The RC Podcast

Maria LoCicero, RC '21 with majors in LSA History and RC Arts & Ideas in the Humanities, combined her interests in history and theater in her senior Honors thesis in History. It is partly an historiographical analysis, largely based on letters found in the U-M Clements Historical Library, of the dynamics of racism and classism in the Taylor family of Scotland, Britain and Jamaica in the 18th and 19th centuries. Building upon her extensive coursework in RC Drama courses as part of her Arts & Ideas major, Maria juxtaposed her essay with an original play, "Their Station in Life," that illustrates how members of the Taylor family went from being insiders to outsiders in different ways, and how they experienced their various "stations" as they pursued money, family, and careers. Listen as Maria unpacks her process and findings, and *bonus!* you'll hear a small excerpt from the play. The music on this episode is Corelli - Concerto Grosso D Minor 2 by the Advent Chamber Orchestra.

After listening, we recommend that you consider these reflection questions: How has your narrative and self-reflection helped develop your understanding and practice of cultural humility? How can you make time in your daily routine to pause and reflect? Can you think of a time when you failed forward? How did you grow from that experience? … Episode 32 – How can you enrich your undergrad experience by building community and leading mindfully? Read More »

13 years and a whole lexicon apart, and yet, so much in common. RC student Rellian deGraaf '24 and RC alum Emmett Findley ‘07 explore “queer time”, the differences between stealth and passing, being weighed down by wearing the mantle of queer ambassador, and what makes a “queer space”. Where do trans men learn how … Episode 31 – “It's a wild ride, this life”: Two RC trans* men sit down for a (virtual) cup of coffee Read More »

We don't really know when this pandemic will be behind us, though promising vaccines are on the way. Students and faculty prepare for Winter 2021, when the majority of courses will be offered online with some exceptions like some of our studio arts and music courses. Who better to fill us in on the RC's academic offerings but director of RC Academic Services and long-time beloved advisor and mentor, Charlie Murphy? (Amirite?) Want to know about the history of race and the law, or about the elements that go into building an egalitarian metropolis? Want to apply your Spanish speaking skills - learned in school or from your heritage - to support the local Latino community? Or maybe you want to know how to live a life more aligned with your values of civility and justice? Listen up and get acquainted with a handful of the staggering 75 courses offered in the Residential College in Winter 2021. (And remember: RC courses are open to all LSA students!)

You know the old cliché, “they grow up so fast”? It's hard to believe, but 2020 marks the 50th birthday of the Residential College Creative Writing & Literature Program. We went right to horse's mouth on this and checked in with the founder of the program, Warren Hecht, whose 47-year lecturer career may be the … Episode 29 -The $300 That Launched the RC Creative Writing and Literature Program Read More »

Over the summer 2020, U-M communicated a public health-informed reopening plan for on-campus and virtual learning in the fall. Meanwhile, many universities around the country – including MSU, about an hour away – announced plans for a totally virtual fall term to prevent the spread of COVID-19 between students. Well before the first van showed … Episode 28 – “U-M Works Because We Do”: RCers on the Fall 2020 Strikes Read More »

Life for every student at U-M - let alone for every person on earth - has undergone tremendous change recently. We'll explore how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted people differently even within the Residential College community. This episode features three students as well as a member of the RC intensive language faculty and we explore family ties, procrastination, the strangeness of seeing other people in real life, and dealing with anxiety, all with humor and vulnerability.

Listen and celebrate the 25th Annual Exhibition of Art by Michigan Prisoners put on by the Prison Creative Arts Project (PCAP). It is one of the largest exhibitions of art by incarcerated artists in the country. Hear from formerly incarcerated artists, now on the outside, and members of the curatorial team about the founding of the exhibition, the process of and criteria for artwork selection, and what making art does for incarcerated people.

Honestly, how is the food at U-M? Can you survive on the meal plan? Hint: you can. But is the food good? What do students really think? From meal plans, to the seven all-access dining halls, to the East Quad Blue Cafe, to the EQ kitchen, to Ann Arbor restaurant recommendations, we've got you covered. You'll hear from current RC Students—Mecca Durhal, Hayden Graves, Jasmin Lee, Arjun Thakkar, and Hannah Glass-Chapman—as they each describe their own dining experiences as U of M students.

Sometimes prospective students ask us if they can pursue studies in STEM as an RC student. Our answer is always a resounding, “YES!” To set the record straight, Maeve Pascoe and Rachel Hurwitz from the class of 2018 talk on the latest episode of the RC Podcast about their experiences in STEM research and premed … Episode 24 – Being STEM in the RC, imposter syndrome, and meeting RC people everywhere Read More »

“When else are you going to have this opportunity where a world-class university is giving you credit on your transcript to talk about sex with your peers? When does that happen?” The answer is the RC Forums program, a fully student-initiated and -led learning space open to all U-M that grants Residential College participants credit … Episode 23 – Student-facilitated learning spaces at U-M: RC Forums Read More »

Have you ever wondered how displaced people develop a relationship to the physical land in their new home region, or how school-age youth are responding to rising gun violence today? The RC Social Theory & Practice Major (STP) gives U-M students the latitude to design their own interdisciplinary plan of study, culminating in capstone projects … Episode 22 – The RC Social Theory & Practice Major Read More »

RC Senior Hannah Brauer introduces listeners to the RC Review, an annual student-run magazine for writers and artists in the Residential College community. Bonus: you'll hear from multiple writers and current RC Review staff members members reading recently published work, à la an open mic at a coffee shop. Hear about the new developments in digital … Episode 21 – The RC Review with Hannah Brauer, Editor-in-Chief Read More »

The ways that we meet the nutritional needs of our communities, while also protecting the planet, promoting healthy lives, and ensuring food justice are among the greatest challenges facing our nation and the world today. Get to know the planning committee for the Community of Food, Society & Justice Conference, coming to the Residential College … Episode 20 – The Community of Food, Society & Justice Conference Read More »

On July 1, 2019, Catherine Badgley became the 11th director of the Residential College, and the 3rd woman in the role. She is no stranger to the halls of East Quad; she's been teaching in the RC since the late 1980s. In this interview, Catherine discusses her research in the fossil records of Pakistan and … Episode 19 – Catherine Badgley on the Fossil Record, Baking Bread, and the RC Read More »

RC alumna Carmen Bugan, '96 Creative Writing, had a happy childhood in a small Romanian town. Little did she know then that her family was under 24-hour surveillance by Ceausescu's totalitarian regime due to her father's pro-democracy activism. In this episode, Carmen tells why her family's story is a dominant subject in her poetry, and … Episode 18 – Carmen Bugan and the Language of Freedom Read More »

It's fun to hear an RC alumna and a current RC student chat about changes in the RC over a 30 year period, but it's even more fun when you're privy to this conversation between Mom and daughter. Camilla Lizundia videoconferences with her Mom (and Robby) to talk about the RC philosophy about grades, building … Episode 17 – An RC Student and her RC Alumna Mom FaceTime Read More »

Cindy Sowers, the venerated RC Arts and Ideas in the Humanities faculty member, has retired. We knew this would come but that knowing doesn't shield us from the shock and disorientation of the event itself! To pay homage to Cindy and her incredible 46 year career in the Residential College, I coaxed her into appearing … Episode 16 – Cindy Sowers and Her Retirement Read More »

We bid bon voyage to “Uncle Hank” as he completes a fulfilling and rich 32 year career in the Residential College. In this interview, Hank touches on how he accidentally wound up in the RC, how he accidentally happened upon his scholarly passion for interviewing and “learning with” Holocaust survivors, and how he hopes we … Episode 15 – Hank Greenspan and His Retirement Read More »

Semester in Detroit (SiD) is a cohort-style immersion experience created and based in the RC that takes place in the Cass Corridor. The program celebrated its 10th anniversary in April 2019, and the occasion gave us a chance to reflect on its student-led genesis, core elements of the SiD experience, and questions about how Detroit … Episode 14 – Semester in Detroit at its 10th Anniversary Read More »

The charm of East Quad is on superdrive when you walk into the building and hear the smooth and buttery playing of a Satie or Rachmaninoff tune on the grand piano in the front concourse. When you tickle the ivories on more obscure video game music, like RC junior Ajilan Potter does, it can bring … Episode 13 – RC Interlude – Ajilan Potter and the East Quad Piano Read More »

Theory and practice converge in RC's Telling It, a free after-school program that facilitates six groups of youth in four locations in Washtenaw County. U-M students enroll in a course led by RC faculty member, Telling It founder Deb Gordon-Gurfinkel, taking them on a journey that touches on sociology, education theory, current political events, psychology, … Episode 12 – RC's Telling It Program Read More »

One of the things that gives the RC its mystique is the rigorous language course sequences offered in Japanese, Russian, German, French and Spanish. Aiming for language proficiency, students generally enroll in two semesters of eight-credit courses that include grammar, speaking and writing training, supplemented by lunch tables and coffee hours conducted in the language. … Episode 11 – Janet Hegman Shier and Olga López Cotín on the RC Language Programs Read More »

Hoai An Pham couldn't sit idly by after she heard that U-M was considering to allow Richard Spencer to speak on campus. She gathered with other student and community organizers in the coalition #StopSpencer whose aim was to give no platform for racism and hate speech at U-M or in SE Michigan. In the RC … Episode 10 – Hoai An Pham, RC '19: #StopSpencer, and on being an STP Major Read More »

After it was revealed that Richard Spencer may come to U-M to speak, Hoai An Pham gathered with other student and community organizers in the coalition #StopSpencer. In the RC Podcast's 10th episode, RC senior Hoai An reflects on what she learned organizing as a student, as a Vietnamese woman, and as someone who had to "unlearn" messages that had penetrated her beliefs. She discusses her journey from pre-med to RC's STP major, and gives us a sense for what it's like to be one of U-M's carillonneurs.

When Nancy Blum came to the RC from Illinois, she wanted to pursue a career in service and decided to study psychology and womens studies. Well, as can happen, she fell for the creative arts while in East Quad and her work there, alongside her contributions to the U-M Human Sexuality Office, set her on … Episode 7 – Nancy Blum, RC '85: Developing A Voice Read More »

Sascha Crasnow is the RC's newest faculty member. She's joining the Arts and Ideas team, bringing her research in Islamic arts and visual culture to the College. In this interview, she discusses her academic path, what common misconceptions she witnesses as students start to use a critical lens to study the Arab world, as well … Episode 6 – Introducing Sascha Crasnow, New Arts and Ideas Islamic Arts Instructor Read More »

One of the purposes of the RC podcast is to preserve the oral history of the Residential College and East Quadrangle. It's our pleasure to offer episode five that introduces you to Dr. Harvey Slaughter, RC class of 1972, who created a very distinguished undergraduate career including much activism for the advancement of Black students and … Episode 5 – Interview with Harvey Slaughter, RC Class of '72 Read More »

It's our pleasure to offer episode five that introduces you to Dr. Harvey Slaughter, RC class of 1972, who became an activist for the advancement of Black students and building structures of academic support for his peers at University of Michigan. Harvey embodies intellectual curiosity, concern for social welfare, and hunger for organizational change and these qualities were cultivated and fostered while he was a student in the RC - all the while being the only Black male student in his class.

Meet Anna Clark, '03 RC Creative Writing and LSA Art History alumna. In this episode, Anna describes her July 2018 book, The Poisoned City: Flint's Water and the American Urban Tragedy, including some of her key research findings, the process she underwent to write the book, and what she hopes the book will contribute to in terms of raising awareness about this crisis and others that may inevitably occur due to similar circumstances throughout the United States.

Listen to hear the music, voices, and creative forces - human, natural, and otherwise - behind the successful program, Shakespeare in the Arb (SITA). Celebrating its 18th season, SITA is excited to premiere Romeo and Juliet in the lineup that has included A Midsummer Night's Dream, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, and Much Ado About Nothing, among others. Get to know the director, dramaturg, and some lead actors who will bring this blockbuster to life in Nichols Arboretum June 7-24, 2018.

This is our pilot episode of the yet unnamed RC Podcast! Robby Griswold, Communications and Outreach Coordinator at the RC, interviews Stina Perkins and Darian Razdar, two seniors in the class of 2018. The interview is a veritable tour of the RC, and will drop you “in media res” in the RC student experience. Darian … Pilot Episode – May 2, 2018 – Stina Perkins and Darian Razdar Read More »