Princeton Alumni Weekly Podcasts

Alumni of the Nassoons returned to campus in April to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the group that gave birth to a cappella singing at Princeton. We spoke with several members about their favorite memories of performing, touring, and rehearsing in the ’Soon Room. (PAW Tracks, Season 2, Episode 12)

John V. Fleming *63 describes his time as a Ph.D. student as “a blur,” but his four decades on the faculty left a clearer impression. “For me, Princeton was the perfect place,” he said. “I became a Princetonian by adoption, in a sense, rather than by rite.” (PAW Tracks, season 2, episode 11)

In the early 1970s, the women’s rowing team was easy to spot in campus dining halls. “We didn’t have time to change [after practice],” Carol Brown ’75 recalled, “so we’d come up from the boathouse wet and dripping, cold and sweaty.” The experiences with her teammates built lifelong bonds, and Brown’s training on the water led her to a milestone medal at the 1976 Olympics.

For Tibor Baranski Jr. ’80, coming to Princeton was one part of a remarkable journey. Baranski, whose family emigrated from Hungary, developed a love of Asian languages and cultures as a teen. He immersed himself in both at college, and since graduation has lived and worked in Asia.

When Paul Rochmis ’60 joined us for an oral history interview at Reunions last year, he spoke about some of his happiest memories of Princeton — meeting new friends, discovering unexpected interests. But he also recalled the disappointment he felt during his sophomore year when several of his peers were not extended bids from the eating clubs — an incident that became known as the dirty bicker of 1958. (Season 2, Episode 8)

For John Potter ’65, one senior-year meeting with Dean of the Chapel Ernest Gordon changed the course of his life. He went from being a nonbeliever to eventually becoming a pastor.

As undergraduates, Edie Canter ’80 and her friends had many discussions about women’s issues, but rarely in an academic setting. That realization led them to push for a women’s studies program.

Before Van Wallach ’80 came to Princeton, his dad urged him to learn more about opera, to match his cultured peers. “What I found out was not knowing about Bruce Springsteen was a bigger social impediment,” he said. Wallach also discovered a range of new experiences on campus. (Season 2, Episode 5)

As WPRB celebrates 75 years on the air, PAW Tracks looks back at the student experience at the radio station in interviews with two alumni: Sally Jacob’88, a former DJ and music director; and John Shyer ’78, who covered news for the station and eventually became station manager.

As a Princeton freshman, Laura Landweber ’89 began the first of several undergraduate research projects and immediately knew she had found her path. “I really experienced that art of being absolutely wrapped up in what you do,” says Landweber, a member of the molecular biology faculty for the last 21 years. (Season 2, Episode 3)

Patricia Danielson *76 came to Princeton as an auditor, a suburban housewife and community activist who wanted to learn more about urban studies. She left five years later with a master’s degree. The University, she says, “broke every rule” for her — and in the process changed the course of her life. (Season 2, Episode 2)

“I realized that we didn’t really have to steal the cannon — we only had to make it appear that we had stolen the cannon,” Aaron Laden ’70 told PAW, recalling the famous Princeton-Rutgers Centennial Hoax, a campus prank from September 1969. Listen to the whole story, as told by Laden, Ed Labowitz ’70, and Brian Hays ’70. (Season 2, Episode 1)

At Reunions, 12 alumni sat down with PAW to tell their stories in a series of oral history interviews. We’ll be sharing parts of those interviews on PAW Tracks in the coming months. We begin with Jennifer Daly Maienza ’80, whose Princeton experience was shaped by her time on the Triangle Club stage. (Season 1, Episode 14)

PAW Tracks, Episode 13: A Valued Mentor Jack Bergland ’54 recalls Professor S. Roy Heath ’39 and the Class of 1954 Advisee Project — a four-year study that introduced Bergland to Heath and sparked a lifelong friendship.

Few events anywhere can tie generations together like Princeton Reunions. Last May, PAW brought together three alums and a graduating senior to share their thoughts about Princeton’s big weekend. Here’s what Lew Miller ’49, Jackie Thomas ’09, Christie Coates ’89, and Dillon Reisman ’14 had to say.

May 1970 was one of the most tumultuous months in the history of political activism at Princeton — and one of the most eventful for student reporters. PAW spoke with six Daily Princetonian alumni about the newspaper’s role during the campus strike and related protests.

Princeton Reunions rocker “Ivory Jim” Hunter ’62 recalls meeting his bandmates in a dorm room, and eventually taking their act on the road to other colleges. Music courtesy of Ivory Jim Hunter and the Headhunters

When author and professor Andie Tucher ’76 began researching her family tree, she uncovered fascinating stories that have evolved over time. Her new book, Happily Sometimes After, spans nearly 400 years of American history and 12 generations of family members.

Five members of the 1964-65 Princeton men’s basketball team — Bill Bradley ’65, Ed Hummer ’67, Bill Kingston ’65, Don Roth ’65, and Gary Walters ’67 — share their memories of the Tigers’ run to the NCAA semifinals.

Scouting Princeton’s 1964-65 men’s basketball team was a challenge — and not just because the lineup included All-American Bill Bradley ’65, an exceptional shooter and passer who rarely had an off night. Coach Butch Van Breda Kolff ’45 didn’t employ set plays, instead relying on rules of motion and offensive principles that made each possession unique. Members of the team talked with PAW about Van Breda Kolff, Bradley, and the qualities would propel Princeton to the NCAA semifinals.Part 2 of this podcast will be published with PAW’s March 4 issue. Music licensed from FirstCom Music. Photo: 1965 Bric-a-Brac