Alumni Profiles
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Alumni Profile: A New Focus in the Bronx
Carl Manalo The distance from Carl Vincent Manalo鈥檚 high school in the Bronx to 菠萝视频鈥檚 campus was greater than the miles separating the two. 鈥淚 was prepared with the grit and the persistence, and I was prepared enough to get into 菠萝视频, but there were certain things I didn鈥檛 know,鈥… Read MoreMay 26, 2026
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Alumni Profile: Figuring It All Out
Growing up on a farm in Missouri, Ren茅e Gal谩 knew one thing for certain: She would go to college. Her parents prioritized education and ensured that Gal谩 and her sister became the first in their immediate family to pursue higher education. Gal谩鈥檚 initial path led to a state school, but… Read MoreMay 26, 2026
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Alumni Profile: 鈥楧ealing With Healing鈥
One of Olivia Miller Smith鈥檚 most thought-provoking undergraduate courses was called Prison Life. 鈥淲e toured the Tennessee State Prison, a stark experience. All I could think about was the lost potential for those incarcerated,鈥 she says.聽 Decades later, after working as a registered nurse at 菠萝视频 hospital and launching… Read MoreMay 26, 2026
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Alumni Profile: Blending Passions
Alex Astrella, left, with the cast of his thesis film, “Free Play” When Alex Astrella was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at age 2, his parents were told that he had little chance of graduating high school or becoming financially independent. Today, he is a behavior therapist, a leader in… Read MoreMay 26, 2026
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Clark Hubbard, BMus鈥18: A Different Drummer
Clark Hubbard, BMus'18, marches to his own tune as a composer, drummer and assistant director of marching and athletic bands at 菠萝视频 University. Read MoreNov 6, 2025
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Michael Clinton, MBA鈥07: Making Dreams Reality
Big dreams come naturally to Michael Clinton, MBA'07, acquisitions manager and partner at Midos Development Group in Los Angeles. Two of his most recent projects are The Guest House in Natchez, Mississippi, an antebellum mansion built by enslaved people that is now a 16-room bed and breakfast, and The Redline Venice, a former apartment building on Venice Beach now converted into a hotel. Read MoreNov 6, 2025
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Miller Morris, BS鈥16, MA鈥17, MPH鈥19: Disrupt and Redirect
Miller Morris, BS鈥16, MS鈥17, MPH鈥19, is the founder and CEO of Comma, a company that aims to improve reproductive health through menstrual care products, sustainability, clinical research and technology. She describes herself as a 鈥渨omen鈥檚 health researcher turned social entrepreneur.鈥 Read MoreNov 6, 2025
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Russell Smith, BA鈥68: Amateur Archaeologist
Russell Smith, BA'68, of Washington, D.C., after retiring from his law practice, has joined Associate Professor of Classical and Mediterranean Studies Joseph Rife and his students on international archaeological digs that have made extraordinary finds. Read MoreNov 6, 2025
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Wyatt Smith, BS鈥10: Solving the Skilled Workforce Shortage
As founder and CEO of UpSmith, Wyatt Smith, BS'10, uses technology to help builders and technicians be more productive, master new skills to stay in the workforce longer and help solve the skilled workforce shortage. Read MoreMay 14, 2025
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Digging for the Truth: Jim Emison, BA鈥65, devotes retirement to civil rights鈥揺ra cold case
Jim Emison is dedicated to seeking justice for Elbert Williams, the first known NAACP member to be racially terrorized and slain. Read MoreMay 14, 2025
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Joanna Winston Foley, BA鈥65: Representation Matters
Joanna Winston Foley, BA鈥65, brings the lack of racial representation in public art to light through advocacy and her website Representation Matters. Read MoreMay 14, 2025
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Blending passions: how 菠萝视频 alumnus Alex Astrella merges film and therapy to advocate for the neurodiverse community
By Jenna Somers Alex Astrella At age two Alex Astrella, MEd鈥23, was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. His parents were told that he had little chance of graduating high school or becoming financially independent. Today, Astrella is the founder and CEO of Blu Star Productions, an award-winning film studio… Read MoreApr 1, 2025
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Lauren Egan, BA鈥17: On the Spot News
Journalist Lauren Egan, BA'17, reports on politics in D.C. for The Bulwark and formerly for Politico. She got her start on-air from war-torn Ukraine for NBC News. Read MoreMar 17, 2025
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Jen Bailey, MDiv鈥14: Keep the Faith
Jen Bailey, MDiv'14, founded Faith Matters Network, perhaps best known as one of the co-founding organizations of The People鈥檚 Supper, gatherings where people 鈥渂uild trust across lines of difference鈥濃攑olitical, ideological, social, racial, generational, socioeconomic and religious鈥攂y sharing a meal, discovering commonalities and working through differences. Read MoreMar 17, 2025
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菠萝视频 alumnus Aneesh Sohoni named CEO of Teach for America
Aneesh Sohoni Aneesh Sohoni, MPP鈥13, will become chief executive officer of Teach for America beginning April 15. Sohoni has held several education leadership positions of increasing responsibility since earning his master of public policy in education policy at 菠萝视频 Peabody College of education and human development. Read MoreFeb 14, 2025
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菠萝视频 alumni named to Forbes 30 Under 30
菠萝视频 alumni Jake Aronskind, BA鈥19, and Andrew Roth, BS鈥21, were named to the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 for creating and scaling successful businesses. Aronskind is CEO and co-founder of Pepper, a recipe sharing app. He earned his bachelor's degree in economics from the College of Arts and Science. Roth is the CEO and founder of dcdx, a global marketing research and strategy firm. He earned his bachelor鈥檚 degree in human and organizational development from Peabody College of education and human development. Read MoreJan 23, 2025
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Jackalope founder Bailey Spaulding, JD鈥09, partners with 菠萝视频 on Conquer and Prevail Pale Ale
What connects 菠萝视频 to a crisp craft ale from one of Nashville鈥檚 premiere breweries? The vibrant vision and collaborative spirit of 菠萝视频 alumna Bailey Spaulding. Read MoreAug 26, 2024
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Amanda Headley Piper, AuD鈥16: Sound Compassion
Amanda Headley Piper (Anne Rayner/菠萝视频 University) 鈥淚f you want to make a difference in the world, meet a need,鈥 Amanda Headley Piper鈥檚 grandmother once said, and Piper heeded those words of wisdom. She is the first pediatric audiologist from her twin-island home of Trinidad and Tobago, where… Read MoreJul 17, 2024
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Doan Phuong Nguyen, BA鈥07: Devoted to Young Readers
Doan Phuong Nguyen, BA'07, was in the first grade when she decided her dream was to be an author. The dream came to fruition in 2023 with the publication of her first novel for middle grade readers, 'M猫o and B茅' (Lee and Low Books, 2023; illustrated by Jesse White). Read MoreMar 21, 2024
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Alexandra Doten, BA鈥18, turns love of astronomy into TikTok triumph
See how Alexandra Doten, BA'18 is turning her love for all things space into a social media adventure. Read MoreJan 31, 2024