Catalyze

Hosted by Morehead-Cain

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152

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Oct 2026

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About the show

This is Catalyze, a podcast from the Morehead-Cain Program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Inspired by our namesake chemist benefactors, Catalyze reflects the energy of transformation, action, and momentum. Each episode features conversations with Morehead-Cain Alumni and Scholars who are shaping their communities, industries, and the world. From formative moments at Carolina to career pivots, leadership philosophies, and personal values, we explore the stories behind the people who lead with character and purpose.

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60 recent

October 6, 202626 min

College as It Should Be: How to create a gym membership for your mind, with Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford and Isaac Watkins ’27

This is the first episode of “College as It Should Be,” a miniseries of the Catalyze podcast that features insights and stories from Morehead-Cain President Chris Bradford and current scholars and alumni. On this episode, Ali Slack ’28 sits down with Chris and Isaac Watkins ’27 to talk about creating a “gym membership for your mind,” and what it takes to actually slow down and think in a world built to keep you scrolling, distracted, and disengaged. Chris shares the Morehead-Cain Program’s philosophy in treating thinking as a discipline, not a mood. Isaac shares about how he built a personal reflection practice from deep in the woods, and what all scholars can do to be more intentional about their thought lives through reading, writing, and meditation. Reading recommendations from Chris & Isaac A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders—Chris’s recommendation; a book about reading, thinking, and writing that engages with classic Russian short stories The Desert Fathers: Sayings of the Early Christian Monks translated by Benedicta Ward—Isaac's recommendation; a collection of sayings and encounters from monks and nuns over several centuries Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein—Isaac’s recommendation for thinking about how to prioritize time and build intentional habits “ The Starship and the Cloister ” by Niall Ferguson—An essay referenced by Chris; argues students need to put themselves into a cloister for a few hours each day while also engaging with modern technology Music credits The episode’s intro song is by scholar Scott Hallyburton ’22, guitarist of the band South of the Soul. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org.

June 2, 202630 min

Kemp Gouldin ’02, founder of Because Baseball, on building connection through sport

Kemp Gouldin ’02 is the founder of Because Baseball , a nonprofit that uses baseball as a bridge for cross-cultural exchange and community-building in Egypt and beyond. On this episode, guest host Olu Kopano ’26 speaks with Kemp about the origins of Because Baseball, its impact in Egyptian schools, orphanages, and community programs, and how Morehead-Cain Scholars and Alumni have supported the organization. From a “Field of Dreams”-inspired vision to a growing international community of young athletes, Kemp reflects on how sport can become a language of connection, and what it takes to build something from the ground up. Music credits The episode’s intro song is by scholar Scott Hallyburton ’22 , guitarist of the band South of the Soul. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show usingour RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

May 19, 202632 min

Meet the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows: Güneş Tuğcu ’26 of Boğaziçi University

This spring, the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows will conclude their year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This miniseries of the Catalyze podcast highlights members of the first class, featuring global fellows from Nigeria, Turkey, and India. In this episode, Ali Slack ’28 of the Scholar Media Team speaks with Morehead-Cain Global Fellow Güneş Tuğcu ’26 about her journey to Carolina, her experiences in the program, and how the year will inform her future impact. About the guest Güneş is a psychology and western languages and literatures double major at Boğaziçi University, passionate about science communication and accessibility. She co-founded a mentorship program for students affected by the 2023 earthquakes, is a staff reporter for campus journalism, and teaches English to underserved communities. At UNC, she is engaged in research in the Neurocognition and Imaging Lab, examining the neural substrates of complex cognitive functions. She is also involved in community engagement initiatives through the THRIVE Program, supporting outreach and service efforts for veterans and first responders living with traumatic brain injury. With a strong interest in the ethical, legal, and social implications of emerging neuro-technologies, she plans to pursue neuroscience and law, aspiring to contribute to the emerging field of neurolaw as an IP lawyer and researcher focused on responsible innovation and equitable access. About the Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program The Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program identifies, invests in, and empowers emerging leaders who seek to positively shape communities across the world. Global fellows pursue a fully funded year of undergraduate study and research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During their time at Carolina, global fellows engage in rigorous academics, immersive research, and meaningful cross-cultural exchange. The program includes funded travel within the United States, personal coaching from Morehead-Cain advisers, and yearlong leadership development designed to strengthen purpose, confidence, and impact. Global fellows return home with world-class research experience, an international network, and the skills to lead with clarity and purpose. Are you ready to step forward and shape the world for the better? Learn more at global.moreheadcain.org. Music credits The episode’s intro song is by scholar Scott Hallyburton ’22 , guitarist of the band South of the Soul. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

May 12, 202656 min

Meet the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows: Rotdalmwa Joan Dimka ’26 of the University of Jos and Eniola Hawawu Salawu ’26 of the University of Lagos

This spring, the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows will conclude their year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This miniseries of the Catalyze podcast highlights members of the first class, featuring global fellows from Nigeria, Turkey, and India. In this episode, Morehead-Cain Global Fellows Rotdalmwa Joan Dimka ’26 and Eniola Hawawu Salawu ’26 speak about their journey to Carolina, experiences in the program, and how the year will inform their future impact. About the guests Eniola is an accounting student at the University of Lagos, passionate about financial literacy, climate change adaptation, education, and wealth creation in Africa. She is the founder of the Consulting Club of Lagos, the first fully established consulting club at her university, created to help students from all faculties build the practical, analytical, and professional skills they need to flourish in the labor market. She also cofounded EcoCarbon, a sustainable enterprise focused on promoting corporate sustainability across Africa, reflecting her commitment to aligning finance with climate action. At UNC–Chapel Hill, Eniola and her team won the internal and Mid-Atlantic Regional Finals of the Venture Capital Investment Competition for the first time in six years, further deepening her interest in venture capital and the impact investing space. She is also working to create an innovation hub within her school in Lagos to provide students with the facilities they need to create and scale bold ideas. She ultimately aims to lead a venture capital firm that invests in bold, sustainable solutions to foster a more inclusive global economy. Rotdalmwais a biochemistry student at the University of Jos with a passion for proteomics, storytelling, and educational reform. As a course representative and public relations executive for the Biochemistry Study Community, she helped lead a waste management project to the finals of a state hackathon. A former intern at the Centre for Youth Participation, Dialogue and Advocacy Africa, she also founded Student Republic, a student-run editorial supporting first-year university students while promoting intellectual discourse and social consciousness. At UNC–Chapel Hill, she is conducting foundational research in the Arroyo Lab on electrochemical biosensors to explore testing and treatment for UTIs. She is also furthering her craft in storytelling, reading poems at open mics and publishing them in the Daily Tar Heel . Rotdalmwa hopes to pursue research on urinary tract infections, build a career in spoken word, and enter public office to drive systemic change in Nigeria. About the Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program The Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program identifies, invests in, and empowers emerging leaders who seek to positively shape communities across the world. Global fellows pursue a fully funded year of undergraduate study and research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During their time at Carolina, global fellows engage in rigorous academics, immersive research, and meaningful cross-cultural exchange. The program includes funded travel within the United States, personal coaching from Morehead-Cain advisers, and yearlong leadership development designed to strengthen purpose, confidence, and impact. Global fellows return home with world-class research experience, an international network, and the skills to lead with clarity and purpose. Are you ready to step forward and shape the world for the better? Learn more at global.moreheadcain.org. Music credits The episode’s intro song is by scholar Scott Hallyburton ’22 , guitarist of the band South of the Soul. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

May 5, 202633 min

Meet the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows: Disha Parasu ’26 of the Vellore Institute of Technology – Chennai

This spring, the inaugural class of Morehead-Cain Global Fellows will conclude their year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This miniseries of the Catalyze podcast highlights members of the first class, featuring global fellows from Nigeria, Turkey, and India. In this episode, Aadya Gattu ’28 of the Scholar Media Team speaks with Morehead-Cain Global Fellow Disha Parasu ’26 about her journey to Carolina, her experiences in the program, and how the year will inform her future impact. About the guest Dishais a computer science student at the Vellore Institute of Technology – Chennai specializing in AI and machine learning. She is a core member of Quantumplators, where she explores quantum algorithms and cryptography applications. A Womanium Scholar and participant in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Interdisciplinary Quantum Hackathon, Parasu is passionate about integrating quantum computing with AI to enhance cybersecurity. She is also the founder of Collective Qubits, a student-led startup dedicated to raising awareness of quantum computing around the world. Inspired by UNC–Chapel Hill’s ethos of giving back and lifting others forward, she makes Collective Qubits events free for Carolina students, ensuring that access to quantum education remains open and inclusive. She also helped launch a neighborhood library to bridge generational gaps through the sharing of books and aims to drive innovation in quantum research and digital safety. About the Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program The Morehead-Cain Global Fellows program identifies, invests in, and empowers emerging leaders who seek to positively shape communities across the world. Global fellows pursue a fully funded year of undergraduate study and research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. During their time at Carolina, global fellows engage in rigorous academics, immersive research, and meaningful cross-cultural exchange. The program includes funded travel within the United States, personal coaching from Morehead-Cain advisers, and yearlong leadership development designed to strengthen purpose, confidence, and impact. Global fellows return home with world-class research experience, an international network, and the skills to lead with clarity and purpose. Are you ready to step forward and shape the world for the better? Learn more at global.moreheadcain.org. Music credits The episode’s intro song is by scholar Scott Hallyburton ’22 , guitarist of the band South of the Soul. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

April 28, 202636 min

First class of Sophomore Selection scholars to graduate from UNC–Chapel Hill this May, Pt. 2 with William Cook ’26

It’s been nearly three years since the Morehead-Cain Foundation launched the Sophomore Selection process. The program was established to identify second-year students at Carolina who demonstrate exceptional scholarship, leadership, and character. This year marks a historic milestone: the first class of Sophomore Selection scholars will graduate this May from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These fifteen scholars joined the Morehead-Cain Program in fall 2023. In this episode, host Oni Terrado ’27 sits down with William Cook ’26 of Nashville, Tennessee, to reflect on the experiences that have informed his vision of leadership, from job shadowing at a Nashville lumberyard to founding the Human Flourishing Initiative at Carolina, working with entrepreneurs in South African townships, and joining an industrial crane services startup in Chicago. Sophomores are nominated through Morehead-Cain’s network of campus partners, including professors, department heads, teaching assistants, and staff from scholarship, service, extracurricular, and cultural programs. Morehead-Cain invites nominees to apply early in the fall semester. Learn more about the Sophomore Selection process . How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

April 14, 202622 min

First class of Sophomore Selection scholars to graduate from UNC–Chapel Hill this May, Pt. 1 with Clara DiVincenzo ’26 of Raleigh

It’s been nearly three years since the Morehead-Cain Foundation launched the Sophomore Selection process. The program was established to identify second-year students at Carolina who demonstrate exceptional scholarship, leadership, and character. This year marks a historic milestone: the first class of Sophomore Selection scholars will graduate this May from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. These fifteen scholars joined the Morehead-Cain Program in fall 2023. In this episode, host Oni Terrado ’27 sits down with Clara DiVincenzo ’26 to reflect on her journey as a Morehead-Cain Scholar, from coral reef research and global experiences abroad to professional work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Clara shares how she embraced the four pillars of the Morehead-Cain Program, navigated challenges, and remained grounded in authenticity throughout her college experience. The scholar is a biology and statistics double major and marine sciences minor. Sophomores are nominated through Morehead-Cain’s network of campus partners, including professors, department heads, teaching assistants, and staff from scholarship, service, extracurricular, and cultural programs. Morehead-Cain invites nominees to apply early in the fall semester. Learn more about the Sophomore Selection Process . How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

March 8, 20269 min

SEVEN Talk by Randy Chang ’28: ‘A Remortgaged House, A Remodeled Tongue’

Randy Chang ’28 delivered a SEVEN Talk at the 2025 Alumni Forum in Chapel Hill on October 19. Randy is a mathematics and politics double major at Carolina. About SEVEN Talks Every class of Morehead-Cain Scholars connects with seven others: the three classes ahead, its own, and the three that follow. The idea of SEVEN is to strengthen connections across generations of Morehead-Cains. The Alumni Forum embodies this spirit through SEVEN Talks —seven alumni and scholars on Saturday, and seven more on Sunday—each sharing seven minutes of wisdom with the Morehead-Cain community. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

March 1, 20268 min

SEVEN Talk by Niman Mann ’18: ‘The Less I Know the Better’

Niman Mann ’18 delivered a SEVEN Talk at the 2025 Alumni Forum in Chapel Hill on October 19. Niman works in strategic finance at Zipline. About SEVEN Talks Every class of Morehead-Cain Scholars connects with seven others: the three classes ahead, its own, and the three that follow. The idea of SEVEN is to strengthen connections across generations of Morehead-Cains. The Alumni Forum embodies this spirit through SEVEN Talks —seven alumni and scholars on Saturday, and seven more on Sunday—each sharing seven minutes of wisdom with the Morehead-Cain community. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .

February 24, 202619 min

Kickin’ It in the Kitchen, with Wehazit Mussie ’26 on Professional Experience with the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Ethiopia

Welcome to Kickin’ It in the Kitchen, a miniseries by the Catalyze podcast that explores the transformative summers of the Morehead-Cain Program. In the Professional Experience summer , scholars begin to explore the transition from Carolina to the working world by pursuing a professional internship. In this episode, host Aadya Gattu ’28 of the Scholar Media Team speaks with Wehazit Mussie ’26 , a pre-dental history and medical anthropology major, about her nearly two-month internship with the Clinton Health Access Initiative in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As a Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning intern, Wehazit supported documentation, communications, and data analytics efforts across multiple program areas while collaborating closely with Ethiopia’s Ministry of Health. Originally from Eritrea with family ties to Ethiopia, Wehazit reflects on the personal dimension of her professional experience, including reunions with relatives and visiting places her parents once lived. Their conversation explores how her academic interests in history and medical anthropology intersect with data-driven public health work, what surprised her about the role, and how being in Ethiopia added unique global perspective to her Professional Experience. Music credits The episode’s intro song is by scholar Scott Hallyburton ’22, guitarist of the band South of the Soul. How to listen On your mobile device, you can listen and subscribe to Catalyze on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . For any other podcast app, you can find the show using our RSS feed . You can let us know what you thought of the episode by finding us on social media @moreheadcain or you can email us at communications@moreheadcain.org .