Gators on Purpose

Allegheny College
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From campus to career, every Gator has a story that's uniquely their own, stories of curiosity and unusual combinations of interests, fueled by creativity and a supportive community. These stories remind us that Allegheny College doesn't just prepare you for a job, it prepares you for a life lived on purpose.

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Episode 10: Alexander Mericli ’05, Academic Surgery: Becoming Dynamic and Making a Broad Impact

    With a distinguished career in plastic surgery and clinical research, Alexander Mericli ’05 spent some time with host Briana Lewis to discuss how his education at Allegheny College shaped his life.  Mericli continues to draw on his unusual combination of biology and English as he works at the nation’s number one cancer center, the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

  2. Sep 29

    Episode 09: Jennifer Haddox-Schatz ’00, Finding Meaning in Paying it Forward

    What happens when you have the grit to keep going? In this episode of Gators on Purpose, host Briana Lewis sits down with Jennifer Haddox-Schatz ’00, senior applications architect at Daniel H. Wagner Associates. Despite wanting to drop her first semester course of computer science without any programming experience, Haddox-Schatz built a career in defense software architecture for over two decades. Haddox-Schatz reflects on staying open to change and all the mentors that led her to where she is now.

  3. Aug 25

    Episode 08: Emily Ricotta ’09, A Winding Path to Epidemiology and Public Service

    Briana Lewis is joined by alumna Emily Ricotta ’09 to share how she’s educating and serving the public to mitigate diseases at Uniformed Services University.  Ricotta reflects on the breadth of hands-on experience she gained from the biology lab to Creek Connections, a watershed education program, as a student. These experiences would lay the foundational skills for her work researching malaria in Zambia and with the National Institutes of Health at the height of COVID-19.

  4. Jul 28

    Episode 07: Seth Ehrlich ’01, Relationships and Leading Beyond the Mission

    In this episode of Gators on Purpose, host Briana Lewis connects with Seth Ehrlich ’01, the CEO of SOS Outreach. The organization has taught 3,000+ youth critical skills through mentorship based on the outdoors.  He shares that the sense of community on campus is what initially drew him to Allegheny College, but his experiences studying away broadened his perspective on life. As a student, Ehrlich majored in international studies with a minor in German.

  5. Jun 30

    Episode 06: Jonathan Spencer ‘79, Problem-Solving and New Horizons

    Host Briana Lewis speaks with Jonathan Spencer '79, founder of New Horizon’s House, a Colorado-based nonprofit providing care to survivors of human trafficking and sexual abuse.  He credits developing problem-solving skills and resiliency at Allegheny College — tools he continues to use draw on to champion those in need. Spencer majored in mathematics with a biology minor and was the recipient of the 2022 Allegheny Gold Citation.

  6. May 26

    Episode 05: Bethany Eppig ’11, From the Allegheny “Comp” to the Artemis Missions

    What does a minor in religious studies have to do with technical systems for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)? More than you think! In this episode, host Briana Lewis sits down with Bethany Eppig ’11, who shares her incredible journey from an undeclared first-year to her career at NASA. Eppig notes how her interdisciplinary education at Allegheny College gave her the foundation to connect ideas in science and policy.  Update: Our interview with Bethany Eppig was recorded in January 2026. Since then, Bethany's role at NASA has changed as she leverages the experience in fission surface power that she describes in our conversation to contribute to the next generation of nuclear space systems.  In March 2026, NASA announced a series of transformative agencywide initiatives, including creating NASA’s Moon Base and advancing space nuclear power and propulsion. NASA plans to launch the Space Reactor-1 Freedom, the first nuclear fission-powered interplanetary spacecraft, to Mars before the end of 2028. When SR-1 Freedom reaches Mars, it will deploy the Skyfall payload of Ingenuity‑class helicopters to survey potential human landing sites, search for subsurface water, and relay navigation data for future landers.  SR-1 Freedom is the first step in a deliberate sequence. It will inform and enable the Lunar Reactor-1, a fission surface power system designed to keep NASA’s Moon Base operating through periods of darkness and in locations where solar power and batteries alone are not sufficient. By flying a reactor first, SR-1 Freedom will provide ground and flight data on reactor and power conversion performance to the lunar fission system without the complexity of a lunar landing.   Eppig now supports the SR-1 and LR-1 missions.

  7. Apr 28

    Episode 04: Mike Newman ’94, Entrepreneurship, Fulfillment, and “Selfish Altruism”

    In this episode, Briana Lewis sits down with Mike Newman ’94 to discuss how his double major in philosophy and English paved the way for his career in law and high-tech entrepreneurship. Newman shares his journey from a student-athlete recovering from injury to a technology CEO to chairman of the Nicholas Academic Center. He argues that a liberal arts education is the best defense against a rapidly changing professional landscape.

  8. Mar 30

    Episode 03: Isaac Gittens ’14, Enduring Love of Football, Evolving Sense of Purpose

    In the third episode of Gators on Purpose, host Briana Lewis sits down with Isaac Gittens ’14, who translated his passion for football into a career with the National Football League (NFL). Gittens' journey to Allegheny was sparked by a positive interaction with the football coaching staff, and he worked in the athletic department as a student. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics with double minors in communication and Black Studies, Gittens pursued a graduate assistantship at Baylor University with the American Football Coaches Association. Today, Gittens manages pipelines for coaches, officials, and players. He is particularly proud of his work in flag football, as he creates pathways for women in the sport and sees the game reach the 2028 Olympics.

  9. Feb 23

    Episode 02: Katie Shipp ’09, Empowering Survivors and Educating Communities

    In this episode of Gators on Purpose, Briana Lewis talks with Katie Shipp, Executive Director of I Have the Right To and Pittsburgh Magazine 2025 40 Under 40 Honoree. A psychology major and religious studies minor, Shipp reflects on how Bonner service, AmeriCorps, and law school shaped her path advocating for survivors of sexual assault. After more than a decade practicing law, she shifted to prevention and education work nationwide. Shipp shares insights on community, courage, experiential learning, and building a meaningful career at the intersection of passion and purpose.

  10. Jan 22

    Episode 01: Ron Cole ’87, Journey from Student to Alumnus to Institutional Leader

    In this first episode, host Briana Lewis sits down with Dr. Ron Cole ’87, President of Allegheny College, to reflect on his journey from student to alum to institutional leader. President Cole shares insights into his undergraduate experience, the mentors and moments that shaped him, and how the Allegheny philosophy of combining disciplines continues to influence his leadership and career.

    Episode 01: Ron Cole ’87, Journey from Student to Alumnus to Institutional Leader
  • 10 Episodes

About

From campus to career, every Gator has a story that's uniquely their own, stories of curiosity and unusual combinations of interests, fueled by creativity and a supportive community. These stories remind us that Allegheny College doesn't just prepare you for a job, it prepares you for a life lived on purpose.

Information

  • Creator
    Allegheny College
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    10
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Allegheny College
  • Show Website
    Gators on Purpose

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