting better from it.
We've also been reflecting on what makes Cornell (Thank) U meaningful to us: t...
AI Has the Answers. You Still Have to Decide. - with Cheryl Strauss Einhorn
AI can give us answers faster than ever—but getting the answer is only part of making a good decision. Cheryl Strauss Einhorn '91 returns to talk about her new book, The Human Edge, how to work with AI to make better decisions, and why judgment, self-awareness, and critical thinking are becoming more valuable than ever in the age of AI.
We've made the decision that she can come back whenever she wants. We always get smarter after talking to her.
If you want to be smarter too, you can find her book here and wa...
She Was 17. She Had a Makeup Bag and an Idea. — Meet Rachel Doyle ’05
Rachel Doyle ’05 was just 17 when she turned a brilliant idea into GlamourGals. More than 25 years later, that idea is still bringing teenagers and older adults together.
We talked with Rachel about starting young, building something that lasts, and the Cornell experiences and relationships that helped shape the journey. We also talk about ambition, connection, some advice that changed the way she thought about her organization—and why the real magic of GlamourGals has never actually been solely about the makeup.
Find Rachel and GlamourGirls here: https://glamourgals.org/
Not sponsored by or...
Singer. Entrepreneur. Fragrance Expert. And He’s Only 20. — Meet Max Hartley ’29
Max Hartley ’29 has been at Cornell for one month—and somehow he’s already everywhere.
The 20-year-old sophomore transfer is studying in ILR, singing with Last Call A Cappella, running, building businesses and creating Sillage—what he calls “Letterboxd for fragrance fans.”
We talk about leaving a college he loved for Cornell, finding his people as a transfer, getting the knock on his dorm-room door that changed his Cornell experience, and why he can sometimes identify a stranger’s cologne just by walking past them.
Plus, can you guess what our game is about? We call...
He Wanted to Be a Vet at 2. He Never Changed His Mind. — with Dr. Gary Yarnell ’74, DVM ’77
Gary Yarnell knew he wanted to be a veterinarian at two years old. He never changed his mind.
At Cornell, he raced through undergrad, met his future wife Laurie—and once rescued a parakeet from anatomy lab by putting it in his pocket and sneaking it out. Then came vet school, 45 years of caring for animals, and a Rye practice he built by being there for his patients around the clock. Literally.
Gary tells us what veterinary medicine taught him about animals, people, empathy and letting go; how the profession has changed beyond anything he co...
They Solved the Iced Coffee Problem — Meet Ben Gibson & Mikey Dizon-Bumann
What happens when two Cornell track athletes start commiserating about watered-down iced coffee on a 14-mile run? For Ben Gibson and Mikey Dizon-Bumann, it turned into Kube & Co.
They tell us how they took a problem iced coffee drinkers have dealt with forever and figured out a way to actually solve it—through countless experiments, incredible creativity, unexpected setbacks, and a lot of persistence. We hear why their very different skill sets make them great partners and how Cornell—from the track team to the Hospitality Business Plan Competition—helped them turn Kube & Co. into a growing busine...
The Pogo Stick Guy Everyone at Cornell Knows — Anmo Li ’28
If you’ve been on Cornell’s campus lately, chances are you’ve seen—or heard about—Anmo Li ’28, aka the pogo stick guy.
Anmo is a world-ranked extreme pogo stick athlete and founder of the Cornell Pogo Club. He joins us to talk about Pogopalooza, going viral on campus, why getting good at pogo sticking means getting comfortable with failure, and his plans to help reinvent the modern pogo stick.
We also talk about his path to Cornell as a transfer student, his passion for nutrition and the gut microbiome, his research experience in China, and w...
Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life — with Leadership Icon Jon Gordon ’93
Since being introduced to Jon Gordon ’93 just a few weeks ago, Michelle has read seven of his books—and genuinely feels changed by them. Then we talked with Jon, and Steph felt it too. There is something about the way Jon thinks, teaches and tells a story that stays with you.
Jon is the bestselling author of more than 30 books, including The Energy Bus, The Carpenter, The Hard Hat and The Power of Positive Habits. He is also one of the world’s most sought-after speakers and works with CEOs, business leaders, coaches and some of the most s...
Before Your Next Job Interview, Listen to This — with Deborah Klein Glasser ’90
If you’re a college student getting ready for recruiting season—or the parent of one—this episode could not come at a better time.
Deborah Klein Glasser knows the job search from both sides. After Cornell, she built a career in marketing and consulting at companies including Pepsi, Colgate, PwC and Starwood Hotels, earned her MBA from Wharton, and today, as the founder of Pathfinder Consulting, helps college students and young professionals figure out what they want, tell their story and stand out in a very competitive job market.
We talk about what actually makes...
There Are Only 24 Hours in a Day. Ayotunde Ejiko Uses All of Them.
Ayotunde Ejiko is only 20 years old, but somehow he has already fit an extraordinary amount into those 20 years.
He grew up in Nigeria, moved to the United States at 11, became one of the top high school sprinters in Washington, D.C., and learned early that when something isn’t working, you don’t just complain about it—you figure out how to make it better.
Today, Ayotunde is a Division I sprinter at Cornell studying Information Science and Sociology, while also fitting in internships, campus organizations, community work, friends and everything else that comes with being...
The Mindset of an Athlete. The Heart of a Doctor. - Ruthie Jones
When we first met Ruthie Jones, we knew she had an incredible story. A Division I soccer goalie at Duke. A first-year student at Weill Cornell Medicine. But what surprised us most wasn't her resume—it was the way she thinks.
Ruthie shares how growing up in a family of athletes taught her confidence, resilience, and teamwork, why one decision at age 11 changed the course of her life, and how the mindset she developed as a goalkeeper has prepared her for the challenges of becoming a doctor.
We also talk about what life is really li...
The Humanity Behind the Headlines with KATE SNOW!
She's here!!
This interview has been at the top of our wish list for a long time.
Most people know Kate Snow as the journalist they've welcomed into their homes for decades. We walked away appreciating her even more—not just for the stories she's covered, but for the humanity she brings to every one of them.
In this episode, Kate takes us from Cornell to local news, CNN, ABC, and NBC News, sharing the moments that shaped her career—and her. We talk about earning the trust of people during the hardest mome...
The Humanity Behind the Headlines with KATE SNOW!!!
She's here!!
This interview has been at the top of our wish list for a long time.
Most people know Kate Snow as the journalist they've welcomed into their homes for decades. We walked away appreciating her even more—not just for the stories she's covered, but for the humanity she brings to every one of them.
In this episode, Kate takes us from Cornell to local news, CNN, ABC, and NBC News, sharing the moments that shaped her career—and her. We talk about earning the trust of people during the hardest mome...
The Beauty Product Hiding in Plain Sight: Founder Rachel Glass
What if one of the best beauty products has been sitting in your medicine cabinet all along?
Three years after her first visit to Cornell (Thank) U, GlossLab founder Rachel Glass is back with her newest venture, le-balme—and the story behind it is fascinating.
Rachel shares why she believes petroleum jelly has been one of skincare's best-kept secrets, how she partnered with a New York dermatologist to rethink a product that's been around for generations (what they've done is amazing), and why she couldn't stop thinking about this idea until she brought it to li...
She Never Wanted Fame. Then She Became Justine Snacks
She never planned to become Justine Snacks.
Today, Justine Doiron ('16) has built a community of more than 4 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, along with a New York Times bestselling cookbook. But behind the viral recipes is a story that's thoughtful, surprising, and deeply personal.
In this episode, Justine shares how a Cornell Hotelie became one of the internet's most beloved food creators. She opens up about losing her father before college, the cold email that changed her life, the corporate job that forced her to choose between PR and social media, and...
The Ultimate Cornell Bucket List (Built by 250 Guests)
What does the perfect day at Cornell look like?
After interviewing 250 incredible guests on the Cornell (Thank) U Podcast, we noticed something.
No matter when they were at Cornell—or what they studied—they kept coming back to many of the same memories:
• The same dorms
• The same classes
• The same professors
• The same study spots
• The same bars
• The same late-night food
So, to celebrate our 250th guest, we asked ourselves one question:
What would the ultimate day at Corne...
This Cornell Student Became the Acting Mayor of Ithaca- Eric Rosario '91
How does a first-generation kid from Brooklyn end up becoming the Acting Mayor of Ithaca?
For Eric Rosario '91, it all started with one history professor whose book inspired him to apply to Cornell. That one decision changed the course of his life in ways he never could have imagined.
Eric is one of those people who instantly makes you feel like you've known him forever. He's thoughtful, funny, incredibly humble, and deeply committed to serving others. In this episode, we talk about the professors who shaped him, the unexpected campus job that turned into...
They Invested in Her Future. She Built It - Alexis Gabler '24
We had the honor and fun of talking with Alexis Gabler '24, whose connection to Cornell began long before she ever arrived in Ithaca. After her father, Cornell alumnus Fred Gabler, was killed on September 11th, his closest friends—including our Vino—made an extraordinary commitment to be a loving part of her life and to help secure her future.
Years later, Alexis graduated from Cornell Human Ecology and built a career in fashion, transforming a remarkable gift into something entirely her own.
Alexis shares her unique relationship with the friends who helped keep her fath...
Lisa Levy Shaub '91: From Actress to Oprah's Weight Watchers Coach... and Then?
Lisa Levy Shaub ’91 joins us for a conversation about reinvention, resilience, and finding your true calling.
She shares behind-the-scenes stories about working with Oprah, the lessons she learned about behavior change, confidence, and wellness, and why she believes some of life’s biggest pivots can become our greatest opportunities.
We also discuss midlife health, longevity, GLP-1 medications, community, and how to build a healthier, more meaningful next chapter.
Connect with Lisa:
Instagram: @Lisa_nyc_coach
Website: apositivepractice.com
Not sponsored by or affiliated with Corn...
Mike "Vino" Levine '93: Co-Head of CAA Sports on Friendship, Teamwork & Cornell
Mike "Vino" Levine has one of the most powerful jobs in sports as Co-Head of CAA Sports, representing some of the biggest athletes, coaches, and personalities in the world.
But that's not why we loved this conversation.
Vino takes us from Chappaqua and Cornell lacrosse to the top of the sports industry, sharing stories about friendship, teamwork, mentorship, family, and the relationships that have shaped his life and career.
We talk Cornell, Coach Richie Moran, fraternity life, the New York Knicks, lifelong friendships, and why Vino believes anything is possible from anyone.
<...Adam Rosenberg: We Met the Man Who Helps People on the Worst Day of Their Lives
Adam Rosenberg '92 thought he might become a lawyer or work in politics. Instead, he built one of the most impactful careers we've ever featured on the podcast.
Today, Adam leads programs that support more than 10,000 survivors of violence each year, working with children, families, and communities during some of the hardest moments imaginable.
But before all of that, he was living the full Cornell experience—hockey games, Hot Truck, concerts, fraternity life, Cornell in Washington, and even a Cornell version of MTV's Remote Control.
Adam shares his unlikely path from Cornell student to...
Noah Farb - Why This Cornell Student Went Viral
Cornell rising junior Noah Farb joins us after a viral video and widely shared Free Press article suddenly put him at the center of a national conversation about Cornell and President Kotlikoff.
Noah talks about why he decided to speak out, how students reacted, and what it feels like to suddenly become one of the most talked-about student voices on campus.
Beyond the politics, this episode is also a snapshot of modern Cornell life: blockchain club meetings, frat house living, Slope Day, campus traditions, and the people Noah says make every day at Cornell happy...
The Bill Nye of Finance? | Since We Last Spoke with Rob Gregor
Rob Gregor is back — and since we last spoke, he’s entered an entirely new world: finance YouTube.
The Cornell alum, lawyer, hotelier, investor, and Hotel School guest lecturer has launched The Hostile Takeover TV with his 15-year-old son Joseph, a channel designed to teach Gen Z about money, investing, AI, and financial survival in an increasingly uncertain economy.
You simply have to check it out to understand why we know it's going to be successful and why they should be in every middle and high school just like Bill Nye.
We loved catc...
Lauren Korfine: The Professor Every Student Wishes They Had
Why do students describe Dr. Lauren Korfine as “life-changing”?
In this episode, the beloved Human Ecology professor opens up about mental health, imposter syndrome, anxiety, heartbreak, gender, campus culture, and what students today are really struggling with.
We also talk about her unexpected path from Cornell student… to Harvard… to working as a doula for 17 years before returning to the classroom.
The buzz is accurate, she is warm, thoughtful, and deeply relatable — this is one of those conversations that stays with you.
Thank you to our fave, Lori Isman Greene, for the introduc...
The Woman Who Does Everything - Lisa Kremer Ullmann
She didn’t pick one path—she picked all of them.
From Cornell to Procter & Gamble, to entrepreneurship, to raising a family, to running a tennis program for 500 kids a year—Lisa Ullmann is the definition of a doer.
In this episode, we talk about: Springsteen, Slope Day, how she built a career and still stayed deeply involved in her community, why she’s never been afraid to ask for money, and the mindset behind a life that just doesn’t slow down.
Plus: tour guide hot takes
She's incredible.
Special t...
Liz Mahoney: Behind the PR of the Stars
What does it actually mean to “control the narrative” in Hollywood?
Liz Mahoney ’99 is the publicist behind some of Hollywood’s biggest stars—and in this episode, she pulls back the curtain on a world most people never see.
From traveling the world with Ben Stiller to co-founding a top-tier PR firm, Liz shares how careers are built, protected, and sometimes…saved. She is trusted, admired, and sought-after for her endless creativity, intelligence, and instincts.
We loved her.
Learn more about her company, Narrative PR, here:
https://www.narrative-pr.com/
<...
Dr. Sarah Temkin: What Female Surgeons Wish the Public Knew
What is life in the operating room really like? And for women in surgery, how much has actually changed for the better?
In this episode, we talk withDr. Sarah Temkin '93 - gynecologic oncologist, physician-scientist, filmmaker, and now a leader at the American Cancer Society — about her path from Cornell to medicine, what drew her to surgery, and the hidden realities of working in the OR as a woman, even in 2026.
Sarah also shares the story behind her powerful documentary 1001 Cuts, which explores the everyday challenges women surgeons still face — from equipment and infr...
Ex-CIA Officer Marc Polymeropoulos Returns: From 60 Minutes to Iran and Havana Syndrome
He’s back—and a lot has changed.
Since we last spoke with Ex-CIA Officer Marc Polymeropoulos, he’s gone from a somewhat private recovery to national headlines, including a powerful appearance on 60 Minutes.
In this episode, we catch up on everything:
what really happened behind the scenes of that 60 Minutes storyhis unfiltered take on Iran and where things stand nowhow his experience with Havana Syndrome has evolved—and what he believes todayMarc also opens up in a way he didn’t last time:
about recovery, resilience, and what it’s like to go f...
Digit Murphy: Broken System. New Playbook. Women’s Sports.
The headlines say women’s sports is booming.
Digit Murphy isn’t so sure.
We brought back hockey legend, Cornell alum, and one of the most well-spoken and outspoken voices in sports for our first Since We Last Spoke episode—and she came in with takes.
Not just on the Olympics, the gold medal, and the controversial phone call that followed…
but on what’s actually happening behind the momentum everyone’s celebrating.
Because according to Digit, the system itself?
Still broken.
In this episode, we get into:
the...78% of Cornell Students Left Campus for This… Did You?
78% of Cornell students left campus for spring holidays.
But what about everyone else?
From sorority house seders…
to Easter traditions…
to surviving on matzah and tuna —
we realized we all experienced this time differently.
So we turned it into a game.
Matzah ball soup: essential or no one's gonna miss it?
Honey baked ham: yes or no?
Peeps vs healthy candy.
And the afikoman… should everyone win, or just one?
Pick your side — and let us know where you land.
Featuring our bestie...
Ken Kunken: A Football Hit Changed Everything. Then He Did the Impossible.
When Ken Kunken took the field for a Cornell football game, he had no idea his life was about to change in an instant.
That moment left him a quadriplegic.
What happened next is hard to comprehend—because the life he went on to build wasn’t supposed to be possible.
This isn’t just a story of resilience. It’s a story of defying every expectation, again and again, in ways that feel almost impossible to believe.
We’ve never heard anything like it. And we will be thinking about him for a...
Ivy Woolenberg - The Cornell Freshman Behind a 40-Million-View Cake
We had a great time with Ivy Woolenberg — a freshman at Cornell’s Hotel School, Disney Bake-Off winner, and the creator behind the viral baking account Baked With Love by Ivy.
Ivy shares the baking fail that somehow turned into a 40-million-view video, how she started her baking business at just 11 years old, and what it’s like balancing Cornell life with a fast-growing social media brand.
Plus: behind-the-scenes secrets from Disney’s Magic Bake-Off, Ivy’s favorite food spots at Cornell (she knows the best ones), and a fun challenge where she invents desserts for Gen Z...
Why New Yorkers Are Lining Up for This Gelato - Matthew McCarthy Knows
Why are New Yorkers lining up for gelato in SoHo?
In this episode, we talk with the entrepreneur behind RivaReno Gelato about the moment in Italy that sparked an obsession—and ultimately led him to bring authentic Italian gelato to New York City.
From discovering what real gelato tastes like, to opening a shop in one of the toughest restaurant markets in the world, he shares the story behind the scoop everyone is talking about.
Along the way we dive into the craft of gelato, the realities of building a food business, and wh...
The Question We Had to Ask Bill Nye The Science Guy
We had the joy of sitting down with Bill Nye the Science Guy to hear the story behind how he became the person who made Science feel fun, approachable, and even a little bit cool.
Long before the bow tie and the TV shows, Bill was a Cornell student taking a transformative class with Carl Sagan, playing Ultimate Frisbee, and discovering how humor and critical thinking could live in the same space.
He shares the unexpected turns that led him from Ithaca to becoming a voice that inspired generations, and reflects on what it meant to...
Hayley Paige - They Took Her Name. Then She Designed the Super Bowl Halftime Wedding Dress.
Hayley Paige created the kind of wedding dresses brides pin, save, and dream about. By her mid-20s, she was leading a global bridal brand with her name on every gown. And then, after signing a contract at 25, everything shifted.
In this episode, Hayley shares what it felt like to suddenly lose control of her own name and how she navigated a chapter that could have ended her career. We rewind to her Cornell days in Human Ecology, the senior collection that launched her into bridal, and the early hustle that built her brand from trunk shows...
Rebecca Rutstein: This Artist Uses the Ocean Like a Studio
Meet our new idol, Rebecca Rutstein ’93, an artist whose creative process takes her somewhere almost no one else has ever been: more than 2,000 meters beneath the ocean’s surface.
Rebecca collaborates closely with scientists, joins deep-sea research expeditions, and climbs into a six-foot submersible to explore the hidden landscapes of the ocean floor — from bioluminescent life in total darkness to a vast underwater world that feels completely otherworldly.
We talk about how a geology class at Cornell helped shape the direction of her work, what it’s actually like spending hours inside a tiny sphere with no...
Roy Danis Didn’t Take Cornell’s Wine Class…Then Became a Wine and Spirits Legend
Roy Danis ’78 never took Cornell’s famous wine tasting class — and yet he went on to build a 40-year career at the top of the wine and spirits world.
Roy takes us from Oceanside, Long Island to Cornell, where he captained the men’s gymnastics team, and into an extraordinary professional journey including Seagram, Campari, start-ups, and his newest venture, Revival Spirits — alongside business partner Edgar Bronfman Jr.
Roy shares what actually makes a brand succeed, why great leadership is about humility and credibility, and the “all in” mindset that’s guided him through every chapter.
W...
You Could Be Having Better Sex — Dr. Nicole McNichols Explains Why
Dr. Nicole McNichols ’97 is a professor whose work explores sex, intimacy, and how people connect.
In this episode, Nicole breaks down what’s actually happening in modern dating and relationships — why so many people feel disconnected, how expectations around sex have shifted, and what the research really says about pleasure, desire, and communication.
Drawing from both her classroom and her own work, she explains the myths we’ve absorbed, the pressure people feel to “get it right,” and what actually leads to more connected experiences.
Nicole also reflects on her journey from Cornell to leading th...
