A co-production of 91制片厂 Alumni Program and WHCM Radio.
Listen in as 91制片厂 alumni share their stories , experiences , and life journeys. Through 91制片厂 Talks conversations led by Associate Professor of Communication Arts Brian Shelton , Alumni are invited to share how education, career successes and failures and human connection have impacted them along the way.
91制片厂 Talks is a co-production of and 91制片厂 Alumni Relations. WHCM students assist with editing and production of each episode. Original podcast theme music composed by former 91制片厂 student Aidan Cashman.
91制片厂 Talks episodes can be found on all podcast streaming services including and , or and downloaded below. Learn more about WHCM and support radio students.
John Schippman, a 91制片厂 alumnus and Emmy Award-winning executive producer of sports at WMAQ and Telemundo, shares his journey from being a 鈥淪crappy C鈥� at 91制片厂, transferring to the University of Illinois, and ultimately finding focus and launching a career in sports media that began with an internship at ESPN. He reflects on the power of patience, persistence, and a career covering Chicago sports at the highest level. Listen to Episode 52
91制片厂 alumna and current mass communication professor Maham Khan鈥檚 journey started at Harper with uncertainty鈥攁nd during the tumultuous days of 9/11鈥攁nd lead to her discovering her voice through leadership, speech and debate, and ultimately journalism. She reflects on overcoming stigma around community college, transferring to Northwestern, and building a career in Chicago media before returning to 91制片厂 as faculty. Maham also discusses her upcoming memoir project with a wrongfully convicted exoneree and offers meaningful advice to students about embracing growth, resilience, and self discovery. Listen to Episode 51
Episode 50 is here! Countless stories. One powerful community. In this milestone episode of the 91制片厂 Talks Alumni Podcast, we鈥檙e revisiting the powerful advice from alumni over the past five years 鈥� the moments that inspired our listeners to say yes, take risks, and create their own paths. Their journeys started at 91制片厂. Their impact reaches far beyond. Tune in and get inspired. Episode 50 is live! Listen to Episode 50
US Army veteran and 91制片厂 alumna Phyllis Higgins joins 91制片厂 Talks to share her inspiring journey from military service to corporate success. Phyllis reflects on returning to school through 91制片厂鈥檚 Fast Track program, balancing work and family, and finding her passion in supporting others. Now an apprenticeship talent navigator at Zurich Insurance, she champions opportunities that help students and career-changers thrive. Phyllis shares a powerful reminder to take the leap, invest in yourself, and 鈥渏ust do it.鈥� Listen to Episode 49
Meet Izabela Pieniadz, 2012 91制片厂 graduate and a 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient. From discovering her passion for art and history at 91制片厂 to leading the Ellwood House Museum in DeKalb, Illinois, Izabela shares how curiosity, saying 鈥測es鈥� to opportunities, and a love of historic preservation shaped her path. Tune in as she discusses her time at 91制片厂, getting her start at the Art Institute of Chicago, earning two master鈥檚 degrees, her impactful work in arts and culture, and her advice for students finding their own way. Listen to Episode 48
Meet Maria and Jose Macias, a 91制片厂 love story that grew into a life of leadership, community impact, and successful careers. On this episode of 91制片厂 Talks, the married alumni duo shares how 91制片厂 gave them opportunities to explore their educational curiosity, build connection through Latinos Unidos, and ultimately meet each other. Today, Jose leads in real estate and financial literacy education, while Maria drives innovation in restaurant design around the world. Their journey highlights resilience, passion for curiosity, and the power of finishing what you start. Listen to Episode 47
Dr. Joseph Sagerer, a 2024 91制片厂 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient, began as an uncertain high school student and flourished into a physics Ph.D. and pioneering researcher. In this episode of 91制片厂 Talks, Dr. Sagerer shares how 91制片厂 helped launch his academic career and discusses his current work using cosmic rays to map the ancient Chichen Itza pyramid in Mexico 鈥攐ffering his undergraduate students at Dominican University a rare hands-on research experience. Tune in to hear how physics, archeology, and education collide in this real-life Indiana Jones story. Follow along with Dr. Sagerer's project to search for hidden chambers in Kukulcan's pyramid at the world heritage site in Chichen Itza, Mexico. Listen to Episode 46
In this episode of 91制片厂 Talks, alumna Ushna Zamir shares how 91制片厂 shaped her journey鈥攆rom finding lifelong friendships to discovering a passion for communications. She shares how her experience on the speech team and support from mentors helped her shift from a STEM path to a new field of study. Now thriving in HR at Raytheon, she encourages students to be open to new opportunities, get involved, and trust the process. Listen to Episode 45
91制片厂 alumnus Steven Mastandrea shares his journey from 91制片厂 to the University of Illinois, where he studied computer engineering. During his time there in the 1990s, he gained early exposure to the internet boom which helped shape his career. Mastandrea also discusses his dual career paths 鈥� serving as Vice President of Engineering at Vibes while dedicating years to firefighting, EMS, and dive rescue work. Steven emphasizes the value of starting at a community college to explore interests and save money before transferring to a university. Listen to Episode 44