November 30, 2024 • 52 mins
Alvin and German conduct a great conversation with Principal at Roberts Internet, Tal-ee Roberts, ’01. As the co-founder and Executive Editor of GearInstitute.com and MilesJunkie.com, he seamlessly combines his love for travel and the outdoors with content creation and digital media. Leading teams to deliver expert advice on gear, destinations, and travel rewards, Tal-ee’s work reaches millions through a vast network of websites and partnerships. With over 20 years of experience as a technology consultant, Tal-ee has helped clients across industries implement innovative internet-based solutions. After Colgate, his passion for business was further fueled by attending the University of Virginia’s LEAD Summer Business Institute. While at Colgate, he honed his writing skills as a columnist for the Colgate Maroon News and earned a B.A. in English & Creative Writing.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The following podcast is being brought to you by the
Defile Life podcast Network.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Aftergate, powered by the Defile Life Network.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Are you all Ready?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Aftergate is a podcast series highlighting Colgate alumni of color
in their professional endeavors.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Aftergate Are you all Ready?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Aftergate is hosted by Alvin Glim aka al and Herman
Dubois aka A Jerry?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Are you all ready?
Speaker 4 (00:33):
We are doing.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Aftergate because Colgate University has produced innovators who have changed
the world every day, Yet many alumni of color and
the mainstream Colgate community are unaware of the amazing accomplishments
of alums of color?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Are you all ready?
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to another episode of after Gate.
What's going on? This is your boy, Alvin Glymph. We
are here season four, Back in the Building, ninety episodes plus.
So enjoy the ride, enjoying the journey, looking forward to
(01:13):
another amazing episode this evening. But before we jump into
that conversation, let me bring in my co host, my man,
mister head of mom du Bois.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
How are you doing, my brother?
Speaker 6 (01:25):
It's good, brother. Life is good in the Sunshine State
where we survived. Milton Oh wow at least Miami didn't
get a direct hit, but some of our folk on
the West coast are still still recuperating, still managing, so
prayers out to them. I know that Georgia and some
of the other southern cities and up to North Carolina
(01:46):
are still in that same mix, so prayers go out
to those families.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
But it is the price we pay for living in paradise.
Speaker 6 (01:53):
And so you know, the other three hundred and sixty
days of the years, pretty dope to be doe here.
So all are you guys doing up at the ATM.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Not bad, you know, very blessed, grateful that our home
has really gone unscathed for both Helene and Milton. Atlanta
has had its issues, Georgia's definitely had its issues, but
all in all terms of my personal homestead, feeling good.
Just got back from Minnesota. Shout out to all the
(02:24):
Prince fans in the building because they man a lot
of love but had a good time. Also, shout out
to the New York Liberty for all my w NBA
fans because I got to see a game while I
was out there, So it was awesome trip. Good to
be back, but good to be back doing what we do.
Been an amazing ride, ninety episodes deep. So can I
(02:46):
bring this week's guest into the room, my brother, Can
I bring them in?
Speaker 6 (02:52):
Absolutely? And as you know, the Aftergate Church says, Amen.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
That's what's up. So after Gates AOC all my listeners
in the building, I ask your blessing to bring the one,
the only Tarlly Robins into the studio, class of two
thousand and one. Welcome to Aftigate, my brother.
Speaker 7 (03:25):
Thanks very much for having me, guys, It's great to
be here.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Good, good, good.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
So in typical Aftergate tradition, love to show where our
past have crossed so that people know is their context?
Here are we learning on the fly? Have we gone
to school? This case, Tlly, Me and you both serve
on the alumni council together, so I believe that is
(03:52):
when the first time we met. But it is good
to have you.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
In the room.
Speaker 7 (03:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (03:57):
I think we met a couple of years ago. I'm
not sure what year you started on the council.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
Probably this is my third year, so maybe two, maybe
twenty one to twenty two somewhere around here.
Speaker 7 (04:11):
Yep, that sounds about right.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (04:14):
I served on the alumni council from twenty nineteen to
twenty twenty three. Okay, and then retired and just what
I thought I was out, they pulled me back and
I'm yeah, serving as an alumni trustee now. So back
on the alumni council. Happy to be back and see
(04:37):
you guys a couple of times a year, and and
excited to serve on the board and get to know
that group and all of the things that they do there.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Good stuff, good stuff. So let's start from I guess
the beginning one. Where are you from?
Speaker 7 (04:59):
So? I grew up uh just north of Boston, Uh, Beverly, Massachusetts,
on the north shore of Massachusetts. I you know, enjoyed
time in Oklahoma every summer, back where my mom and
(05:20):
grandmother were born. Grew up kind of you know, in
the in the in the powowing culture and getting to
know all my cousins down there in Oklahoma. But yeah, Massachusetts.
Boy played hockey, played Little League, that sort of stuff.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Were you born and raised in and wasn't all? Was
there a migration at a child or.
Speaker 7 (05:45):
Yeah, born born in Beverly mouse My my father's from
from the north shore of Massachusetts. My mother moved up there,
and I want to say middle school somewhere around there,
and my grandparents were both school teachers in the North
Shore there. Well, all three that I knew actually taught.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
Graduate Colgate two thousand and one. So your high school
graduation class ninety seven, what do you remember about that
time your life? What's the community like, what's the world like?
Set the context for listeners in terms of what your
world is like as you're entering COVID before COVID, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (06:31):
As I'm entering Colgate. Yeah, nineteen ninety seven. I don't know.
I moved up to Colgate. I guess early because I
was part of OUs, the Science and Math Initiative. Shout
out to SMI Finale and Navon and all my SMI people.
(06:55):
But yeah, I mean got up there early, got to
know the campus. Really, I mean, what was going on
in the world. I don't know. I was, you know,
just turned eighteen. What do I know?
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Well, what was high school like for you? What do
you remember about high school?
Speaker 7 (07:11):
High school is interesting? So my mom and myself, two
brothers and a sister moved to a new town right
as I started high school. It was just a town
over from Beverly, one of Massachusetts. But I started in
a new high school. So high school was different. I
(07:33):
didn't know anybody, and it was a more like affluent place,
a better high school. God knows if I would have
gotten into Colgate if I hadn't made that move, I
don't know. I was, I was better prepared. I guess
then I probably would have been. But I mean high
school was. Yeah. It was kind of like moving from
(07:59):
not necessary early a poor district, but certainly not a
district that was filled with people, you know, playing polo
and uh you know, fox hunting and stuff like that,
which was something that went on fairly regularly. And uh
in in when I'm in Hamilton where I went Hamilton,
(08:20):
when I'm regional high school.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
So well let's start with O us, what do you
remember about that summer?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Like where do you stay? What's the summer experience?
Speaker 7 (08:33):
Like, Yeah, it was, it was. It was fun. I
we stayed in HRC. My roommate was a mod Russell.
He was a football player. Yeah, and we got along great.
We were right at the end of the end of
the building, so I'm like the corner of the end
(08:54):
corner of HRC, And yeah, I mean it was good
to get to know the campus early. It was good
to get to know all the you know, a bunch
of professors, got to know some some of my classmates,
and just you know, sink my teeth into some some
college coursework. And it was nice. We had we had
(09:19):
a tutor who would help us, you know, especially with
the math stuff because it was a little more advanced math.
I guess some of us were used to. But yeah,
we had a we had a fun summer, and yeah,
it was just a good introduction to kind of feel
a little more comfortable when everybody else showed up on campus.
(09:42):
I kind of knew my way around a little bit.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Gotcha, got you? Gotcha?
Speaker 5 (09:47):
So where did you stay your freshman yeart Like, how's
how's that adjustment? What's the adjustment once you get on
campus for you?
Speaker 7 (09:53):
So? Yeah, I So I was in East Hall. I
I was the fifth floor of East. So it was
one of the big suites at the top of the stairwell.
If if you've ever been up there, it's it's kind
of like it's own little world up there. The only
(10:13):
downside was our bathroom was on the fourth floor, so
to go shower or do anything, you were going up
and down the stairwell. So yeah, all the time. But yeah,
I mean I made some lifelong friends in East freshman year. Yeah,
one of my best friends, Joseph Leo, was the best
(10:36):
man in my wedding and it's the best man at
his wedding. He was on the second floor of East,
where I spent a lot of time. But yeah, I
mean the adjustment I feeling. I was feeling pretty confident
after SMI and dove straight into calculus and promptly withdrew
(10:57):
from that calculus course. Yeah, that's actually where I think
I met Joe Leo. Uh was in that calculus course.
I think he stuck He stuck it out and got
a D and I made the wise decision with a W. Yeah. Yeah.
(11:18):
But but other than that, I mean I did fairly
well my freshman year. I guess I started out. My
freshman seminar course was with Professor Wider from the English Department,
and uh it was a I believe Native American literature course,
(11:42):
and she ended up being my my advisor all four years.
We got along great. I came in thinking I was
going to be an ECON major or something like that.
I was interested in business, so what did I know
it was Econ. But yeah, I ended up in English
major with a creative writing emphasis and did a lot
(12:07):
of computer science work. I don't know if I quite
got enough for the minor. I don't even think I
looked into it, but did a lot of CUS as well.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
And then Junior is at your residence.
Speaker 7 (12:23):
Yeah, uh, junior year Junior fall. Actually I spent out
here in Santa Fe where I live now, you know,
New Mexico. I had never been to New Mexico. But again,
Professor Wider, my advisor, was leading that study group for
the first time, and you know, put put the hard
(12:47):
sell on too to come to come out to Santa Fe.
And and uh, I agreed, and we uh, we had
a great time. I think it was nine of us
students from Colgate and then Professor Wider. And we had
two courses taught by Professor Wider, both English related, and
(13:08):
then two courses taught by co directors of the Museum
of New Mexico. One was Contemporary Issues in Native American
Culture focused on the Southwest, and the other was Archaeology,
Archaeology and Anthropology in the Southwest, which was really cool
(13:30):
because we got to do a big long trip around
the Southwest to different archaeological sites and uh, you know,
raft down river and go up canyons to see petroglyphs
and that sort of stuff. It was. It was a
great semester. Yeah. Yeah, And that was junior spring. That
(13:51):
was my junior fall. Yeah. And and I had actually
stayed on Camppis. I was actually on campus three summers
when when I went away to college, my mother and
siblings moved to a smaller house, so I no longer
had a place to stay home. So I kind of
(14:15):
felt like, well, you know, if I can get a
place on campus to stay in the summers, I'm gonna
do that. And I ended up working for Professor Balakian
the summer after my sophomore year doing research for a
book he wrote about the Armenian genocide, the Burning Tigers.
And then the summer after my junior year, Oh no,
(14:40):
that's right. And then the summer after my junior year,
I got a Humanities grant to write for the summer,
and I did a big trip to Oklahoma and visited
a lot of relatives and the Tribal Complex in Carnegie.
I remember the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma, and a lot
(15:01):
of my poetry and short stories back then revolved about
around being Kiowa and being at Kiowa in Massachusetts and
that sort of thing.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Like just out of curiosity, what was it like being
in Kiowa in Massachusetts.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
It was interesting looking back, my grandmother was the one
who really you know, educated us about our culture and
the history. And my mother was you know, knew all
that stuff, but wasn't as active in that sort of thing.
(15:41):
My grandmother really really did educate us on that stuff,
and she would every year, almost every year of school,
would talk to our teacher and we'd go into our
class in full Kiowa regalia and teach a lesson about
the Kiowa culture and history and teach them a song,
(16:03):
do dance, maybe a couple dances, and that sort of thing.
And then as I went into high school, I ended
up just doing it on my own. Did that for
one of my English classes, I think because we were
reading a Native writer and I offered to, you know,
talk a little bit about my tribe. And then I
(16:27):
think the principal or somebody caught wind of it, and
I ended up doing like a a whole presentation in
the auditorium for half the student body or something on
on Caio culture. So I mean yeah, so being a
Kiowa in Massachusetts was kind of like, I don't know,
(16:48):
fairly unique. There aren't many, and.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
I was just thinking you had definitely I'm pretty certain
you are the first Native American Kolgate alum I've ever met.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
Oh really, yeah, oh well, yeah, there there are some. Yeah,
there aren't a lot, I mean, and it's something that
I personally have been working on since, especially since joining
the alumni council. I you know, have had lots of
conversations with Gary and Tara in the admissions office about,
(17:28):
you know, how do we attract more Native students, Indigenous students,
not necessarily Native American, but Canadian. We're so close to Canada, Canadian, Mexican,
I mean, all sorts of Indigenous students, And yeah, it's
it's it's not easy, I mean, and I think part
(17:48):
of the problem is there aren't just there aren't a
ton of qualified students out there that they can attract
to apply to a place in upstate New York. But
the Oneita Nations nearby, I think they've made a few
inroads there and Colgate just actually started working with a
community group called College Horizons that's based in Albuquerque, and
(18:14):
they help get Native students prepared for the application process
and taking exams and that sort of thing, and they're
they're a group I've talked to a few times, but
I was happy to see Colgate was able to make
that that step. So yeah, things are, things are moving,
but we're still you know, still only enrolling like one
(18:36):
a year somewhere around there some some years zero.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
But what was it like while you were a student
in that regard in terms of at Colgate?
Speaker 7 (18:46):
I mean, I feel like there there is a community
on campus, and there was when I was there, and
and sometimes I was more involved with that sort of
thing than other times. We always had a dinner, at
least a few years I was there, we had a
dinner in the edge during a Native History Month which
(19:10):
is about to begin here. And one year they invited
me to say the blessing at the dinner and that
sort of thing. So that was fun. My whole family
got a kick out of that that I was asked
to do the blessing at the Indigenous people's dinner. But
(19:30):
but yeah, I mean I was fairly active at Alana
Cultural Center, and you know, did my little Kiawa Tribe
presentation up there a couple of times and brought in
some of my fancy dancing stuff and some of my
straight dance outfits and that sort of thing. So that
was cool everybody like getting to see the beating and
feathers and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, I
(19:54):
mean I was fairly comfortable, I know some And I
think that's just because I had gone to a high
school that was really similar to col new and I
and I grew up in that area. And I think
it's different for for Indigenous students who'd come from a
(20:21):
reservation or something like that. It's a much bigger adjustment.
And so I think that was also unique in my case.
I have the cultural background, but I didn't have the
same social and societal experiences that might have made it
more difficult.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
So when you look back at your time up there
highlights accomplishments, What are things you're really proud of?
Speaker 7 (20:52):
Uh? You know, I as an English major with an
emphasis in creative writing, I think the academically the culmination
for me of my four years was a reading I
did my senior year myself in another English major, Adam
(21:16):
Cruisey Tom who we had both published quite a number
of poems in the Colgate Portfolio and other campus publications
we put. We we did a reading, a joint reading
in Lawrence Hall that was just packed and we had
a great time, you know, reading a selection of poetry
(21:37):
that from our time at Colgate. And I think that
was a highlight for me. That was April of my
senior year. But other accomplishments I don't know, just the
friends I made. I met my wife there. Okay, couple
(22:01):
Colgate couple, both class of two thousand and one. Then
Katie Chamberlain now Katie Roberts.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
What extracurricular is.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Organizations? Clubs?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Did you work?
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Just kind of yeah?
Speaker 7 (22:16):
I well, growing up in Massachusetts, I played a lot
of hockey, So I continued to play a lot of
hockey on campus. Any intermural team that would take me,
I was on that. I played club here and there.
I was probably the worst club player because I showed
up occasionally, even though they allowed me to be on
the team. Don't tell the people who collected who granted
(22:40):
me pe credit that I I did. Student government was
a big part of my experience. Okay, sophomore year I
was a senator at large, and then both junior and
senior year, I was on the student Government executive board
(23:03):
as the communications director, so I got to write a
column for the MURA News that summarized what was going
on in student government and keep the student body informed.
But yeah, other than that random stuff.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Well, we're gonna take a pause and really show some
love for our sponsor as we come back for the
second half of this conversation with Tully Roberts, class of
two thousand and one.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
So this episode is sponsored by Hope Murals. Hope Murals
is a nonprofit that provides adolescent youth with an interactive
experience of creative expression via an urban arts platform that
stimulates both mental and physical development. Please visit that website
at www dot murals dot org to learn more and
(23:59):
find ways you can support the work they do.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
Welcome back, Welcome back. We are here for the second
half of this conversation on after Gate Season four. This
is I Am with Jerry and we are interviewing Tallie Roberts,
class of two thousand and one, looking forward to hearing
about his journey. Before we do that, though, and let's
show some love. Take a moment to thank our sponsor,
Hope Murals, because we greatly appreciate their work that they're
(24:28):
doing with our youth, exposing them to the power of
urban arts forstering like just a personal creative development. So
if you're looking at support an organization making a meaningful impact,
check out their website Hope Murals or check out their
social media at Hope Murals. So check them out learn
(24:49):
more about what they're doing to help shape this generation
of leaders. Make sure you show love to our network,
to the Filelife network. Go to firelife dot co. Some
real interest in empowering and written content. They also have
a podcast hub that's the filifepods dot com. Remember you
can find us on all of your major podcast streaming
(25:12):
services from Apple, Odds, the Spreaker, Spotify, our Heart.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
All of them.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Make sure you like or subscribe when you are listening
so you're getting alert. Now before we get into some
questions about where Tolley has been since graduation. Thus, Aftergate
would love to get your thoughts on the Third Century Plan.
Would love to give you an opportunity to give an
(25:42):
overview of the Third Century Plan any updates you would
like to share, But in particular, one of the key
initiatives that I would love for you to also highlight
is a COVID commitment. It is definitely something we've talked
about before on the Aftergate just love to give you
a chance to be a messenger of what's happening with
(26:04):
the Third Century.
Speaker 7 (26:04):
Plan as well. Thanks Allen, I appreciate it. So that
we're just now finishing up the fifth year of the
Third Century Plan. So President Casey when he came in,
I believe he's been there over five years now, maybe.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Seven twenty sixteen.
Speaker 7 (26:30):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
I only remember this, not like I'm tracking his career,
but I only remember this because that's the year I
received the Maroon citation, So that's kind of why it
stick on my mind.
Speaker 7 (26:42):
Well, congratulations, So eight years eight years now of President Casey,
and I think he set us on a fabulous path
in terms of thinking about Colgate in the long term,
instead of trying to address different short term problems putting
(27:04):
out fires here, putting out fires there, and more, taking
a long view and giving Coulgate the tools to address
that sort of institutional type of thinking, where you know,
what are our values? Where do we want to be
in not just five ten, but one hundred years. And
(27:29):
I think he's laying the groundwork to make Colgate the
best residential liberal arts college in the nation, and so
I'm really excited for what we get to see over
the next decade or decades, as far as Colgate's academics,
(27:50):
Colgate's commitment to financial aid and to making Colgate accessible
to anybody regardless of their means or background, and as
well as Colgate athletics and in other parts of the
plan that you know, at first glance may not seem
(28:13):
like something that you should have in such a long,
wide ranging plan, but you know, excellence is excellence, and
I think the dedication to being excellent in every way
that Colgate can be is what the Third Century Plan
is about. But Yees specifically talking about the Colgate commitment,
(28:34):
I know that personally, I couldn't have gone to Colgate
without aid. I had a single mom with four kids
and you know, cleaning houses. She wasn't going to pay.
I think it was twenty seven thousand or something when
(28:56):
I was there. It's substantially more now. So I think
what financial aid has been able to do is say
if you get in it now. Colgate has always been
committed to meeting one hundred percent of a student's need,
(29:17):
and that need has been met in various ways through
Colgate grants, loans, and other other means, but through the
Colgate Commitment, which is a new program that launched along
with the Third Century Plan, students whose family was under
(29:40):
a certain threshold, their financial aid would be met one
hundred percent through grants, so they wouldn't have the burden
of loans to weigh them down when they graduated. And
that's especially important for lower income families because you know,
you're just not starting from the same place, so when
(30:02):
you're starting out, it's tough to even consider paying back
alone when you're also thinking about how am I going
to get an apartment, starting a new job, if you
even have a job. So I think what they've been
able to do. And they started at I want to say,
(30:23):
eighty thousand dollars, but it moved up fairly quickly to
a family making one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars
was no loan, and now we're at one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars family income with new loans, and the
institution poolgates looking to move that up to two hundred thousand.
(30:48):
I don't know the timeframe for that, but I know
it's a goal but I think, you know, eventually, the
goal is to not have to pick and choose, you know,
can we afford to have this kid here. It's just
we want this kid, and it doesn't matter if they
(31:09):
can afford to come here or not. We're going to
pay no matter what happens. And I think that's the goal.
It's going to take a lot of work and a
lot of fundraising on our parts, but I think it's
a worthwhile goal and a very important part of the
plan that has been set in place.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Appreciate that, thank you.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
I think what's so valuable about them raising the limit
is that the reality of life in this country is
that even at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars or
two hundred thousand dollars, there are families that are struggling
to make ends meet, depending on what's the cost of
(31:56):
living where they're at. Absolutely, the ability to offer that
type of financial assistance to families who are struggling is yeah,
pretty impressive and something to be proud of those In
terms of being associated with this institutions.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
And the leadership leadership matters, I've always said that vision
is key, and everybody knows that COVID it's a great
institution and it should be accessible to more more students
and finance. It should not be a reason why the
students should not have an opportunity to benefit from that
COVID experience. So shout out to President Casey and to
(32:41):
my co love my council members for leading, for being
part of that then and constantly being a living example
of when Cogate makes an investment in his students, the
return on investment, it's significant.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Thank you to both of you for continuing that work.
So as we get back into the second half of
after Gate and we get a chance to reflect now
a little bit on the journey.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
Post code you graduate in two thousand and one, I'm
curious to know, you know, what was in line for
you following you know, were you that student that had
visits to the Career Planning Office and had advising and
you know, had gone on some interviews, had the resume
prepped and it kind of had that course of action
set or on the other end of the spectrum where
(33:33):
you were just happy to graduate. And I'll figure it
out once I cross the stage and leave campus and
then figure out what's next. Please fill in the blanks
and take US through two thousand and one through twenty
twenty four. Of the highs and those of life where
you've lived, what you've done.
Speaker 7 (33:50):
Sure, I was very much the fly by the seat
of my pants, no plan whatsoever. I had visited career
services back when it was in Spear House, but that
I was mostly junior year. You know, I was always
(34:13):
interested in internet technology. My grandmother, since she was a
high school teacher, had a discount on Apple computers and
had bought a Mac for herself, and I was glued
to that thing almost all of high school, making little
websites and playing around with internet stuff because I just
(34:34):
thought it was so cool. And when I was at Colgate,
I I made websites for different departments, Interdisciplinary writing, the
English department, CUTV, the Maroon News, and so I was
always interested in I was pretty clear that I wanted
(34:56):
to work in internet technology somehow. So I did some
interviews junior year. One of the guys said, this is great.
Do you want to leave Colgate right now? I've got
a job for you, and no, no, I think I
think I'm gonna finish out the year and a half
I got left have my degree, and not long after
(35:22):
that interview. Probably two thousand, the dot com crash came
came in and all those all those job interviews, all
that stuff just kind of went away overnight. And so
senior year I didn't even really bother. I probably should have.
(35:46):
I had a lot of fun, but I I just
I worked with the webmaster because he was modernizing the
Colgate website, getting it more standardized. It was kind of
a hodgepodge of all different departments and different programs, so
he was working to bring everything together and I helped
(36:08):
out with that, and actually stayed on for a couple
months after graduation during the summer, since I was familiar
with staying on campus during the summer and I had
nothing else to do. I stayed on and that was fun.
But I really didn't have a plan after that, and
I ended up moving to Binghamton, New York, where my
(36:37):
friend girlfriend, Katie Chamberlain, had moved. She was more the planner,
had done internships and had a job lined up right
out of school in Binghamton for an engineering company and
was doing environmental engineering and soil sampling and GIS GPS stuff.
(37:00):
So I just, you know, crashed with her in Bampton.
I had never been to Binghamton before, and proceeded to
apply for every job they that was available there. I
even went down to the to the there was a
call center at the bottom of the hill where our
where our apartment complex was. I put in my application,
(37:22):
did the interview. He said, great, we'd love to hire you.
When can you start. I've got an opening on the
ten pm to six am shift. And I said, well,
I'm not quite that desperate yet. I'm going to see
if any of these other applications pan out. But I
ended up working as the webmaster for the library system
(37:46):
at Binghamton University and got some really good experience of
you know, working as a as a webmaster, dealing with
a variety of issues, managed servers, all that stuff, and
also was fairly comfortable because I was back on a
college campus and and I had just come from a
(38:09):
college campus where I had spent almost five years, and
that was a good kind of transition for me into
the working life. But after a couple of years in Binghamton,
I came home one night and said, you know, every
(38:31):
day I go to work and it's cold, dark and raining,
and then I come home from work and it's cold,
dark and rain, maybe we should we should look somewhere
other than Central New York to live now that we're
you know, out of school and stuff. And Katie was
(38:51):
totally open to it, and so we looked around at
places we wanted to be. She actually had a job
offer in San Diego at a company out there, and
we were like, and they weren't going to offer that
much money, and were lake San Diego is kind of pricey.
So I and I Santa Fe was on my radar
(39:13):
because I had spent my junior fall in Santa Fe.
And I got a job at the State Department of
Health as a programmer analyst doing health it sort of stuff,
and we figured, hey, you know, Santa Fe isn't isn't
overly expensive, but it's a sunny, cool place that we
(39:36):
can check out at least for a couple of years.
So we loaded up a U haul and drove across
the country and we've been here ever since. We've been
here twenty one years next month, and it's a gorgeous
place to live in the southern Rockies, and it's it's
worked out really well for both of us.
Speaker 6 (40:00):
You're still in the same industry or have you shifted
gears a little.
Speaker 7 (40:05):
Yeah, so I think I only spent five months at
the State Department of Health. I got a call from
a recruiter who have had a federal contract with Department
of Health and Human Services, and they had seen my
resume online because I had been putting it out so
(40:26):
much previously. And I got a job working with the
Indian Health Service in Albuquerque as a contractor doing Internet
specific stuff, internet web applications, database development, data mart type stuff,
(40:47):
and did that until that contracting company actually lost their contract,
at which time one of the one of the contracting
said have you ever considered contracting with the government, And
I was like, no, no, really. They were like, well
(41:09):
you might want to think about it, and they're like,
you are Native American and we give preference to Native
American contractors. And I was like, oh, that's interesting. And
so I started contracting with Indian Health Service and then
also did some work for Department of Interior and a
(41:31):
couple other federal agencies. I still maintain a contract with
the Indian Health Service dental program and I've been working
with them for years. My boss, Admiral Rix, just finished
a stint as Assistant Surgeon General for denteal, but I
(41:52):
manage all their web and database applications and that sort
of thing. But along the way, I also so I
had so much flexibility due to, you know, working remotely
and working for programs throughout the country having to do
with Indian health, that I'd be walking my dog at
(42:15):
lunchtime or something. I kept running into this one neighbor
and we'd chat, and one day he said, what do
you do. They are out here every day walking your dog.
I was like, well, I make websites and I need
database stuff. And he's like, oh, that's cool. I was like,
what do you do. It's like, oh, I edit this
ski magazine and you know, right about skiing and ski
(42:37):
instruction and all of stuff. I was like, that's cool.
He said, I've got this idea. Me and this other
guy want to start an online presence where we put
reviews of outdoor gear. And I was like, oh, that's
really interesting. And at the time, I was running marathons
and using a lot of shoes. I was a skier
(42:58):
hockey player, so I was pretty active. And I was like, yeah,
let's have lunch and we talked about it and started
this website called gear Institute and It is basically a
consumer reports for outdoor gear, where you can shop for
(43:18):
different activities and what gear is related to it, and
we rate the gear and tell you where you can
buy it and how much it is. And we started
out small and grew to a fairly good size and
we've been doing that for thirteen years now, somewhere around there.
(43:40):
But it's been awesome. I mean, companies come out with
new lines of gear, new skis, new jackets, and they
want somebody from all the different outlets to try them out.
So they say, hey, we're doing a big trip to
Peru to go hiking and our new hiking boots or whatever.
Do you guys want to send an editor? Yes, yes,
(44:02):
just coincidentally I'm free then to let me sure. Yes. So,
I mean the website has done fairly well and and
you know, we've made a bit off of it, but
I've also gotten to travel the world and and and
ski in Europe and Japan and and hike in South
(44:23):
America and the Alps, and and yeah, it's been it's
been amazing.
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Pretty awesome. That's pretty awesome.
Speaker 7 (44:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (44:35):
So my question just is about perspective, right, If you
could think about who you were going into hook and
had the opportunity to offer some words of wisdom, what
would those words of wisdom be as well as when
you were graduating, what would be some of the words
(44:57):
of wisdom you would whisper in your ear?
Speaker 7 (45:04):
I think going into Colgate I would have that's a
tough one, but I I probably would have said to
enjoy every moment a little bit more. I think a
lot of times I got you know, overthinking things, you know,
(45:24):
trying to plan things out too much, and and and
even though I was the fly by the seat of
my pants type guy senior year, I think I evolved
into that guy. I think I think if I had
just been a little more like that to start with,
maybe it would have been different. But I wouldn't change
(45:45):
a whole lot about my time at Colgate. I really
did meet my best friends. I really did have a
great time. Even though, like I mean, yeah, there's not
much I would change at graduation. It's still not a
(46:10):
whole lot I would change, but I would I would say, uh,
just be a little more, a little less fly by
the seat of my pants. But I don't even know
if I would, because that's the reason I said yes
to so many different things like gear Institute or you know,
(46:33):
plenty of other ventures that I tried along the way.
I'd always had this kind of entrepreneurial bug and started
other things that failed miserably and wasted a lot of time.
But it wasn't wasted. It was, you know, preparing for
making gear Institute work or making my next thing work.
(46:54):
So there's not a whole lot I would change. I've
I've kept in touch with my friends and and I
think I credit my wife a lot with my staying
involved in Colegate. I remember when we were in Binghamton,
(47:18):
she said, yeah, I signed us up. We're going to
work at this college fair thirty minutes away. And I
was like, why are we doing that. She's like, well,
you know, we will get back to the school and
that sort of thing. I didn't even know that was
something people did, and so I credit her a lot
(47:39):
with my staying involved in Colegate. And it's you know,
led me to the to really enjoying my time being
involved with the Colgate Club of New Mexico, being on
the Class Gift Committee, on the Alumni council, and now
just starting on the board of Trustee. So I don't know,
(48:03):
I don't. I try not to look back too much.
I'm looking forward, gotcha, got you, gotcha.
Speaker 5 (48:12):
This last phase is an opportunity for you to promote
any website initiative cause, but a platform for you to
get out something that's important to you, and a way
to encourage our listeners to support and become more aware
of something you want to share.
Speaker 7 (48:33):
Sure, I just not recently, but within the last year
or so, started a new website called miles junkie dot com.
My brother and I travel together a lot, and he
was asking me about miles and points. And I have
all sorts of friends who know I travel all over
(48:54):
the place and collect miles and credit card points and
hotel points, and so I've owned this domain name, miles
junkie dot com forever and always meant to do this
and and and uh yeah, so my brother and I
were like, let's start it. So just launched that in
(49:16):
the past year and it's starting to get some traction.
So I'm excited about that. Check it out, and I'm
looking forward to starting an outdoor industry related podcast with
that neighbor I met all those years ago walking our dogs.
You know, he's he's a minor celebrity in the outdoor industry.
(49:38):
And and uh, I'm I'm the I'm still the tech
guy who knows how to put together a podcast. So
we're gonna we're gonna try our hand at that. Don't
have a name yet, but just uh, we're just developing that.
So keep an eye out for it.
Speaker 3 (49:55):
Sweet sweet sweet, Any last words before we get out
of here.
Speaker 7 (50:00):
No, I just want to thank you guys for having
me on and encourage all your listeners to you know,
support Colgate, support the Third Century Plan, the Coldgate Commitment,
the Coldgate Fund and all that stuff. And even if
you you know, can only afford to give thirteen dollars,
do it. Every every donation helps every you know, participant
(50:25):
is valued. And yeah, that's it. Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 5 (50:31):
Thank you Well. This has been another episode of Aftergate
season four. Thank you to our guests, Thank you to
our listeners. After Gate is always powered by the Defive
Life Network, so make sure you check us out in
the future on all of your favorite podcast streaming platforms.
Many more dope episodes to follow. Remember that the Coldgate
(50:51):
of your day is not the Coviate of today, and
it's certainly not the coviate of the future Peace Family.
Speaker 1 (51:01):
You hear that, listen closer that, my friend is the
definie sound of focus. It drowns out all the useless
noise that can clutter. The only nay sayers don't exist, Haters, smaters,
the peanut gallery.
Speaker 4 (51:16):
Who's that?
Speaker 1 (51:18):
When you're in your zone, all that noise and all
that buzz is just eleventor music. So enjoy your journey,
focus on your goal and basque in the choiet role
that is progressed, because when it's your time to shoot
that shot, spit that verse, or close that deal, the
only voice that matters is yours diviid life. If you're
(51:44):
a business looking to get your brand in front of
a loyal, supportive, successful market, you need to become a
sponsor of Aftergate. Our network recognizes the opportunity to work
with Codgate's a lum of color to leverage the reach
of the show to increase awareness and profitability for your business.
Reach out to the Defile Life podcast network and we
will work with you throughout the entire process. We have
(52:06):
special packages to get you started. Contact us at info
at godofirelife dot com. Every week, professionals of color ranging
from politicians to educators, to judges, to entrepreneurs to lawyers,
corporate leaders, and even retirees. Aftergate reaches an array of
successful biopoc listeners contact us to learn more about how
(52:30):
we can benefit you.
The following podcast is being brought to you by the
Defile Life podcast Network.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Welcome to Aftergate, powered by the Defile Life Network.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Are you all Ready?
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Aftergate is a podcast series highlighting Colgate alumni of color
in their professional endeavors.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Aftergate Are you all Ready?
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Aftergate is hosted by Alvin Glim aka al and Herman
Dubois aka A Jerry?
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Are you all ready?
Speaker 4 (00:33):
We are doing.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Aftergate because Colgate University has produced innovators who have changed
the world every day, Yet many alumni of color and
the mainstream Colgate community are unaware of the amazing accomplishments
of alums of color?
Speaker 3 (00:45):
Are you all ready?
Speaker 5 (00:52):
Welcome, Welcome, Welcome, Welcome to another episode of after Gate.
What's going on? This is your boy, Alvin Glymph. We
are here season four, Back in the Building, ninety episodes plus.
So enjoy the ride, enjoying the journey, looking forward to
(01:13):
another amazing episode this evening. But before we jump into
that conversation, let me bring in my co host, my man,
mister head of mom du Bois.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
How are you doing, my brother?
Speaker 6 (01:25):
It's good, brother. Life is good in the Sunshine State
where we survived. Milton Oh wow at least Miami didn't
get a direct hit, but some of our folk on
the West coast are still still recuperating, still managing, so
prayers out to them. I know that Georgia and some
of the other southern cities and up to North Carolina
(01:46):
are still in that same mix, so prayers go out
to those families.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
But it is the price we pay for living in paradise.
Speaker 6 (01:53):
And so you know, the other three hundred and sixty
days of the years, pretty dope to be doe here.
So all are you guys doing up at the ATM.
Speaker 5 (02:03):
Not bad, you know, very blessed, grateful that our home
has really gone unscathed for both Helene and Milton. Atlanta
has had its issues, Georgia's definitely had its issues, but
all in all terms of my personal homestead, feeling good.
Just got back from Minnesota. Shout out to all the
(02:24):
Prince fans in the building because they man a lot
of love but had a good time. Also, shout out
to the New York Liberty for all my w NBA
fans because I got to see a game while I
was out there, So it was awesome trip. Good to
be back, but good to be back doing what we do.
Been an amazing ride, ninety episodes deep. So can I
(02:46):
bring this week's guest into the room, my brother, Can
I bring them in?
Speaker 6 (02:52):
Absolutely? And as you know, the Aftergate Church says, Amen.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
That's what's up. So after Gates AOC all my listeners
in the building, I ask your blessing to bring the one,
the only Tarlly Robins into the studio, class of two
thousand and one. Welcome to Aftigate, my brother.
Speaker 7 (03:25):
Thanks very much for having me, guys, It's great to
be here.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
Good, good, good.
Speaker 5 (03:29):
So in typical Aftergate tradition, love to show where our
past have crossed so that people know is their context?
Here are we learning on the fly? Have we gone
to school? This case, Tlly, Me and you both serve
on the alumni council together, so I believe that is
(03:52):
when the first time we met. But it is good
to have you.
Speaker 3 (03:54):
In the room.
Speaker 7 (03:56):
Absolutely.
Speaker 3 (03:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (03:57):
I think we met a couple of years ago. I'm
not sure what year you started on the council.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
Probably this is my third year, so maybe two, maybe
twenty one to twenty two somewhere around here.
Speaker 7 (04:11):
Yep, that sounds about right.
Speaker 3 (04:14):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (04:14):
I served on the alumni council from twenty nineteen to
twenty twenty three. Okay, and then retired and just what
I thought I was out, they pulled me back and
I'm yeah, serving as an alumni trustee now. So back
on the alumni council. Happy to be back and see
(04:37):
you guys a couple of times a year, and and
excited to serve on the board and get to know
that group and all of the things that they do there.
Speaker 5 (04:50):
Good stuff, good stuff. So let's start from I guess
the beginning one. Where are you from?
Speaker 7 (04:59):
So? I grew up uh just north of Boston, Uh, Beverly, Massachusetts,
on the north shore of Massachusetts. I you know, enjoyed
time in Oklahoma every summer, back where my mom and
(05:20):
grandmother were born. Grew up kind of you know, in
the in the in the powowing culture and getting to
know all my cousins down there in Oklahoma. But yeah, Massachusetts.
Boy played hockey, played Little League, that sort of stuff.
Speaker 6 (05:39):
Were you born and raised in and wasn't all? Was
there a migration at a child or.
Speaker 7 (05:45):
Yeah, born born in Beverly mouse My my father's from
from the north shore of Massachusetts. My mother moved up there,
and I want to say middle school somewhere around there,
and my grandparents were both school teachers in the North
Shore there. Well, all three that I knew actually taught.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
Graduate Colgate two thousand and one. So your high school
graduation class ninety seven, what do you remember about that
time your life? What's the community like, what's the world like?
Set the context for listeners in terms of what your
world is like as you're entering COVID before COVID, Yeah.
Speaker 7 (06:31):
As I'm entering Colgate. Yeah, nineteen ninety seven. I don't know.
I moved up to Colgate. I guess early because I
was part of OUs, the Science and Math Initiative. Shout
out to SMI Finale and Navon and all my SMI people.
(06:55):
But yeah, I mean got up there early, got to
know the campus. Really, I mean, what was going on
in the world. I don't know. I was, you know,
just turned eighteen. What do I know?
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Well, what was high school like for you? What do
you remember about high school?
Speaker 7 (07:11):
High school is interesting? So my mom and myself, two
brothers and a sister moved to a new town right
as I started high school. It was just a town
over from Beverly, one of Massachusetts. But I started in
a new high school. So high school was different. I
(07:33):
didn't know anybody, and it was a more like affluent place,
a better high school. God knows if I would have
gotten into Colgate if I hadn't made that move, I
don't know. I was, I was better prepared. I guess
then I probably would have been. But I mean high
school was. Yeah. It was kind of like moving from
(07:59):
not necessary early a poor district, but certainly not a
district that was filled with people, you know, playing polo
and uh you know, fox hunting and stuff like that,
which was something that went on fairly regularly. And uh
in in when I'm in Hamilton where I went Hamilton,
(08:20):
when I'm regional high school.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
So well let's start with O us, what do you
remember about that summer?
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Like where do you stay? What's the summer experience?
Speaker 7 (08:33):
Like, Yeah, it was, it was. It was fun. I
we stayed in HRC. My roommate was a mod Russell.
He was a football player. Yeah, and we got along great.
We were right at the end of the end of
the building, so I'm like the corner of the end
(08:54):
corner of HRC, And yeah, I mean it was good
to get to know the campus early. It was good
to get to know all the you know, a bunch
of professors, got to know some some of my classmates,
and just you know, sink my teeth into some some
college coursework. And it was nice. We had we had
(09:19):
a tutor who would help us, you know, especially with
the math stuff because it was a little more advanced math.
I guess some of us were used to. But yeah,
we had a we had a fun summer, and yeah,
it was just a good introduction to kind of feel
a little more comfortable when everybody else showed up on campus.
(09:42):
I kind of knew my way around a little bit.
Speaker 3 (09:45):
Gotcha, got you? Gotcha?
Speaker 5 (09:47):
So where did you stay your freshman yeart Like, how's
how's that adjustment? What's the adjustment once you get on
campus for you?
Speaker 7 (09:53):
So? Yeah, I So I was in East Hall. I
I was the fifth floor of East. So it was
one of the big suites at the top of the stairwell.
If if you've ever been up there, it's it's kind
of like it's own little world up there. The only
(10:13):
downside was our bathroom was on the fourth floor, so
to go shower or do anything, you were going up
and down the stairwell. So yeah, all the time. But yeah,
I mean I made some lifelong friends in East freshman year. Yeah,
one of my best friends, Joseph Leo, was the best
(10:36):
man in my wedding and it's the best man at
his wedding. He was on the second floor of East,
where I spent a lot of time. But yeah, I
mean the adjustment I feeling. I was feeling pretty confident
after SMI and dove straight into calculus and promptly withdrew
(10:57):
from that calculus course. Yeah, that's actually where I think
I met Joe Leo. Uh was in that calculus course.
I think he stuck He stuck it out and got
a D and I made the wise decision with a W. Yeah. Yeah.
(11:18):
But but other than that, I mean I did fairly
well my freshman year. I guess I started out. My
freshman seminar course was with Professor Wider from the English Department,
and uh it was a I believe Native American literature course,
(11:42):
and she ended up being my my advisor all four years.
We got along great. I came in thinking I was
going to be an ECON major or something like that.
I was interested in business, so what did I know
it was Econ. But yeah, I ended up in English
major with a creative writing emphasis and did a lot
(12:07):
of computer science work. I don't know if I quite
got enough for the minor. I don't even think I
looked into it, but did a lot of CUS as well.
Speaker 6 (12:20):
And then Junior is at your residence.
Speaker 7 (12:23):
Yeah, uh, junior year Junior fall. Actually I spent out
here in Santa Fe where I live now, you know,
New Mexico. I had never been to New Mexico. But again,
Professor Wider, my advisor, was leading that study group for
the first time, and you know, put put the hard
(12:47):
sell on too to come to come out to Santa Fe.
And and uh, I agreed, and we uh, we had
a great time. I think it was nine of us
students from Colgate and then Professor Wider. And we had
two courses taught by Professor Wider, both English related, and
(13:08):
then two courses taught by co directors of the Museum
of New Mexico. One was Contemporary Issues in Native American
Culture focused on the Southwest, and the other was Archaeology,
Archaeology and Anthropology in the Southwest, which was really cool
(13:30):
because we got to do a big long trip around
the Southwest to different archaeological sites and uh, you know,
raft down river and go up canyons to see petroglyphs
and that sort of stuff. It was. It was a
great semester. Yeah. Yeah, And that was junior spring. That
(13:51):
was my junior fall. Yeah. And and I had actually
stayed on Camppis. I was actually on campus three summers
when when I went away to college, my mother and
siblings moved to a smaller house, so I no longer
had a place to stay home. So I kind of
(14:15):
felt like, well, you know, if I can get a
place on campus to stay in the summers, I'm gonna
do that. And I ended up working for Professor Balakian
the summer after my sophomore year doing research for a
book he wrote about the Armenian genocide, the Burning Tigers.
And then the summer after my junior year, Oh no,
(14:40):
that's right. And then the summer after my junior year,
I got a Humanities grant to write for the summer,
and I did a big trip to Oklahoma and visited
a lot of relatives and the Tribal Complex in Carnegie.
I remember the Kiowa tribe of Oklahoma, and a lot
(15:01):
of my poetry and short stories back then revolved about
around being Kiowa and being at Kiowa in Massachusetts and
that sort of thing.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
Like just out of curiosity, what was it like being
in Kiowa in Massachusetts.
Speaker 7 (15:19):
It was interesting looking back, my grandmother was the one
who really you know, educated us about our culture and
the history. And my mother was you know, knew all
that stuff, but wasn't as active in that sort of thing.
(15:41):
My grandmother really really did educate us on that stuff,
and she would every year, almost every year of school,
would talk to our teacher and we'd go into our
class in full Kiowa regalia and teach a lesson about
the Kiowa culture and history and teach them a song,
(16:03):
do dance, maybe a couple dances, and that sort of thing.
And then as I went into high school, I ended
up just doing it on my own. Did that for
one of my English classes, I think because we were
reading a Native writer and I offered to, you know,
talk a little bit about my tribe. And then I
(16:27):
think the principal or somebody caught wind of it, and
I ended up doing like a a whole presentation in
the auditorium for half the student body or something on
on Caio culture. So I mean yeah, so being a
Kiowa in Massachusetts was kind of like, I don't know,
(16:48):
fairly unique. There aren't many, and.
Speaker 5 (16:52):
I was just thinking you had definitely I'm pretty certain
you are the first Native American Kolgate alum I've ever met.
Speaker 7 (17:05):
Oh really, yeah, oh well, yeah, there there are some. Yeah,
there aren't a lot, I mean, and it's something that
I personally have been working on since, especially since joining
the alumni council. I you know, have had lots of
conversations with Gary and Tara in the admissions office about,
(17:28):
you know, how do we attract more Native students, Indigenous students,
not necessarily Native American, but Canadian. We're so close to Canada, Canadian, Mexican,
I mean, all sorts of Indigenous students, And yeah, it's
it's it's not easy, I mean, and I think part
(17:48):
of the problem is there aren't just there aren't a
ton of qualified students out there that they can attract
to apply to a place in upstate New York. But
the Oneita Nations nearby, I think they've made a few
inroads there and Colgate just actually started working with a
community group called College Horizons that's based in Albuquerque, and
(18:14):
they help get Native students prepared for the application process
and taking exams and that sort of thing, and they're
they're a group I've talked to a few times, but
I was happy to see Colgate was able to make
that that step. So yeah, things are, things are moving,
but we're still you know, still only enrolling like one
(18:36):
a year somewhere around there some some years zero.
Speaker 5 (18:40):
But what was it like while you were a student
in that regard in terms of at Colgate?
Speaker 7 (18:46):
I mean, I feel like there there is a community
on campus, and there was when I was there, and
and sometimes I was more involved with that sort of
thing than other times. We always had a dinner, at
least a few years I was there, we had a
dinner in the edge during a Native History Month which
(19:10):
is about to begin here. And one year they invited
me to say the blessing at the dinner and that
sort of thing. So that was fun. My whole family
got a kick out of that that I was asked
to do the blessing at the Indigenous people's dinner. But
(19:30):
but yeah, I mean I was fairly active at Alana
Cultural Center, and you know, did my little Kiawa Tribe
presentation up there a couple of times and brought in
some of my fancy dancing stuff and some of my
straight dance outfits and that sort of thing. So that
was cool everybody like getting to see the beating and
feathers and all that kind of stuff. But yeah, I
(19:54):
mean I was fairly comfortable, I know some And I
think that's just because I had gone to a high
school that was really similar to col new and I
and I grew up in that area. And I think
it's different for for Indigenous students who'd come from a
(20:21):
reservation or something like that. It's a much bigger adjustment.
And so I think that was also unique in my case.
I have the cultural background, but I didn't have the
same social and societal experiences that might have made it
more difficult.
Speaker 5 (20:41):
So when you look back at your time up there
highlights accomplishments, What are things you're really proud of?
Speaker 7 (20:52):
Uh? You know, I as an English major with an
emphasis in creative writing, I think the academically the culmination
for me of my four years was a reading I
did my senior year myself in another English major, Adam
(21:16):
Cruisey Tom who we had both published quite a number
of poems in the Colgate Portfolio and other campus publications
we put. We we did a reading, a joint reading
in Lawrence Hall that was just packed and we had
a great time, you know, reading a selection of poetry
(21:37):
that from our time at Colgate. And I think that
was a highlight for me. That was April of my
senior year. But other accomplishments I don't know, just the
friends I made. I met my wife there. Okay, couple
(22:01):
Colgate couple, both class of two thousand and one. Then
Katie Chamberlain now Katie Roberts.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
What extracurricular is.
Speaker 5 (22:12):
Organizations? Clubs?
Speaker 3 (22:13):
Did you work?
Speaker 5 (22:14):
Just kind of yeah?
Speaker 7 (22:16):
I well, growing up in Massachusetts, I played a lot
of hockey, So I continued to play a lot of
hockey on campus. Any intermural team that would take me,
I was on that. I played club here and there.
I was probably the worst club player because I showed
up occasionally, even though they allowed me to be on
the team. Don't tell the people who collected who granted
(22:40):
me pe credit that I I did. Student government was
a big part of my experience. Okay, sophomore year I
was a senator at large, and then both junior and
senior year, I was on the student Government executive board
(23:03):
as the communications director, so I got to write a
column for the MURA News that summarized what was going
on in student government and keep the student body informed.
But yeah, other than that random stuff.
Speaker 5 (23:22):
Well, we're gonna take a pause and really show some
love for our sponsor as we come back for the
second half of this conversation with Tully Roberts, class of
two thousand and one.
Speaker 3 (23:37):
So this episode is sponsored by Hope Murals. Hope Murals
is a nonprofit that provides adolescent youth with an interactive
experience of creative expression via an urban arts platform that
stimulates both mental and physical development. Please visit that website
at www dot murals dot org to learn more and
(23:59):
find ways you can support the work they do.
Speaker 5 (24:05):
Welcome back, Welcome back. We are here for the second
half of this conversation on after Gate Season four. This
is I Am with Jerry and we are interviewing Tallie Roberts,
class of two thousand and one, looking forward to hearing
about his journey. Before we do that, though, and let's
show some love. Take a moment to thank our sponsor,
Hope Murals, because we greatly appreciate their work that they're
(24:28):
doing with our youth, exposing them to the power of
urban arts forstering like just a personal creative development. So
if you're looking at support an organization making a meaningful impact,
check out their website Hope Murals or check out their
social media at Hope Murals. So check them out learn
(24:49):
more about what they're doing to help shape this generation
of leaders. Make sure you show love to our network,
to the Filelife network. Go to firelife dot co. Some
real interest in empowering and written content. They also have
a podcast hub that's the filifepods dot com. Remember you
can find us on all of your major podcast streaming
(25:12):
services from Apple, Odds, the Spreaker, Spotify, our Heart.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
All of them.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Make sure you like or subscribe when you are listening
so you're getting alert. Now before we get into some
questions about where Tolley has been since graduation. Thus, Aftergate
would love to get your thoughts on the Third Century Plan.
Would love to give you an opportunity to give an
(25:42):
overview of the Third Century Plan any updates you would
like to share, But in particular, one of the key
initiatives that I would love for you to also highlight
is a COVID commitment. It is definitely something we've talked
about before on the Aftergate just love to give you
a chance to be a messenger of what's happening with
(26:04):
the Third Century.
Speaker 7 (26:04):
Plan as well. Thanks Allen, I appreciate it. So that
we're just now finishing up the fifth year of the
Third Century Plan. So President Casey when he came in,
I believe he's been there over five years now, maybe.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Seven twenty sixteen.
Speaker 7 (26:30):
Okay.
Speaker 5 (26:32):
I only remember this, not like I'm tracking his career,
but I only remember this because that's the year I
received the Maroon citation, So that's kind of why it
stick on my mind.
Speaker 7 (26:42):
Well, congratulations, So eight years eight years now of President Casey,
and I think he set us on a fabulous path
in terms of thinking about Colgate in the long term,
instead of trying to address different short term problems putting
(27:04):
out fires here, putting out fires there, and more, taking
a long view and giving Coulgate the tools to address
that sort of institutional type of thinking, where you know,
what are our values? Where do we want to be
in not just five ten, but one hundred years. And
(27:29):
I think he's laying the groundwork to make Colgate the
best residential liberal arts college in the nation, and so
I'm really excited for what we get to see over
the next decade or decades, as far as Colgate's academics,
(27:50):
Colgate's commitment to financial aid and to making Colgate accessible
to anybody regardless of their means or background, and as
well as Colgate athletics and in other parts of the
plan that you know, at first glance may not seem
(28:13):
like something that you should have in such a long,
wide ranging plan, but you know, excellence is excellence, and
I think the dedication to being excellent in every way
that Colgate can be is what the Third Century Plan
is about. But Yees specifically talking about the Colgate commitment,
(28:34):
I know that personally, I couldn't have gone to Colgate
without aid. I had a single mom with four kids
and you know, cleaning houses. She wasn't going to pay.
I think it was twenty seven thousand or something when
(28:56):
I was there. It's substantially more now. So I think
what financial aid has been able to do is say
if you get in it now. Colgate has always been
committed to meeting one hundred percent of a student's need,
(29:17):
and that need has been met in various ways through
Colgate grants, loans, and other other means, but through the
Colgate Commitment, which is a new program that launched along
with the Third Century Plan, students whose family was under
(29:40):
a certain threshold, their financial aid would be met one
hundred percent through grants, so they wouldn't have the burden
of loans to weigh them down when they graduated. And
that's especially important for lower income families because you know,
you're just not starting from the same place, so when
(30:02):
you're starting out, it's tough to even consider paying back
alone when you're also thinking about how am I going
to get an apartment, starting a new job, if you
even have a job. So I think what they've been
able to do. And they started at I want to say,
(30:23):
eighty thousand dollars, but it moved up fairly quickly to
a family making one hundred and twenty five thousand dollars
was no loan, and now we're at one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars family income with new loans, and the
institution poolgates looking to move that up to two hundred thousand.
(30:48):
I don't know the timeframe for that, but I know
it's a goal but I think, you know, eventually, the
goal is to not have to pick and choose, you know,
can we afford to have this kid here. It's just
we want this kid, and it doesn't matter if they
(31:09):
can afford to come here or not. We're going to
pay no matter what happens. And I think that's the goal.
It's going to take a lot of work and a
lot of fundraising on our parts, but I think it's
a worthwhile goal and a very important part of the
plan that has been set in place.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
Appreciate that, thank you.
Speaker 5 (31:34):
I think what's so valuable about them raising the limit
is that the reality of life in this country is
that even at one hundred and fifty thousand dollars or
two hundred thousand dollars, there are families that are struggling
to make ends meet, depending on what's the cost of
(31:56):
living where they're at. Absolutely, the ability to offer that
type of financial assistance to families who are struggling is yeah,
pretty impressive and something to be proud of those In
terms of being associated with this institutions.
Speaker 6 (32:21):
And the leadership leadership matters, I've always said that vision
is key, and everybody knows that COVID it's a great
institution and it should be accessible to more more students
and finance. It should not be a reason why the
students should not have an opportunity to benefit from that
COVID experience. So shout out to President Casey and to
(32:41):
my co love my council members for leading, for being
part of that then and constantly being a living example
of when Cogate makes an investment in his students, the
return on investment, it's significant.
Speaker 4 (33:00):
Thank you to both of you for continuing that work.
So as we get back into the second half of
after Gate and we get a chance to reflect now
a little bit on the journey.
Speaker 6 (33:10):
Post code you graduate in two thousand and one, I'm
curious to know, you know, what was in line for
you following you know, were you that student that had
visits to the Career Planning Office and had advising and
you know, had gone on some interviews, had the resume
prepped and it kind of had that course of action
set or on the other end of the spectrum where
(33:33):
you were just happy to graduate. And I'll figure it
out once I cross the stage and leave campus and
then figure out what's next. Please fill in the blanks
and take US through two thousand and one through twenty
twenty four. Of the highs and those of life where
you've lived, what you've done.
Speaker 7 (33:50):
Sure, I was very much the fly by the seat
of my pants, no plan whatsoever. I had visited career
services back when it was in Spear House, but that
I was mostly junior year. You know, I was always
(34:13):
interested in internet technology. My grandmother, since she was a
high school teacher, had a discount on Apple computers and
had bought a Mac for herself, and I was glued
to that thing almost all of high school, making little
websites and playing around with internet stuff because I just
(34:34):
thought it was so cool. And when I was at Colgate,
I I made websites for different departments, Interdisciplinary writing, the
English department, CUTV, the Maroon News, and so I was
always interested in I was pretty clear that I wanted
(34:56):
to work in internet technology somehow. So I did some
interviews junior year. One of the guys said, this is great.
Do you want to leave Colgate right now? I've got
a job for you, and no, no, I think I
think I'm gonna finish out the year and a half
I got left have my degree, and not long after
(35:22):
that interview. Probably two thousand, the dot com crash came
came in and all those all those job interviews, all
that stuff just kind of went away overnight. And so
senior year I didn't even really bother. I probably should have.
(35:46):
I had a lot of fun, but I I just
I worked with the webmaster because he was modernizing the
Colgate website, getting it more standardized. It was kind of
a hodgepodge of all different departments and different programs, so
he was working to bring everything together and I helped
(36:08):
out with that, and actually stayed on for a couple
months after graduation during the summer, since I was familiar
with staying on campus during the summer and I had
nothing else to do. I stayed on and that was fun.
But I really didn't have a plan after that, and
I ended up moving to Binghamton, New York, where my
(36:37):
friend girlfriend, Katie Chamberlain, had moved. She was more the planner,
had done internships and had a job lined up right
out of school in Binghamton for an engineering company and
was doing environmental engineering and soil sampling and GIS GPS stuff.
(37:00):
So I just, you know, crashed with her in Bampton.
I had never been to Binghamton before, and proceeded to
apply for every job they that was available there. I
even went down to the to the there was a
call center at the bottom of the hill where our
where our apartment complex was. I put in my application,
(37:22):
did the interview. He said, great, we'd love to hire you.
When can you start. I've got an opening on the
ten pm to six am shift. And I said, well,
I'm not quite that desperate yet. I'm going to see
if any of these other applications pan out. But I
ended up working as the webmaster for the library system
(37:46):
at Binghamton University and got some really good experience of
you know, working as a as a webmaster, dealing with
a variety of issues, managed servers, all that stuff, and
also was fairly comfortable because I was back on a
college campus and and I had just come from a
(38:09):
college campus where I had spent almost five years, and
that was a good kind of transition for me into
the working life. But after a couple of years in Binghamton,
I came home one night and said, you know, every
(38:31):
day I go to work and it's cold, dark and raining,
and then I come home from work and it's cold,
dark and rain, maybe we should we should look somewhere
other than Central New York to live now that we're
you know, out of school and stuff. And Katie was
(38:51):
totally open to it, and so we looked around at
places we wanted to be. She actually had a job
offer in San Diego at a company out there, and
we were like, and they weren't going to offer that
much money, and were lake San Diego is kind of pricey.
So I and I Santa Fe was on my radar
(39:13):
because I had spent my junior fall in Santa Fe.
And I got a job at the State Department of
Health as a programmer analyst doing health it sort of stuff,
and we figured, hey, you know, Santa Fe isn't isn't
overly expensive, but it's a sunny, cool place that we
(39:36):
can check out at least for a couple of years.
So we loaded up a U haul and drove across
the country and we've been here ever since. We've been
here twenty one years next month, and it's a gorgeous
place to live in the southern Rockies, and it's it's
worked out really well for both of us.
Speaker 6 (40:00):
You're still in the same industry or have you shifted
gears a little.
Speaker 7 (40:05):
Yeah, so I think I only spent five months at
the State Department of Health. I got a call from
a recruiter who have had a federal contract with Department
of Health and Human Services, and they had seen my
resume online because I had been putting it out so
(40:26):
much previously. And I got a job working with the
Indian Health Service in Albuquerque as a contractor doing Internet
specific stuff, internet web applications, database development, data mart type stuff,
(40:47):
and did that until that contracting company actually lost their contract,
at which time one of the one of the contracting
said have you ever considered contracting with the government, And
I was like, no, no, really. They were like, well
(41:09):
you might want to think about it, and they're like,
you are Native American and we give preference to Native
American contractors. And I was like, oh, that's interesting. And
so I started contracting with Indian Health Service and then
also did some work for Department of Interior and a
(41:31):
couple other federal agencies. I still maintain a contract with
the Indian Health Service dental program and I've been working
with them for years. My boss, Admiral Rix, just finished
a stint as Assistant Surgeon General for denteal, but I
(41:52):
manage all their web and database applications and that sort
of thing. But along the way, I also so I
had so much flexibility due to, you know, working remotely
and working for programs throughout the country having to do
with Indian health, that I'd be walking my dog at
(42:15):
lunchtime or something. I kept running into this one neighbor
and we'd chat, and one day he said, what do
you do. They are out here every day walking your dog.
I was like, well, I make websites and I need
database stuff. And he's like, oh, that's cool. I was like,
what do you do. It's like, oh, I edit this
ski magazine and you know, right about skiing and ski
(42:37):
instruction and all of stuff. I was like, that's cool.
He said, I've got this idea. Me and this other
guy want to start an online presence where we put
reviews of outdoor gear. And I was like, oh, that's
really interesting. And at the time, I was running marathons
and using a lot of shoes. I was a skier
(42:58):
hockey player, so I was pretty active. And I was like, yeah,
let's have lunch and we talked about it and started
this website called gear Institute and It is basically a
consumer reports for outdoor gear, where you can shop for
(43:18):
different activities and what gear is related to it, and
we rate the gear and tell you where you can
buy it and how much it is. And we started
out small and grew to a fairly good size and
we've been doing that for thirteen years now, somewhere around there.
(43:40):
But it's been awesome. I mean, companies come out with
new lines of gear, new skis, new jackets, and they
want somebody from all the different outlets to try them out.
So they say, hey, we're doing a big trip to
Peru to go hiking and our new hiking boots or whatever.
Do you guys want to send an editor? Yes, yes,
(44:02):
just coincidentally I'm free then to let me sure. Yes. So,
I mean the website has done fairly well and and
you know, we've made a bit off of it, but
I've also gotten to travel the world and and and
ski in Europe and Japan and and hike in South
(44:23):
America and the Alps, and and yeah, it's been it's
been amazing.
Speaker 6 (44:29):
Pretty awesome. That's pretty awesome.
Speaker 7 (44:32):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (44:35):
So my question just is about perspective, right, If you
could think about who you were going into hook and
had the opportunity to offer some words of wisdom, what
would those words of wisdom be as well as when
you were graduating, what would be some of the words
(44:57):
of wisdom you would whisper in your ear?
Speaker 7 (45:04):
I think going into Colgate I would have that's a
tough one, but I I probably would have said to
enjoy every moment a little bit more. I think a
lot of times I got you know, overthinking things, you know,
(45:24):
trying to plan things out too much, and and and
even though I was the fly by the seat of
my pants type guy senior year, I think I evolved
into that guy. I think I think if I had
just been a little more like that to start with,
maybe it would have been different. But I wouldn't change
(45:45):
a whole lot about my time at Colgate. I really
did meet my best friends. I really did have a
great time. Even though, like I mean, yeah, there's not
much I would change at graduation. It's still not a
(46:10):
whole lot I would change, but I would I would say, uh,
just be a little more, a little less fly by
the seat of my pants. But I don't even know
if I would, because that's the reason I said yes
to so many different things like gear Institute or you know,
(46:33):
plenty of other ventures that I tried along the way.
I'd always had this kind of entrepreneurial bug and started
other things that failed miserably and wasted a lot of time.
But it wasn't wasted. It was, you know, preparing for
making gear Institute work or making my next thing work.
(46:54):
So there's not a whole lot I would change. I've
I've kept in touch with my friends and and I
think I credit my wife a lot with my staying
involved in Colegate. I remember when we were in Binghamton,
(47:18):
she said, yeah, I signed us up. We're going to
work at this college fair thirty minutes away. And I
was like, why are we doing that. She's like, well,
you know, we will get back to the school and
that sort of thing. I didn't even know that was
something people did, and so I credit her a lot
(47:39):
with my staying involved in Colegate. And it's you know,
led me to the to really enjoying my time being
involved with the Colgate Club of New Mexico, being on
the Class Gift Committee, on the Alumni council, and now
just starting on the board of Trustee. So I don't know,
(48:03):
I don't. I try not to look back too much.
I'm looking forward, gotcha, got you, gotcha.
Speaker 5 (48:12):
This last phase is an opportunity for you to promote
any website initiative cause, but a platform for you to
get out something that's important to you, and a way
to encourage our listeners to support and become more aware
of something you want to share.
Speaker 7 (48:33):
Sure, I just not recently, but within the last year
or so, started a new website called miles junkie dot com.
My brother and I travel together a lot, and he
was asking me about miles and points. And I have
all sorts of friends who know I travel all over
(48:54):
the place and collect miles and credit card points and
hotel points, and so I've owned this domain name, miles
junkie dot com forever and always meant to do this
and and and uh yeah, so my brother and I
were like, let's start it. So just launched that in
(49:16):
the past year and it's starting to get some traction.
So I'm excited about that. Check it out, and I'm
looking forward to starting an outdoor industry related podcast with
that neighbor I met all those years ago walking our dogs.
You know, he's he's a minor celebrity in the outdoor industry.
(49:38):
And and uh, I'm I'm the I'm still the tech
guy who knows how to put together a podcast. So
we're gonna we're gonna try our hand at that. Don't
have a name yet, but just uh, we're just developing that.
So keep an eye out for it.
Speaker 3 (49:55):
Sweet sweet sweet, Any last words before we get out
of here.
Speaker 7 (50:00):
No, I just want to thank you guys for having
me on and encourage all your listeners to you know,
support Colgate, support the Third Century Plan, the Coldgate Commitment,
the Coldgate Fund and all that stuff. And even if
you you know, can only afford to give thirteen dollars,
do it. Every every donation helps every you know, participant
(50:25):
is valued. And yeah, that's it. Thank you guys so much.
Speaker 5 (50:31):
Thank you Well. This has been another episode of Aftergate
season four. Thank you to our guests, Thank you to
our listeners. After Gate is always powered by the Defive
Life Network, so make sure you check us out in
the future on all of your favorite podcast streaming platforms.
Many more dope episodes to follow. Remember that the Coldgate
(50:51):
of your day is not the Coviate of today, and
it's certainly not the coviate of the future Peace Family.
Speaker 1 (51:01):
You hear that, listen closer that, my friend is the
definie sound of focus. It drowns out all the useless
noise that can clutter. The only nay sayers don't exist, Haters, smaters,
the peanut gallery.
Speaker 4 (51:16):
Who's that?
Speaker 1 (51:18):
When you're in your zone, all that noise and all
that buzz is just eleventor music. So enjoy your journey,
focus on your goal and basque in the choiet role
that is progressed, because when it's your time to shoot
that shot, spit that verse, or close that deal, the
only voice that matters is yours diviid life. If you're
(51:44):
a business looking to get your brand in front of
a loyal, supportive, successful market, you need to become a
sponsor of Aftergate. Our network recognizes the opportunity to work
with Codgate's a lum of color to leverage the reach
of the show to increase awareness and profitability for your business.
Reach out to the Defile Life podcast network and we
will work with you throughout the entire process. We have
(52:06):
special packages to get you started. Contact us at info
at godofirelife dot com. Every week, professionals of color ranging
from politicians to educators, to judges, to entrepreneurs to lawyers,
corporate leaders, and even retirees. Aftergate reaches an array of
successful biopoc listeners contact us to learn more about how
(52:30):
we can benefit you.
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