Catalyze

Join co-chairs Madhu Vulimiri ’14 and James Dean ’89 as they share what will make the 2025 Alumni Forum this fall an unmissable event! This invigorating weekend is a chance to reconnect, learn, and grow with alumni from around the world. The Alumni Forum will take place at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from October 17 to 19. Learn more and secure your spot on the Morehead-Cain Network. 

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On this episode, North Carolina State Treasurer Brad Briner ’99 shares about his new role managing the state’s financial assets. He offers insights into how North Carolina’s financial processes compare to other states; the importance of strategizing long-term fiscal stewardship; and his leadership approach for the department’s 400-person team. The conversation, hosted by Stella Smolowitz ’26, also explores his take on healthcare sp...

Welcome to Kickin’ It in the Kitchen, a miniseries by the Catalyze podcast that showcases Morehead-Cain seniors. The second edition of the series features Elizah Liberty Van Lokeren ’25, a professional photographer, small business owner, and member of UNC football’s creative team. In this episode, the advertisement and public relations double major discusses her experiences developing a photography business, creating social media c...

Welcome to Kickin’ It in the Kitchen, a Catalyze podcast miniseries showcasing Morehead-Cain seniors. The first episode features Nigel Parker ’25, a founding member of the Food for Thought breakfast and conversation series, the chief of staff for UNC Student Government, an Agora Fellow, and a philosophy major at Carolina.

This video series is hosted by Allyson Horst ’27 of the Morehead-Cain Scholar Media Team. Watch the episode on Y...

In 1974, a dozen women became the first female Morehead-Cain Scholars at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the same year the Equal Credit Opportunity Act was passed, granting women the right to open a bank account without a husband’s signature.

This past fall, eight members of the class of 1979 reunited to celebrate their 45th anniversary. During their visit, they shared memories and insights with current scholars at ...

This past fall, fifteen students enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill joined the Morehead-Cain Class of 2027 through its Sophomore Selection process.

Morehead-Cain launched this initiative in fall 2023 to identify sophomores at UNC–Chapel Hill who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship, leadership, and character, and invite them to join the Morehead-Cain Program.

In this episode, we have members of the class...

Happy New Year! Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford sat down with scholar host Stella Smolowitz ’26 to share what we’ve learned since launching the Sophomore Selection process and Morehead-Cain’s Community Standards, and what he hopes scholars take away from their time in the Program. 

Morehead-Cain launched Sophomore Selection in fall 2023 to identify sophomores at UNC–Chapel Hill who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship, l...

As Morehead-Cain celebrates 50 years of the Summer Enrichment Program, we asked scholars to share a few of their highlights from the past year. This episode is hosted by Allyson Horst ’27 of the Scholar Media Team. 

First up, we hear from Sahil Kapadia ’28 about his Outdoor Leadership expedition trekking around Lake Superior, followed by Carolina Hoyt ’28 and her expedition in the Talkeetna Mountains of Alaska. Next, Amanda Jesuca ’...

Lee Roberts, the thirteenth chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, sat down with scholar host Allyson Horst ’26 to share his vision for Carolina under his leadership. The two discuss the University’s strategic priorities, with a focus on the areas of artificial intelligence, enrollment growth, investments in applied sciences, a physical master plan, the launch of the School of Civic Life and Leadership, and ...

Dr. John Rose joined the Morehead-Cain community this fall as faculty director for Dialogue and Discourse. The initiative is designed to enhance scholars’ ability to listen, discuss, and engage in contemporary issues.

Rose speaks with Catalyze co-host Stella Smolowitz ’26 about his approach to facilitating “charity-centric” dialogue with college students, the connection for him between theology and civic leadership, and advice for n...

Sachi Akmal ’28 visited campus during a break in her International Gap Year to speak with Catalyze host Allyson Horst ’27. 

So far, Sachi has traveled to ten countries over the span of nine months. From climbing Mount Kilimanjaro with fellow incoming scholars to exploring Italian monasteries, Sachi shares some of the highlights from her time abroad. She also touches on some of the more challenging aspects of a gap year, such as copi...

Patton McDowell ’89 is the founder and president of PMA Nonprofit Leadership. The firm provides philanthropic and organizational consulting services. Patton is also the host of the podcast Your Path to Nonprofit Leadership, a career development series focused on philanthropy.

Patton shares with Catalyze host Charles McCain ’27 how interning at Special Olympics International as a Morehead-Cain Scholar launched his career in nonprofit...

Nandini Kanthi ’27 is the CEO and co-founder of Sensible, a startup that provides an affordable menstrual hygiene product that screens for cervical diseases. The diagnostic device uses naturally discharging menstrual blood. 

The scholar shares with Catalyze host Allyson Horst ’27 about her entrepreneurship journey, from competing on a high school debate team to filing for a patent. Nandini is studying public policy and neuroscience ...

Morehead-Cain launched the Sophomore Selection initiative in fall 2023 to identify current sophomores at Carolina who have demonstrated exceptional scholarship, leadership, and character. Fifteen students joined the Program as members of the Morehead-Cain Class of 2026.

Four members of the class joined Catalyze co-host Allyson Horst ’27 to share about the moment they received the good news, their campus involvements, and what they’r...

Today’s guest is Kevin Guskiewicz, the twelfth chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a Food for Thought speaker at Morehead-Cain. The chancellor emeritus spoke with Catalyze as his final engagement on campus before moving to East Lansing, Michigan, to serve as president of Michigan State University. 

Guskiewicz shares with scholar host Benny Klein ’24 insights on the current landscape of public higher edu...

Most Morehead-Cain Alumni know Josh Lee ’04 as the co-founder of Green Top Farms, a farm-to-table catering and food service company based in New York City. But after the work day, you’ll find the entrepreneur in the South Bronx coaching girls how to wrestle. 

Josh is the founder of the Taft High School women’s wrestling team, one of the first of its kind in the city. A new film by Nike’s Waffle Iron Entertainment chronicles the team...

Today’s guest is Peter Hans, president of the University of North Carolina system and a Food for Thought speaker at Morehead-Cain. 

On this episode, President Hans shares about how growing up in rural North Carolina has informed his work, his experiences as president of the North Carolina Community College System, and his perspective on the future of affordable public education in the state.

Hans received his bachelor’s in political ...

Today’s episode is a recording of a SEVEN Talk from the 2022 Alumni Forum. This talk, given by Kartik Tyagi ’23, is entitled, “Haste and Hustle.” Kartik was the senior class president at UNC–Chapel Hill. 

You can watch all of the SEVEN Talks on our YouTube channel. 

Morea bout Kartik

Born and raised in Cary, North Carolina, Kartik Tyagi ’23 received his BSPH in Health Policy and Management at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public H...

Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford sat down with scholar co-host Benny Klein ’24 to share about an initiative that welcomed more than a dozen sophomores from UNC–Chapel Hill into the Program last fall, recent efforts to celebrate and support educators in North Carolina and beyond, and what’s ahead for the Morehead-Cain Foundation in 2024.

How to listen

On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Ap...