Providence College Podcast

With a historically long line of military service in her family, U.S. Army Capt. Amberly Glitz Weber ’12 is fashioning her own story of duty to country. The decorated medical evacuation helicopter pilot has served in Afghanistan and is currently an operations officer in the 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade of the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, N.C. In this episode, she speaks about her love of medevac flying, her gratitude for the people and experiences associated with PC’s Army ROTC Patriot Battalion, and the unique bond among Army personnel.     Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.  Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn. 

In this episode of the PC Podcast, restaurateur, cooking show host, and author Lidia Bastianich explains how her love for cooking connects her to her childhood in Italy. Bastianich visited PC for Homecoming Weekend, Oct. 4-6, to discuss her memoir, My American Dream: A Life of Love, Family and Food, and to see her grandson, Miles Bastianich ’22. The conversation was facilitated by Edward A. Iannuccilli, M.D. ’61, a retired physician who has written books about growing up in an Italian-American family.Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.

In this pre-recorded podcast, Dr. Sickinger, professor of history and of public and community service studies, discusses the origins of Halloween and how the tales of ghosts, witches, werewolves, and vampires have worked their way into our movies, literature, and nightmares — including examples from Rhode Island.Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.Spooky Ride by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)Source: http://www.twinmusicom.org/song/250/spooky-rideArtist: http://www.twinmusicom.org

John Bowab took his experience writing and directing musicals at PC and turned it into a career as a director of national touring productions of Broadway shows starring greats such as Debbie Reynolds and Angela Lainsbury. Then he headed to Hollywood to direct television sitcoms, including 91 episodes of The Facts of Life, and television specials for stars such as Jay Leno, Johnny Carson, and Bob Hope. The child of Syrian immigrants who grew up in Pawtucket, R.I., Bowab also discussed his family’s reaction to his career choices and why he chooses to give back to PC.Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.

In this episode, we talk with E.C. Osondu, associate professor of English, recent recipient of the BOA Prize for Short Fiction for his collection, Alien Stories. Osondu is the author of two books and short stories that have been published in Granta, n+1, The Atlantic, McSweeney’s, Guernica, AGNI, and more. Born and raised in Nigeria, Osondu discussed the influence of his heritage on his writing, what it’s like to nurture young writers in Providence College’s Creative Writing Program, and how his writing evolved after immigrating to the United States.Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.

Arthur F. Ryan ’63, ’90Hon., & ’89P is one of Providence College’s most distinguished and successful alumni. A math major at PC, Mr. Ryan became an acclaimed business leader, eventually becoming CEO of Prudential Insurance Company. In this podcast, he talks about how his Providence College liberal arts education, along with other lessons he learned during his student days, helped to set the stage for his professional success. Later in the podcast, Mr. Ryan and his former professional associate Liz Lott Flynn ’82 engage in a lively discussion, facilitated by Prof. Alex Moffett, continuing on those same themes.For more on PC's Homecoming and the Fiondella Lecture, visit homecoming.providence.eduFollow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.

By standard measures, accountancy major Paul Mecurio ’82 was leading a successful life as a lawyer and investment banker on Wall Street. But after a chance encounter with Jay Leno, the Providence native found himself living a double life — managing mergers and acquisitions by day and performing stand-up at night. Mecurio discusses his transition from finance to comedy, a typical day of filming at shows like The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and how studying Development of Western Civilization at PC helps him craft jokes. See Mecurio perform in person on Friday of Homecoming. Register at homecoming.providence.edu and and listen to his podcast, The Paul Mecurio Show.Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.

Lisa Schenck ’83 & ’18Hon. is a former U.S. Army attorney and judge who retired as a colonel after 25 years of distinguished military service. That experience led to a second career, in academic life, as an associate dean at George Washington University Law School. A political science major and ROTC cadet as a PC undergraduate, Thibault describes the way in which her PC experiences, both in the classroom and the ROTC battalion, set the stage for a remarkably successful career.You can read more in the Fall 2018 Providence College Magazine profile by Vicki Downing.Schenck receiving her honorary degree in 2018.Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube.Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.

Nearly every one of us exhibits resilience from time to time. Dr. Mary O’Keeffe, associate professor of psychology, has had a special interest in building resilience for decades — partly because it is so important to the mental health and well-being of students. Join us as O’Keeffe discusses how she has incorporated resilience into courses and helped initiate a curriculum-based academic resilience faculty fellowship program supported by Chris Riccobono ’01 and his wife, Amy Parillo ’03.

Meet Rev. Adam Young ’06, a competitor on the current season of “Worst Cooks in America” on the Food Network. Father Adam, the pastor of St. Paul’s Church in Cranston, R.I., jokes that God must forsake him in the kitchen, because he’s so bad at cooking. Learn how he will use the $25,000 prize if he wins and how food factors into the Church’s ministry.

Meet Sarah Kirchner ’21, newly published author and creative writing enthusiast. An English/creative writing and art history double major, Kirchner wrote Try and Catch Me (Typewriter Pub, 2019), a young adult fiction work that was published in June. Her sustained flair for creativity, her satisfaction in organizing and writing thoughts and stories, and her elation over discovering a passion for art history while at PC are abundantly apparent in this conversation.

As the fall semester starts, revisit our episode with Dr. Raymond Hain on the humanities at PC. At Providence College, the humanities are an integral and flourishing element of the liberal arts experience; in some ways, they draw in the entire College community. In this podcast episode, Dr. Raymond Hain, associate professor of philosophy and associate director of the Humanities Program, discusses the interdisciplinary nature of the humanities, the significance of the Ruane Center for the Humanities, and programs like the Humanities Forum and the Humanities Reading Seminar.

Rev. James Cuddy, O.P. ’98 provides both insight and humor in this wide-ranging interview that covers Father’s own faith journey, his work as PC’s vice president for mission and ministry, and his newest vocation – chaplain in the U.S. Navy Reserve. Father James offers perspectives on the faith community among PC’s students, the personal reasons why service as a Navy chaplain is so important to him, and – with his trademark sense of humor – the factors and influences that brought him to PC and the priesthood. Follow the Providence College Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Soundcloud, Stitcher, Google Play and YouTube. Visit Providence College on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and LinkedIn.

Dr. Kathleen Cornely, professor of chemistry for 25 years, and her former student, R. Seth Pinches ’16, reunite in this episode of the Providence College Podcast to discuss their role in research that saved the life of a 17-year-old woman in England. Cornely and her students collect and isolate phages, viruses commonly found in the environment that show promise for treating drug-resistant infections.

Madeleine Veith ’16 spent the last two years in Denver, Colo., as a missionary for Christ in the City, a Catholic non-profit dedicated to preparing young people to know, love, and serve the poor. Veith discusses the goals of this street ministry and how she grew from the experience, as well as how her PC experience prepared her for these years of service.

Nearly 20 years after its formation, the College’s Providence Alliance for Catholic Teachers program continues to excel in its mission of preparing educators to contribute to the enrichment of Catholic schools. The two-year teacher education program, which boasts more than 300 graduates, includes principals, assistant principals, and even alumni in religious formation among its ranks. Listen in as Dr. Michael T. O’Connor, PACT director, discusses success stories, training and support for student-teachers, the legacy of retired PACT director Brother Patrick S. Carey, CFC, the state of Catholic school education, and much more.

At Providence College, the humanities are an integral and flourishing element of the liberal arts experience; in some ways, they draw in the entire College community. In this podcast episode, Dr. Raymond Hain, associate professor of philosophy and associate director of the Humanities Program, discusses the interdisciplinary nature of the humanities, the significance of the Ruane Center for the Humanities, and programs like the Humanities Forum and the Humanities Reading Seminar.

As the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing approaches, we talk with Dr. Theresa Moreau, assistant professor of physics, about PC’s affiliation with the NASA Rhode Island Space Grant Consortium. She discussed how the grant has funded undergraduate research at the College, as well as the value of hands-on fabrication experience for a budding engineer.

This week’s guest is Rev. David T. Orique, O.P., a member of the Providence College history faculty and Director of Latin American and Latina/o Studies. Father Orique, who grew up in a California agricultural community and worked in banking before becoming a Dominican, shares the story of his personal journey, along with insights about Dominican history and scholarship and some of his favorite things about living in New England. The interview begins with discussion of two July academic conferences Father is organizing on campus. The first is on the subject of Bartolome de Las Casas, the 16th century Spanish colonist who became a Dominican; it will be followed by the Third International Congress on the History of the Order of Preachers in the Americas.

Dr. Jay Pike, assistant professor of chemistry at PC, has been home brewing since his graduate school days. Now he and research students, such as biology major Alex Ventouris ’20, are studying how to decrease some of the organic compounds that create off-flavors in beer. Pike also discusses his course, The Scientific Chef, and some tips for enjoying beer at home.