Palm Court Podcast

An Antarctic Wedding and Alumni Engagement - A Conversation with Monica Lewman Wulf and Stuart Clarry

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Join Mike Palmer, Grant Balfour, and Megan Citron, along with "friend of the show" Joanne Dramko, for a captivating conversation with New College of Florida (NCF) alumni and NCAA Board Members Monica Lewman Wulf and Stuart Clarry.


This episode offers a delightful mix of personal stories and reflections on the New College experience with a focus on Alumni Engagement. Monica shares the details of her recent Antarctic wedding to fellow New College alum, Henry, a celebration that uniquely incorporated their desire for unique experiences and, of course, penguins. Stuart, who was Grant's roommate, reminisces about their time on campus, sharing anecdotes about the self-reliance cultivated at New College and some memorable dorm-life moments.  


Beyond the personal stories, Monica and Stuart, who are both involved in the Alumni Association, provide valuable insights into alumni engagement and the complexities of navigating trust and communication with the new college administration, including their perspectives on the recent contentious alumni event with President Richard Corcoran.  


Whether you're an alum or simply interested in the unique dynamics of a liberal arts college, this episode is a must-listen. Don't forget to subscribe to the Palm Court Podcast for more engaging conversations and updates from the New College community!


  • Troy Winfrey was in an earlier episode; his spouse just published a touching piece on how a terminal diagnosis shaped their relationship. 
  • Ben Brown, the former New College Alumni Association (NCAA) chair, resigned dramatically shortly before the College Hall event. He gave five reasons. 
  • Henry and Monica at the 1988 semi-formal and in Antarctica. 
  • Morning Bob: p. 5, left. 
  • James P. Kelly: journalist, naturalist, scholar. 
  • “Big weekend”: Alt Liberal Arts hosts a rival speaking event, and then NCF’s upcoming star speaker was charged with rape. 
  • “Being at UF and the state politics and all” means Ben Sasse, Joseph Ladapo, and the Hamilton Center (no relation to NCF’s Ham Center). 
  • John Lithgow reads “20 Lessons on Tyranny” by Timothy Snyder. 
  • “Bought a brick”: in Palm Court, custom-engraved. 
  • Nimbus was charmingly homespun, then got glossy, then vanished.
  • “Gender at the state level.” 
  • The Novo Collegian Alliance is (sort of) a shadow NCAA oriented to student needs; NCF Freedom is oriented toward governance issues.
  • The Q&A was a crash. 
  • Florida universities face “performance-based funding” based on KPIs, one of which is “alumni engagement.” 
  • “Florida will no longer be full of Boomers.” Things might change sooner; ruby-red Escambia County, home of now-embattled UWF, just flipped blue. 


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    Palm Court PodcastBy Palmer Media