Guillermo Vásquez de Velasco, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, and David Wellman, director of The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy, record an episode of the DePaul Download podcast. (DePaul University/Jeff Carrion)
When a university has more than 20,000 students and covers two Chicago campuses, like DePaul does, stories from our community’s thinkers and do-ers can blend into the background of everyday life.
A university podcast is launching to bring DePaul’s distinct people and initiatives into focus.
DePaul Download will be a new way for the university community and general public to discover what our faculty experts have to say about the pressing issues of the day, and learn about the trend-setting programs DePaul offers our students. Listeners also will hear from our president, Dr. A. Gabriel Esteban, on the challenges facing higher education and DePaul’s response to our guiding question: What must be done?
The first full episodes of DePaul Download—each approximately 25 minutes long—
are available now.
“DePaul Download will expand the number of ways Dr. Esteban communicates with the university community, and with off-campus friends and influencers as well,” says Linda Blakley, vice president of University Marketing and Communications and host of DePaul Download. “It also will shine a light on our resident thought leaders—faculty and administrators who are experts in their fields.”
The first two episodes demonstrate how the podcast will accomplish this.
- “President A. Gabriel Esteban : Tracing the Path from Manila to DePaul”: Dr. Esteban’s early life experiences in the Philippines influenced his journey to the presidency of DePaul. From his years growing up in the suburbs of Manila to his days facing tear gas as a student activist, Dr. Esteban shares the moments that changed his life—and how they connect him to today’s undergraduates. He also discusses the last time he played basketball, his favorite Chicago restaurants and how faith guides his approach to leadership.
- “Guillermo Vásquez de Velasco and David Wellman Introduce The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy”: A wide range of professionals must practice diplomacy in today’s complex world. Can you imagine a school in which a Chicago community organizer studies alongside a peer in the foreign service? Established with an anonymous $20 million gift, DePaul’s new Grace School of Applied Diplomacy is making that a reality. Learn more about The Grace School—the first of its kind in the U.S.—from two DePaul leaders who helped create it.
Starting in October, new episodes of DePaul Download will be released on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. Subscribe, stream or download new episodes via these podcast apps:
In addition, episodes can be streamed directly from DePaul Download’s website, where transcripts of each episode also will be available.
To celebrate the launch, DePaul Download is holding a contest to give away tickets to a sold-out
Chicago Ideas Week event on Oct. 14 featuring Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, best-selling author JD Vance, former U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot and others.
To win, listen to the first episodes of DePaul Download and correctly answer one of these questions:
- In episode 1, what does Dr. Esteban say has been the most pivotal event of his life?
- In episode 2, what is one way that Director David Wellman says DePaul’s location in Chicago will benefit The Grace School of Applied Diplomacy?
Enter the contest by emailing the correct answer to one of those questions to depauldownload@depaul.edu before 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 4. Four randomly selected winners will be notified via email on Oct. 7. Each winner will receive two tickets.