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College Town Talk
College Town Talk is a podcast from Tennessee Tech University in partnership with
the Cookeville-Putnam County Visitors Bureau available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Pandora, Soundcloud and YouTube.
Each week, hosts Jonathan Frank and Shan Stout introduce listeners to Tech faculty,
staff and students – as well as successful Tech alumni, local business owners and
civic leaders – who are making a difference and living Wings Up in their community.
College Town Talk is a celebration of the people and places that make Cookeville Tennessee’s
College Town.
Season two of College Town Talk kicks off this fall. Until then, catch up on season
one episodes below. Email Tech’s Jonathan Frank at jonathanfrank@tntech.edu with podcast questions, feedback or suggestions.
Stream the Latest episodes:
Episode 29: Kaitlin Salyer and J.R. Russell (Season 1 Finale) 
On the season one finale of College Town Talk, we're joined by Kaitlin Salyer, a Tennessee
Tech graduate and former Tech staff member who now serves as talent development director
for the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce and was this year's recipient of the
Mandala Award at Tech's annual "Window on the World" festival. Later, we hear from
J.R. Russell, a proud Tennessee Tech alumnus who now serves as administrator of the
Tennessee Legislative Internship Program at the Tennessee General Assembly in Nashville.
Episode 28: Lela Gracy and Thomas Corhern
On this week's episode of College Town Talk, we're joined by Miss Tennessee Tech 2023
Lela Gracy. Lela shares with us about being a computer science major with a concentration
in cybersecurity and French and discusses the importance of women's representation
in STEM fields. Then, we hear from Tech alumnus and award-winning sports writer Thomas
Corhern. Thomas has been Tech's sports information coordinator since 2016 and shares
with us about his excitement for the upcoming renovation of Tucker Stadium and his
memories as a writer for The Oracle, Tech's student newspaper.
Episode 27: Dr. Alma Núñez and Myron Douglas 
This week on College Town Talk we're chatting with Dr. Alma Núñez, associate professor
of finance at Tennessee Tech’s College of Business. Dr. Núñez tells us about the college's
events for Financial Literacy Week (April 1-5) made possible through a partnership
with Wilson Bank & Trust. Later, we hear from Myron Douglas, MPH, a 2010 Tennessee
Tech graduate who now works as a health communications specialist at the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia.
(Programming note: Portions of this week's episode are recorded by phone due to power
outages from a weather event at the time of our recording)
Episode 26: Bob Luna and Amelia Greer 
This week on College Town Talk we're joined by Bob Luna, a longtime community leader,
proud Tennessee Tech alumnus and the voice of the Golden Eagle Marching Band for more
than 30 years. Then, we hear from Amelia Greer, the morning anchor for WDEF News 12
in Chattanooga and a proud graduate of Tennessee Tech's class of 2023.
Episode 25: Chelsea Dartez and Dr. Helen Hunt
This week on College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are visited by Chelsea Dartez, founder
and publisher of the popular local magazine Cookeville Lifestyle. Then, we hear from
Dr. Helen Hunt, director of the Women's Center and associate professor of English
at Tennessee Tech University.
Episode 24: Jay Albrecht and Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza
This week on College Town Talk, we're joined by Tennessee Tech alumni Jay Albrecht
and Dr. Rosa Vásquez Espinoza. Jay owns the popular local restaurant "Seven Senses"
and is a former newspaper publisher who was recently named chair of the board for
the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce. Dr. Espinoza is a native of Peru
and a proud graduate of Tech Honors. Today, she is an award-winning chemical biologist,
National Geographic explorer, sought-after speaker and host, and the founder of Amazon
Research Internacional.
Episode 23: Morris Irby and Lori Jackson Strode
As Black History Month comes to a close, Jonathan and Shan are joined by two trailblazing
Tennessee Tech alumni: Morris Irby, the first Black baseball player recruited to Tennessee
Tech and a Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame member, and Lori Jackson Strode, a three-time
Tennessee Tech graduate who recently directed and co-created the Cookeville Theatre
Company's production of "I Am My Ancestors' Wildest Dream," a musical and spoken-word
production honoring the struggles and triumphs of Black history.
Episode 22: Penny Grace Judd and Cheryl Montgomery 
On a special Presidents' Day episode of College Town Talk, we chat with a bipartisan
pair of Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles who previously served in presidential administrations.
First, we hear from Tech alumna and former SGA President Penny Grace Judd, who served
as an aide under President George W. Bush. Then, we're joined by Cheryl Montgomery,
director of program development and engagement in Tech's College of Business, who
worked on the Clinton-Gore 1992 presidential campaign and transition team and later
served in the administration as a top aide to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno.
Episode 21: Dr. M. Dianne Murphy and Vice Mayor Luke Eldridge
This week on College Town Talk, we're catching up Dr. M. Dianne Murphy, a trailblazing
athlete, coach, and university administrator. Dr. Murphy is a Tennessee Tech Sports
Hall of Fame member and the 2005 winner of the university's Distinguished Alumna Award.
Later on, we are joined by Luke Eldridge, the vice mayor of Cookeville and a proud
Tennessee Tech alumnus from the class of 2010.
Episode 20: Dr. Monic Ductan and Lee Gatts
On episode 20 of College Town Talk, we hear from Dr. Monic Ductan, associate professor
of English at Tennessee Tech and author of the new book, Daughters of Muscadine. Then, we're catching up with Lee Gatts, a former Tech SGA President and the 2013 recipient
of Tech's prestigious Derryberry Award.
Episode 19: Dr. Jennifer Shank and Larry Stone
On episode 19 of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan talk with Dr. Jennifer Shank,
dean of the College of Fine Arts at Tennessee Tech, about the college's upcoming "Arty
Gras" celebration on March 2 (purchase tickets here). Later in the program, we're joined by Larry Stone, the president and general manager
of Stonecom Radio and the person behind some of our favorite Upper Cumberland radio
stations like Newstalk 94.1, Lite Rock 95.9, 106.9 Kicks Country and others.
Episode 18: Claire Myers and Lisa Uhrik
On episode 18 of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by Claire Myers,
a Tennessee Tech senior and current Student Government Association (SGA) vice president.
Later in the program, we're joined by Lisa Uhrik, a Tennessee Tech alumna and the
co-owner of Plenty Downtown Bookshop in Cookeville.
Episode 17: Rev. Dr. W. Antoni Sinkfield and Jamie Lankford
On episode 17 of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan hear from Rev. Dr. W. Antoni
Sinkfield, the winner of Tennessee Tech's 2023 Distinguished Alumnus Award and a nationally
recognized community, higher education and faith leader. Later in the program, we're
joined by Jamie Lankford, the owner of Jamie's Eats & Sweets in Cookeville.
Episode 16: Jake Hoot and Dr. Christina Mick 
College Town Talk kicks off 2024 with an appearance from country music sensation,
Tennessee Tech alumnus and the winner of season 17 of The Voice: Jake Hoot! Jake discusses
his years growing up in the Dominican Republic, his years playing football for Tech
and his passion for giving back to campus today. We also hear from Dr. Christina Mick,
director of the Tennessee Tech Counseling Center. Dr. Mick discusses how today's college
students are opening up the conversation on mental health and plays a game of rapid
fire questions with Jonathan and Shan.
Episode 15: Hannah & Justin Davis and Dr. Joseph Slater 
On episode 15 of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by the power couple
of Hannah and Justin Davis - Tennessee Tech alumni who own Vertical Coffee Company
in downtown Cookeville. Later in the program, we hear from Dr. Joseph Slater, dean
of Tennessee Tech's College of Engineering, who shares about the college's forthcoming
nuclear engineering degree program and the state-of-the-art Ashraf Islam Engineering
Building nearing completion on Tech's campus.
Episode 14: Brooke Mayo and Dr. Catherine Godes
On episode 14 of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by Brooke Mayo, a
Tennessee Tech soccer alumna and officiant at the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup. We
also hear from Dr. Catherine Godes, professor of piano in Tennessee Tech's School
of Music. Dr. Godes shares a deeply personal story about her late husband's years
in a Nazi concentration camp and how his memory inspires her work to combat antisemitism
today.
Episode 13: Kirsten Cooper and Dontrell Baines
On episode 13 of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by Tennessee Tech
alumna Kirsten Cooper, the owner of The French Cookie of Cookeville. Later in the
program, we hear from Dontrell Baines, a former Golden Eagles football player and
the chair of the Tennessee Tech Alumni Association Board of Directors.
Episode 12: Philip Gibbons and Susan Luna-Hazlewood
On episode 12 of College Town Talk, Jonathan and Shan are joined by Philip Gibbons,
a Tennessee Tech alumnus who is a CMA Award and ACM Award-nominated radio personality
for 94.7 The Country Giant. We also hear from Susan Luna-Hazlewood, a Tennessee Tech
alumna and the newly appointed director of Tech's Crawford Alumni Center.
