Imagine A World

The latest episode of Imagine a World features a familiar face… frequent co-host Sydney Hunt from the 2023 cohort joins the podcast, this time as the guest! Sydney, a first-year PhD student in electrical engineering, imagines a world where people see someone that looks like them doing what they would love to do. She shares her experience growing up in upstate New York, building environments that allow historically underrepresented groups to reimagine life’s possibilities, dad jokes, and more.Highlights from the episode:(5:59) Growing up in Cornwall, New York in a close-knit group of family friends(12:59) Transitioning to undergraduate life at Duke University academically, athletically, and socially(21:44) How Sydney ended up majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science with a minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies, and how she combines her humanities and STEM background through advocacy for diversity in STEM(33:58) How the Knight-Hennessy community has helped Sydney pursue her Imagine a World statement(39:47) Sydney’s experiences serving on the board of trustees at Duke, as a way of giving back in gratitude for the full scholarship that allowed her to study there(43:25) Sydney’s PhD research on brain-computer interfaces that can restore function for paralyzed people(50:49) Sydney’s improbable facts about room-temperature water and meal points, and her advice to applicants(56:09) Bonus dad joke

The podcast delves into Thay's journey from Brazil to Stanford, her interest in politics, and her efforts to meet basic needs through deliberative democracy. It also explores the role of music in her life, her advice to Knight-Hennessy applicants, and shares an improbable fact about her arboreal interlocutors.

Named one of 10 women changing the landscape of leadership by The New York Times, scholar Aya Mouallem is an advocate for diversity in STEM and cofounder of the award-winning initiative All Girls Code. She imagines a world where STEM education is not only accessible and equitable, but also inclusive to learners of all backgrounds and abilities. Hear her reflections on her upbringing in Lebanon and her Knight-Hennessy Scholars journey, a community she calls “a home in the world and the world in a home.”Highlights from the episode:(4:56) Aya's transformative experiential learning opportunities growing up in Beirut, Lebanon, from participating in a science fair to protests to building her own nonprofit (10:10) Founding All Girls Code, a nonprofit to encourage girls to study STEM (16:12) How the privilege of experiential learning should be accessible to everyone (20:00) Moving at Stanford from researching biochips to making engineering tools accessible to marginalized communities, and fighting the ableism of engineering field, inspired by the experiences of a blind classmate (26:46) Handing All Girls Code onto future generations, by building up pathways for girls who went through the program in high school to eventually lead the program (30:58) Aya's connection to Lebanon, from a necklace she wears to remind herself of home, participating in anti-corruption protests in 2019, founding a fellowship program for Lebanese students, and cooking Lebanese food (40:40) How Aya thinks about using her online presence to magnify attention to the causes she cares about (44:5) Knight-Hennessy program has enriched Aya's experience at Stanford, from programming to community to growing her appreciation for and involvement in the arts (50:46) Aya's improbable fact about having visited over 50 museums, and her advice to applicants to the program

Joe Nail (2023 cohort), joint MBA/Master in International Policy student, imagines a world where faith, family, and courage are our guiding values, and where all Americans are bound together through service. He joins hosts Willie Thompson, Taylor Goss, and guest host Sydney Hunt to chat about emulating service exhibited by his parents, leading as an introvert, discovering his entrepreneurial spirit, launching a new initiative for US military veterans, and so much more. Highlights from the episode:(4:38) Joe’s trajectory from growing up in Kansas to attending UNC Chapel Hill, serving in the military, and applying to Knight-Hennessy(10:28) How Joe’s love for public service and sports are inspired by his parents(16:23) Joe’s passion for long-distance running, and the adventures he’s had pursuing this passion(24:10) The story of the start of Lead For America, Joe's nonprofit creating public service leadership opportunities across the US, and Joe’s style of leadership as an introvert(30:52) Project 1310, a fundraising campaign Joe is doing by running a marathon in every state to raise money for a veteran's fellowship for Lead for America(37:10) How Joe thinks about the role of military service today(44:45) Joe’s improbable facts about running in Anarctica, and his first business venture Joe’s Snack Shop(53:33) Joe’s advice to Knight-Hennessy applicants to think purposefully about why Stanford and Knight-Hennessy make sense as a next step for them

Will Dwyer (2023 cohort) imagines a world where future generations can look towards the natural world for joy and inspiration. He joins hosts Willie Thompson, Taylor Goss, and guest host Sydney Hunt to discuss his experience immigrating to the US from France, his love for plants and their otherworldly biochemistry, being captain of an ultimate frisbee league, and expressing himself through writing. (Also, special guest appearance by Taylor’s guitar and original song, flower facts!) Highlights from the episode:(6:23) Will’s experience growing up in France and moving to America as a teenager and running track in high school(16:40) How Will became interested in plant biology through reflecting on plants during a summer in New York City(21:53) Will’s experiences working at the Carnegie Institute before matriculating as a PhD student at Stanford, and his current research using electron microscopes(27:20) Will’s Imagine a World statement about creating ways for future generations to have non-extractive and joyful relationships with nature(29:10) The role of storytelling in Will’s experiences with Knight-Hennessy, from a story he told in a weekly storytelling workshop about going to see Hyperion and subsequently published on Knight-Hennessy's website, to leading last quarter’s Community Reads program(35:59) Will’s thoughts on the importance of language and writing in science, from his research on the language of scientific taxonomies to his work writing and editing newsletters for the nonprofit The Good Scientists(44:52) Will’s hobbies at Stanford, getting to sf to play ultimate frisbee in a queer league, and taking weekend trips into nature(48:56) How Knight-Hennessy has shaped Will’s Stanford experience, including his friendship with Imagine a World co-host Sydney Hunt(52:28) Will’s improbable facts collecting the periodic table of elements as a kid and affection for the snooze button of his alarm clock(57:18) Flower Facts with our friend, Will Dwyer (featuring an original composition by Taylor Goss)(59:16) Will’s advice to applicants to Knight-Hennessy, to not be afraid to think out of the box and put your “weird foot forward” in the application

Zahra Fazal (2022 cohort) imagines a world where communities across Africa have an equal stake in setting the global health agenda. She joins hosts Willie Thompson, Taylor Goss, and guest host Takondwa Semphere to chat about her experience growing up in a scenic town in Tanzania, leaving home at 13 years old, addressing global health issues through a social epidemiology lens, and the danger of a single story in sub-Saharan Africa. Plus, her many creative endeavors, from creative writing to earring-making to crocheting!Highlights from the episode:(7:12) Zahra’s experience growing up in Morogoro, Tanzania, living alone in the city at age 12, and deciding to pursue education beyond secondary school(17:30) The role that art has played in Zahra’s life in carrying home with her and reminding her of the community that took care of her growing up(23:01) What moving from Tanzania to Canada and then the US has been like from Zahra, and how she grounds her work in her experiences growing up and those of her family, especially her little sister(31:31) Zahra’s Imagine a World Statement about communities in Africa having a stake in setting the global health agenda, and how that focus led her to focus on social epidemiology in her time at Stanford and her thesis project on health outcomes for people with albinism in Tanzania(43:02) How Zahra’s experiences with poetry and literature shaped her interactions with the world, from reading voraciously as a child, writing her own stories on Wattpad, and creating an advocacy song for her work(56:10) Zahra’s improbable facts about crocheting and board games and advice to Knight-Hennessy applicants and scholars about the importance of mentorship

In this week’s episode of Imagine A World, KHS alum Briana Mullen (2020 cohort) discusses what led her to pursue master’s degrees in policy, organization, and leadership studies and in public policy at Stanford. She shares her experience of being a lifetime Californian, reflects on the joys of being a marching band kid, discusses building an organization that empowers underrepresented communities to create change in their school districts, and so much more. Highlights from the episode:(6:21) Briana's experiences growing up working class in the Bay Area, and finding an enduring sense of home and community, as a band kid in high school; her first experience getting involved in school boards to try to save the school music program from budget cuts(17:00) Learning about the history of public education and the experiences of her peers in the public education system at Berkeley and finding a home there(21:05) How Briana’s Imagine A World statement shifted over time, from how school boards can build vibrant, multiracial democracies, to building villages and communities for children in and out of schools(24:29) Finding inspiration about leadership and vision for public education from colleagues at the California Department of Education(28:59) Working with communities to build up representative school boards and raise public awareness of their importance through the Education Justice Academy, a nonprofit Briana founded when she was at Stanford and now works on full time(43:30) How Briana deals with overwhelm by slowing down, meditating, and building lasting change at a sustainable pace through meeting people where they are at(48:26) Briana’s advice to Knight-Hennessy applicants by finding ways to fit what you want to say into the application rather than just answering the questions(51:52) Briana’s Improbable Fact about crafting a syllabus about Avatar: Legend of Korra, and how the insights of the show relate to children’s experiences encountering vast political forces and give insights into how it takes community to make a change(59:12) the story of the start of the Imagine A World podcast at an Asilomar Knight-Hennessy retreat(1:04:46) Working with teachers, students, and families to save the music program at her high school 12 years later

Join scholar Nadine Jawad on a reflective journey from growing up in Dearborn to her aspirations in public policy and healthcare. Hear about her activism, balancing cynicism with joy, and the importance of accessible healthcare. Discover Nadine's vision for impact through writing and her supportive Knight-Hennessy community.

In this episode, Courtney discusses barriers to healthy aging, her journey from Atlanta to healthcare consulting, and her passion for extending healthspans. She shares her vision for life at 67, upcoming trip to Costa Rica's blue zone, and insights on ageism and health literacy.

In Episode 10 of Imagine a World, Johnny Powell, first-year medical student and first 2023 scholar featured on the podcast, talks about being the first in his family to attend an Ivy League school and his journey to medicine. He shares how he balances grit with grace, where he gets his motivation to work out at 6AM every morning, and why he hopes to empower young people that look like him.Highlights from the episode:(6:28) Johnny’s experience growing up in North Carolina; his decision to apply to an Ivy League school, taking a different path from his family, who attended HBCUs, and the culture shock and transformative experiences that Johnny had at Harvard(15:18) How Johnny first became interested in medicine, motivated by the experiences of his family members, and his path to eventually pursuing an MD through consulting and clinical research(19:12) Johnny’s experience running the Harvard Black Men’s Forum, as well as other advocacy and leadership positions, and how they inform his notion of good leadership(22:40) Johnny’s thoughts on his Imagine a World statement, about addressing all people’s health and social needs(26:25) Johnny’s approach to handling bad days maintaining a sense of optimism without sliding into toxic positivity, and balancing his practice of grit and grace(31:55) The role of the medical school community, Knight-Hennessy, and family in supporting Johnny during his time at Stanford, and the support he’s gotten from his mother throughout his life(35:22) How Johnny views his role in empowering future generations and his thoughts on the inaccessibility of med school application process(40:35) Johnny’s experience applying to the Knight-Hennessy and his improbable facts about his experience staying with a host family in Japan; his advice for applicants to the program