Monthly Archives: September 2025
Bonus Episode: Will Dix ’77 Helps Families Navigate The College Admissions Process
I published this episode about getting into college with my friend and former Amherst College Associate Dean of Admissions Will Dix (Amherst ’77) a few years ago, but it has aged well. As teens and their parents explore and apply to colleges, I wanted to share it once again. It covers most of the major considerations: how to select colleges for application, the importance and pitfalls of campus tours, what to do if a college has an optional step in its application, essay writing, financial aid, and much more.
If we were to record it again today, I’m sure we’d talk about the impact of Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, as well as many colleges (including Amherst College) ending legacy admissions. Even without those elements, though, Will’s advice is superb and timely.
To learn more or contact Will, email him at collegeforall@gmail.com.
Evan Wollen on Finding Purpose in Military Service and Leadership
It’s time to catch up with my Amherst College birthday twin, Evan Wollen. While many of us left Amherst still unsure of what was next, Evan’s path was shaped by a love of history and a calling to service. He went on to spend more than 22 years in the U.S. Army, leading combat units in Iraq, teaching history at West Point, and running the ROTC program at Claremont McKenna.
One of the most powerful parts of our conversation comes when Evan describes his work as a casualty notification officer. It is the hardest duty imaginable, showing up at a family’s front door with the worst possible news. Evan talks about the solemnity of that responsibility. It was, without question, one of the most poignant moments I have had in any interview. (For a deeper telling of that story, click here to read Evan’s account.)
We also talked about the challenges of leadership in combat, where bad leaders put lives at risk and good leaders can turn a struggling unit around. Evan also shared how rugby continues to anchor him today, both as a personal passion and as a successful coach of the Claremont Colleges women’s team, which has won multiple championships under his leadership.
Evan and I also covered how he thinks about the years ahead, the importance of hobbies that fill your tank, and why he’s not a fan of the phrase “thank you for your service.”
Key Takeaways
Evan gives a first-hand account of one of the hardest jobs anyone in military life can ever have: being a casualty notification officer.
Leadership was the through line of Evan’s Army career. Good leaders build trust and purpose, while bad leaders can bring an entire unit down.
Why he’s not a fan of the phrase, “thank you for your service.”
The gifts he took from Amherst, including ROTC, rugby, and lifetime friendships.
Whom from the Class of ’94 he wants me to interview next.
You can contact Evan via email at ehwollen@yahoo.com.
Correction: I misidentified the rugby teams Evan coached to championships. They should be pronounced as plural “fifteens” and “sevens,” not “fifteen-s” and “seven-s.”
JC Leveque Makes The Case For Conversation As A Surgeon’s Best Tool
What do 1990s college radio, Richard Scarry’s picture books, and complex spine surgery have in common? They’re all part of JC Leveque’s journey. Today he’s the Section Head of Neurosurgery at Virginia Mason in Seattle, but his path included years on the road with his Amherst-born band Rosemary Caine, the decision to, as he put it, “step off the bus” before med school, and a career built around making some of the hardest conversations easier for his patients.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
How JC knew it was time to walk away from his band Rosemary Caine to pursue medicine
His take on spinal surgery as both engineering and art
The Richard Scarry moment that made Seattle feel like home
What he’s learned about patient communication from time on stage
And, as always, JC names the classmates he’d like to hear on the podcast.
You can email him at jcleveque@me.com.
Jordan Hayslip Lives At The Intersection Of Teaching, Coaching, And Making
When you think of Amherst football in the early ’90s, you probably remember linebacker Jordan Hayslip, a four-year starter and anchor of the defense. But Jordan was much more than a gifted athlete. An English and Fine Arts double major, today he describes himself as a teacher, coach, and maker. I call him a Renaissance man who has woven together art, athletics, and community in ways that feel deeply intentional.
After years teaching in Watts, working as a coach and educator in Hawaii, and experimenting as a furniture builder in Los Angeles, Jordan returned to Amherst in 2018 with his wife Sarah (a Hampshire grad) and their two children. He now works in the Amherst College athletic department, supporting student athletes’ development with a focus on mental health. Outside of that role, you’ll find him in his woodshop turning local trees into furniture, painting landscapes of the Pioneer Valley, and hosting classmates when they come back to campus.
Jordan opens up about his own mental health journey, the lessons he’s drawn from coaching and teaching, and why Amherst — the town and the college — continues to shape his life decades after graduation.
Conversation highlights include:
Jordan lives at the intersection of teaching, coaching, and making, three pursuits that form the through-line of his life.
On becoming a mental health advocate: Jordan speaks openly about his own mental health struggles and how they shape the way he supports Amherst student athletes today.
The meditative power of making: Whether painting on trails or building furniture from local trees, Jordan sees his creative practice as both expression and therapy.
The Amherst classmates he wants to hear from next
To contact Jordan, email him at jordanhayslip72@gmail.com or jchayslip94@amherst.edu, or visit his website, jordanhayslip.com, to see his handcrafted furniture.
Bonus Episode: Professor Emeritus Barry O’Connell
My favorite podcast episodes of all-time tend to feature friends, family, teammates, classmates, and others who love each other. Their warmth comes through every time. Every episode I publish is precious to me, but I love this one in particular because of the deep affection and respect that emerges between a beloved teacher and one of his former students.
Classmate Ben Batory sits down with Amherst College Professor Emeritus Barry O’Connell and explores Barry’s origin story and journey into higher ed. Along the way, you’ll come to see just how Barry came to possess not only a powerful voice, but also how for over 50 years he has helped his students find their own voices. Kudos to Ben for his persistence and determination in making this happen.
I never took a class with Barry. More than ever, I wish I had.
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