Student Takeover, Part 2 | Talking to Strangers, Loving Judi Dench, and the Comfort of the Worst Case Scenario
33m | Oct 23, 2026What do great storytellers, journalists, artists, philanthropists, and changemakers have in common?
In Part 2 of this special student-led Running to the Noise season finale, Oberlin College President Carmen Twillie Ambar rejoins student producers Travis O’Daniel and Eloise Rich as they share more of their conversations with Season 3 guests and reflect on what they learned from two seasons behind the microphone.
The episode opens with Travis and Eloise looking back on the guests who stayed with them most. Their reflections lead into a conversation with Joe Richman, founder of Radio Diaries, about listening, interviewing strangers, journalism in a fractured information environment, and the power of personal stories to reveal larger truths. Richman also discusses the pressure facing independent journalism and why curiosity, openness, and intentional conversation matter more than ever.
Richman challenges a lesson many people learn as children: don’t talk to strangers. Instead, he encourages aspiring journalists to seek people out, ask questions, and treat interviewing as a creative practice that can lead to deeper human connection and unexpected understanding.
The conversation then turns back to Oberlin and the relationships that shape the student experience. Travis and Eloise reflect on faculty mentorship, alumni networks, the future of journalism, and the kinds of guests they hope Running to the Noise explores next. They also identify a recurring quality among so many Oberlin graduates: the “multi-hyphenate” instinct to move across disciplines, interests, and careers rather than being defined by a single path.
That idea comes alive in a conversation with Tamara Jade, EJ Marcus, and Seyquan Mack, who share favorite Oberlin memories, creative influences, and the experiences that helped shape their lives after college. Their stories illustrate the freedom Oberlin students have to experiment, create, lead, and pursue seemingly unrelated interests at the same time.
The episode also returns to Cecilia Conrad, founding CEO of Lever for Change, for advice about entering philanthropy and nonprofit work. Conrad talks about the value of communication, storytelling, technology, and interdisciplinary skills, while offering practical guidance for young people trying to make an impact without knowing exactly where their careers will lead.
Finally, Travis, Eloise, and President Ambar reflect on the thread that connects the entire season: the willingness to move toward difficult questions, complicated problems, and meaningful work. For Travis, the common denominator among the show’s guests is simple: they are people who identify something that matters and go directly toward it. In other words, they run to the noise.
What We Cover in This Episode
- Joe Richman on journalism, storytelling, and why people should talk to strangers
- How personal stories can reveal larger truths in divided times
- The challenges facing independent journalism and public media
- What Travis and Eloise learned from interviewing Season 3 guests
- Faculty mentorship and the relationships that make the Oberlin experience distinctive
- The “multi-hyphenate” quality shared by many Oberlin students and alumni
- Tamara Jade, EJ Marcus, and Seyquan Mack on creativity and favorite Oberlin memories
- How Oberlin students create ambitious projects and communities while still in college
- Cecilia Conrad’s advice for graduates interested in philanthropy and nonprofit work
- Why storytelling and communication are increasingly valuable professional skills
- How Oberlin teaches students to analyze complexity and combine disciplines
- The question at the heart of the podcast: How do you run to the noise?
Episode Links
Episode 19: Finding Her Voice: the Power of Artistic Mentorship with Georgia Heers and La Tanya Hall
Episode 28—Billion-Dollar Giving: Cecilia Conrad on Changing How Philanthropy Funds Big Ideas
