CMC Conversations

About CMC Conversations

CMC Conversations brings Claremont McKenna College students, faculty, alumni, and staff together to share the unique stories of our amazing community.

Publisher

Claremont McKenna College

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

10 Jul 2025

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

27 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Three Eras of CMC: Community, Mentorship, and 50 Years of Co-Education

   Three eras of CMC, one conversation. Recorded live at ImpactCMC, the Celebration Kickoff of CMC's 50 Years of Co-Education, Lena Ciganer-Albeniz '29 sits down with Stella Ho '97 and Miles Bird '12 to explore what keeps the CMC community connected across generations. Stella Ho '97 is the CFO and COO at CFT Capital Partners, the Los Angeles-based investment platform that manages alternative assets for the Cherng Family Trust. Her 25+ year career in financial services spans Foresite Capital, LightBay Capital, Moelis & Company, UBS Investment Bank, and PricewaterhouseCoopers. She has served on the CMC Alumni Association Board of Directors since 2019 and the Board of Trustees since 2023, and became President of the Alumni Association this July. At CMC, she studied Econ-Accounting, graduated Phi Beta Kappa, competed on the tennis team, and served as a Residential Assistant. Miles Bird '12 is Founder and General Partner at StoryHouse Ventures, a firm built to back alumni entrepreneurs from the Claremont Colleges. Before StoryHouse, he helped lead enterprise investing at Tuesday Capital and was an investor at Correlation Ventures and head of growth and community at the Kairos Society. A History major at CMC, he continues to give back as an advisory board member at the Randall Lewis Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Together, they reflect on what it means to return to campus, the community that keeps alumni connected to CMC, and the classes, professors, and mentors that shaped their paths. They also discuss how co-education and athletics have evolved at CMC, and what they hope the next 50 years will bring. Learn more: https://www.cmc.edu/50-coeducation https://www.linkedin.com/in/stella-ho-4a864a/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/bird/

2. 

   23 Sept 2026

   The Hidden Cost of Resilience - Professor Stacey Doan

   Isabel V. Guerrero '27 sits down with Professor Stacey Doan to unpack the psychology of stress and resilience. Professor Doan is the Norwood and Frances Berger Professor of Psychology, Business, and Society, and Director of the Berger Institute for Individual and Social Development. Her research explores the biological, social, and individual factors behind physical health and emotional well-being. "Resilience comes at a cost," Professor Doan explains, arguing that individuals must learn to take care of the mind first and foremost. Drawing on her research through Project PRISM, she explains how resilience is studied. Since we can't control the adversities that cause stress, she argues, our best strategy is to understand its underlying mechanisms and how to intervene effectively. Her advice for students who feel pressure to do it all: go deep, not broad. Learn more about Professor Doan and the Berger Institute: https://www.cmc.edu/academic/faculty/profile/stacey-doan https://www.cmc.edu/berger-institute

3. 

   26 Aug 2026

   Coaching, Culture, & Taking Big Leaps — Dr. Vince Minjares ’04

   What does responsible leadership look like in the world of sports? 🏀✨ In this episode of CMC Conversations—recorded live at the CMC Leads Summit—host Parishi Kanuga ’26 sits down with Dr. Vince Minjares ’04 from the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society program. Vince shares his inspiring journey from playing basketball at Claremont McKenna College and writing his senior thesis on sports economics, to taking a bold leap to launch a backyard basketball academy, completing his PhD in New Zealand, and leading national policy initiatives today. In this episode, we dive into: • Why sports must prioritize human development over commercialization 🏆 • Balancing high standards and supportive culture in coaching 🧠 • Addressing critical youth safety issues like ACL injury prevention in high school female athletes 🏥 • How a liberal arts background cultivates the generalist mindset needed to tackle complex, interdisciplinary challenges 📚 Whether you're a student athlete, coach, parent, or alumnus, this conversation offers powerful insights on leading with humility, passion, and care. 🔗 Learn more about Vince: https://www.aspeninstitute.org/people/vincent-minjares/

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.