Meet Princeton!

Meet Irene Kim and Felicia Wijaya, two sophomores who chose their own unique paths to Princeton. In this episode, Irene shares her immersive Bridge Year experience in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, while Felicia reflects on her journey from her hometown of Jakarta. Together, they discuss the transition from high school to college and how global perspectives shape their academic goals in sociology and math.

About "Meet Princeton!"

Host: Sydney Spector '24, admission officer

Producer: Mary Buckley, associate dean, strategic communications, Office of Admission Editor/Sound Engineer: Nick Donnoli, Orangebox Productions Logo Design: Esteban Aguas '19

The theme music to our podcast was created by Molly Trueman '24

In this episode, "Meet Princeton!" host Esteban Aguas '19 speaks with his colleague Elysia Garza, assistant director of admission, about the fall travel season in the world of college admission. Join the conversation as they discuss why admission officers travel every year, explain the various types of visits they participate in, and offer tips for students when meeting with officers on the road so that they can feel prepared and empowered.

In this episode, "Meet Princeton!" host Esteban Aguas '19 leads his new podcast collaborator and fellow admission officer Sydney Spector '24 in a game of friendly trivia competition against Orange Key Tour Guide Rohan Sykora '27. Rohan is a rising junior from Pittsburg, PA, majoring in economics with a minor in computer science. On campus, he serves as a guide for Orange Key—a long-standing, student-led organization at Princeton that has been welcoming visitors and offering campus tours since 1935. Play along as Sydney and Rohan answer trivia questions related to the University's history, traditions and undergraduate experience and see if you are smarter than an Orange Key Tour Guide!

It's 2025 and the podcast is BACK! In this episode, host Esteban Aguas '19 speaks with Justin Parsons, associate dean for international recruitment, about the similarities and differences in the Princeton application process for international students. Join the conversation as they discuss trends for international recruitment and admission in a post-Covid landscape and offer parting advice for international sophomores and juniors as they prepare to apply.

About "Meet Princeton!"

Host: Esteban Aguas '19, assistant dean of admission

Producers: Esteban Aguas and Mary Buckley, associate dean, strategic communications, Office of Admission Editor/Sound Engineer: Nick Donnoli, Orangebox Productions Sound Engineer: Molly Trueman '24 Logo Design: Esteban Aguas

The theme music to our podcast was created by Molly Trueman '24

For his inaugural podcast episode, new "Meet Princeton!" host Esteban Aguas '19, assistant dean of admission, speaks with Allen Nieva '26 and Sukaina Shivji '26 about their experiences being admitted to Princeton through the QuestBridge National College Match. QuestBridge is a national nonprofit whose goal is to connect lower-income and first-generation students with partner colleges and universities throughout the country. Since 2006, Princeton's partnership with QuestBridge has allowed the University to reaffirm its commitment to providing a top-quality education to students from a wide range of socioeconomic backgrounds. In that time, Princeton has "matched" with hundreds of scholars. We invite you to join the conversation to hear the students' stories and learn how Princeton supports first-generation and lower income students on our campus.

About "Meet Princeton!"

Host: Esteban Aguas '19, assistant dean of admission

Producers: Esteban Aguas and Mary Buckley, associate dean, strategic communications, Office of Admission Editor/Sound Engineer: Nick Donnoli, Orangebox Productions Sound Engineer: Molly Trueman '24 Logo Design: Esteban Aguas

The theme music to our podcast was created by Molly Trueman '24

Co-host Bryant Blount '08 talks to the Ford Family Director of Athletics John Mack '00 about his return to Princeton, how being an athlete shaped his own life as an award-winning student-athlete, and how intentional listening is foundational to shaping Princeton teams. Join the conversation to learn how Princeton is unique in offering a well-rounded student experience for its athletes.

About John Mack '00

John Mack '00 has been the Ford Family Director of Athletics at Princeton University since September of 2021 after previously having been an award-winning student-athlete, coach and administrator for the Tigers.

Mack returned to Princeton as the AD after having worked in the athletic departments at Princeton, the Big Ten Conference and Northwestern University, and he had most recently spent the last decade in the legal field as a practicing lawyer after graduating in 2014 from Northwestern Law School with cum laude honors. Mack's accomplishments while in law school included being Associate Editor of Northwestern's Journal of Law and Social Policy and Education Chair of the school's Black Law Students' Association. His legal practice focused on complex commercial litigation and products liability cases, and he is admitted to practice in state and federal court in Michigan.

A 2000 William Winston Roper Trophy recipient as the top male senior student-athlete at Princeton, Mack captained the men's track and field team during his time competing for the Tigers. As one of the best sprinters in program history, Mack helped Princeton top three straight Ivy League Heptagonal "Triple Crowns," sweeping every league track and field and cross country championship from fall 1997 through spring of 2000. An ordained pastor, Mack most recently served as pastor at the Greater New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in New Haven, Mich.

Mack and his wife Dr. Alleda Mack '99, are the parents of Jacobi, Jabari, and Anaiah.

Co-Hosts: Vivian Slee, senior assistant dean of admission, Bryant Blount '08, assistant dean of undergraduate students and manager of strategic communications, and Emma Parish '19, admission officer Producers: Vivian Slee and Mary Buckley, associate dean, strategic communications, Office of Admission Editor/Sound Engineer: Nick Donnoli, Orangebox Productions Sound Engineer: Molly Trueman '24 Logo Design: Esteban Aguas '19, assistant director

The theme music to our podcast was created by Molly Trueman '24

How might your Princeton Journey begin? The Novogratz Bridge Year Program is a nine-month tuition-free global service learning program in one of six different countries for newly admitted undergraduate students. From a suburb of Detroit to India and from Morristown, New Jersey, to Senegal, Leila Owens and Nicole Williams — both class of 2023 — tell us about their amazing experiences abroad teaching and working with an NGO, about favorite foods and changing perspectives and how they transitioned back to campus at Princeton.

In this special episode, we are joined by Princeton Class of 2019 graduate Jordan Salama who wrote his senior thesis about the people and places along Colombia's main river, the Magdalena. After graduation, he expanded his thesis into the celebrated nonfiction book "Every Day the River Changes: Four Weeks Down the Magdalena," which has been selected as this year's Pre-read. The book will inspire first-years to imagine the many ways to pursue their passions while at Princeton. He is interviewed by admission officer and classmate Emma Parish of the Great Class of 2021.

About Jordan Salama:

Jordan Salama is a writer for National Geographic whose essays and stories also appear regularly in the New York Times and other publications. His first book, "Every Day the River Changes," was published in 2021 and named one of Kirkus Reviews' top books of the year. Follow him on Instagram: @jordansalama19.

Welcome to another academic year and a new season of "Meet Princeton!" Today, we have a very special episode. Service is core to Princeton's mission. In fact, the University's unofficial motto is "In the Nation's Service and the Service of Humanity." So, instead of hearing from Vivian and Bryant, we hand the mic over to two student correspondents in the John H. Pace Jr. '39 Center for Civic Engagement: Christine Shin '25 and Isabella Gomes '25. Christine and Isabella share a bit about how why they became involved in the Pace Center and interview two student-volunteers Ana Blanco '23 and Hannah Bein '22, each of whom pursue significant service work that aligns with their academic and extracurricular interests.

We'd like to thank Gianna Melchionda '24 and Savannah Pobre '23 for their help in producing the episode, along with Gwen McNamara, assistant director for communications, Pace Center, for her partnership on the project.

View the transcript.

Alex Bustin is Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate Admission and Director of Transfer, International, and Military/Veteran Admission at Princeton University. Originally from New Jersey, he grew up in Belgium before relocating back to his home state, and receiving his A.B. in chemistry from Princeton University, followed by his master of education from Harvard University. He has worked in Princeton's Office of Admission since 2009, and has served as primary coordinator of recruitment and admission for transfer and military/veteran students since 2016. He also oversaw the recent reinstatement of the transfer admission process at Princeton, which seeks to enroll students from lower-income backgrounds, U.S. military veterans and community college students. In addition to his professional work with veteran students, he is proud of the service members in his family, including his sister who served honorably in the U.S. Army during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Beianka Tomlinson moved from Jamaica to the Unite States three years ago and attended Union County College in New Jersey before transferring to Princeton. She plans to concentrate in chemistry and is also thinking about getting certificates in either African American Studies, Global Health and Health Policy, or Spanish. Her interests are mainly focused around providing access to a better quality of life for marginalized children and people of color. More specifically, she is passionate about helping low-income, Black children receive the best education and the best healthcare options. As such, she is involved in advising underrepresented high school students on the college application process, and also participates in clinical research that aims to lessen racial healthcare disparities. This semester, she is a mentor in the Transfer Mentorship Program for new transfer students.

About Beianka Tomlinson '24

Beianka Tomlinson moved from Jamaica to the United States three years ago and attended Union County College in New Jersey before transferring to Princeton. She plans to concentrate in chemistry and is also thinking about getting certificates in either African American Studies, Global Health and Health Policy, or Spanish. Her interests are mainly focused around providing access to a better quality of life for marginalized children and people of color. More specifically, she is passionate about helping lower-income, Black children receive the best education and the best healthcare options. As such, she is involved in advising underrepresented high school students on the college application process, and also participates in clinical research that aims to lessen racial healthcare disparities. This semester, she is a mentor in the Transfer Mentorship Program for new transfer students.

Co-Hosts: Vivian Slee, senior assistant dean of admission, and Bryant Blount '08, assistant dean of undergraduate students and manager of strategic communications Producers: Vivian Slee and Mary Buckley, associate dean, strategic communications, Office of Admission Editor/Sound Engineer: Nick Donnoli, Orangebox Productions Sound Engineer: Molly Trueman '24 Logo Design: Esteban Aguas '19, admission officer

The theme music to our podcast was created by Molly Trueman '24. Molly plans on majoring in music with a potential certificate in Applications of Computing. Outside of class, she is part of Glee Club, Chamber Choir, and the Tigressions, a contemporary all-female a cappella group. While she has been practicing voice and piano since age six, within the past year—especially during quarantine—she has become more passionate about songwriting and music production, leading her to create music for this podcast.