Established in 1975, the incredibly prestigious Truman Scholarship provides undergraduate students committed to pursuing a career in public service with funding for graduate school. In 2021, 845 students were nominated by their institutions of learning. 62 were selected. Sarah Beisner '22 and Destiny Magnett '22  were 2 of those recipients. On this episode, they share their most meaningful experiences at Grinnell, what the application process for the Truman entails, and the ways in which they are making a difference in the world today. From "embracing gentleness" to reforming systemic inequality, with people like Sarah and Destiny leading the way: the future of humanity is in good hands.

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast

This episode features music by Poddington Bear (entitled "Buddy Guy") and Ketsa (entitled "Future Life") available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

Angela Onwuachi-Willig '94 believes that the law is a powerful tool. It can be used for good, or it can be used for harm, and the difference lies in who wields it. That is why Angela chose to dedicate her life to the practice of law: first as an attorney, then as a judge, and now as a law professor of discrimination and race. She is a legal scholar on family and employment law and a leading expert on critical race theory. In addition to her legal scholarship, Angela holds a PhD in African American studies and Sociology and is a published author. In her current role as the Dean of the Boston University School of Law, Angela is committed to shaping the next generation of legal minds with empathy, equity, and interdisciplinary spirit. In this episode, she helps us understand what takes be accepted into top law programs, how to succeed while in law school, what paths exist within the legal realm, and what it means to have an impact on the world while wielding your law degree as a tool for change.

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast. 

This episode features music entitled "Sunset Vibes" and "Future Life," available under a Pixabay Attribution-Noncommercial license.

Albert Owusu-Asare '16 and Ameer Shujjah '16 met on their second day at Grinnell and quickly realized they had a lot in common: they both played sports and tutored in their free time, they both planned to double-major in physics and computer science, and they were both international students stepping foot in Iowa for the very first time. What they didn't realize at the time was that this friendship would be the lantern illuminating the path they have been on ever since.

When a phone call with Albert's sister revealed the problematic intricacies of the monthly-payment cycle in developing economies, Albert knew he needed to do something to help. He called Ameer, his Grinnell partner in crime, and together they created Cadana: a mobile payroll app that allows African workers to access their earned wages on-demand. Since its launch in 2019, the startup has grown steadily, seen tremendous success, and touched the lives of workers all over the continent of Africa.

This year, Albert and Ameer were named on Forbes Magazine's famous "30 Under 30" list of the nation's brightest, most influential young entrepreneurs. In honor of this achievement, Nicholas and Meredith ask the pair of ex-roommates thirty questions on how they did it, from securing early funding to collecting feedback to coping with feelings of doubt. This is your guide to starting up a startup. 

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast. 

This episode features music entitled "Sunset Vibes" and "Future Life" available under a Pixabay Attribution-Noncommercial license.

This is an episode about climate change, but it is not about the end of the world. This episode is about hope. This episode requires believing in the future. This is an episode about trying to save it.

Sachi Graber ‘12 has dedicated her life to the climate movement: She owns a sustainable dry bean farm, she serves on the board of a community-based solar energy co-op, and she works for The Nature Conservancy, the largest international environmental organization in the world.

In this episode, Sachi and Meredith unpack climate work: What does it take — and how does it feel — to spend our days thinking about the encroaching effects of climate change? Who does this work serve? Who might it harm? And, perhaps most importantly, what should we all be doing to keep the planet healthy, safe, and habitable for generations beyond our own?

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast. This episode features music entitled "Sunset Vibes" and "Future Life" available under a Pixabay Attribution-Noncommercial license.

As Dorothy says in The Wizard of Oz, "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore." But, if you are Vivek Venugopal '01 or Sneha Saigal '12, you are in Kansas. Or at least that's what it felt like after first arriving in Grinnell as international students from India. 

So what does it mean to embrace the feeling of uncertainty, newness, and risk–of not being in Kansas anymore? Vivek and Sneha have allowed this feeling to guide and define their professional trajectories. From iterating to innovating, listening to learning, their journeys are a lesson in continually pushing the boundaries. Their wealth of experiences in the non-profit sector, fundraising, and marketing to new tech and entrepreneurship means they are experts in many fields. But if there is one thing they know best, it's taking advantage of every new experience that comes their way.

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast

This episode features music by Poddington Bear (entitled "Buddy Guy") and Ketsa (entitled "Future Life") available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

For Leslie Bleichner '07, education is everything. If a school building represents the world of education, Leslie has spent time in every classroom; as a teacher, administrator, diversity practitioner, and beyond, working for organizations like Teach for America and the Posse Foundation. In this episode, Leslie shares insights from her experiences across the educational spectrum, assuring us that there is a place for anyone and everyone in the field. Plus, she offers additional wisdom on pivoting, dealing with uncertainty, and finding meaning in what you do. 

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast

This episode features music by Poddington Bear (entitled "Good Times") and Ketsa (entitled "Future Life") available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

Jenn Mattern Lalich ‘92 considers herself the queen of ‘almosts’: almost a famous actress; almost a world-renowned playwright; almost the author of bestselling books. But every time she got close to something big, she says, her mental health always seemed to get in her way.

Today, Jenn and I discuss brains, burnout, and what happens when our best plans go terribly awry. We wrestle with productivity culture, motherhood, humor as a survival mechanism, and the dangers of socially imposed prescriptions of success. Jenn’s stories are honest and her wisdom is raw. She is a brilliant mind and a compassionate soul, who certainly knows a thing or two about overcoming challenges. With Jenn's help, we remember that real success involves letting go of the life we had planned for, and instead learning to love the life that we have.

Content Warning: Depression, Anxiety, reference to suicide

More information about Jenn Mattern Lalich can be found at www.jennifermattern.com.

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast. This episode features music entitled "Sunset Vibes" and "Future Life" available under a Pixabay Attribution-Noncommercial license.

When Lawrence Sumulong '10 was a student at Grinnell, he got a job as the student photographer for Grinnell Concerts. Flash forward ten years, and Lawrence found himself backstage at the New York Philharmonic photographing John Williams and Yo-Yo Ma. 

Today, Lawrence's work has appeared on New York City billboards and Grammy-winning album covers; in publications like The New York Times, The Washington Post, and The Guardian; and in the hallowed halls of The Tate Modern, The Smithsonian, and The Museum of Modern Art. But much of his success, Lawrence says, can be traced directly back to his days photographing for Grinnell Concerts and The S&B.

In this episode, Lawrence explains how he went from an aspiring writer to a hugely successful performance/documentary photographer — and how it all started when he picked up a camera from the media room one day at Grinnell.

More information about Lawrence Sumulong and his photography work can be found at https://www.lawrencesumulong.com (personal) or https://www.layerstudio.nyc (commercial). 

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast. 

This episode features music entitled "Sunset Vibes" and "Future Life" available under a Pixabay Attribution-Noncommercial license. 

Can you imagine working at an organization, post-graduation, with three other Grinnellians? For Anton Jones '02, Lizzy Hinman '20, Abraham Teuber '22, and Caulden Parkel '22, it's just a typical day at CLIMB Theatre. In our inaugural episode of Season 2, we explore the power of connections, how Grinnell helps you make meaningful ones, and where those connections can take you. 

CLIMB Theatre uses the power of performance to inspire people to build better communities; they create customized plays, classes and workshops that build accountability, resiliency, empathy, advocacy and self-control. Learn more about the work they do here. 

As always, we invite you to connect with us by emailing [goingforth] or reaching out via our Instagram or Facebook: @goingforthpodcast 

This episode features music by Poddington Bear (entitled "Good Times") and Ketsa (entitled "Future Life") available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial license.

Hosts Nicholas Lampietti ‘25 and Meredith Benjamin ‘24 are back, and excited to explore what it means to live a life of meaning and purpose alongside a dynamic new slate of guests. Hear from alums, students, and CLS staff about education, climate change, technology, law, and more. From making it big to learning from failure, we're going to cover it all. To kick off the season, they play a round of 2 truths and a lie with Executive Producer and CLS Exploratory Advisor Katie Kriegel.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @goingforthpodcast to find out when new episodes are released.

If you have questions or suggestions, please reach out to us at [email protected].