Harvard College 2000 Podcast: The Science of Living the Good Life

Harvard College 2000 Podcast: The Science of Living the Good Life

Author: Harvard College Class of 2000 July 31, 2025 Duration: 56:48

Today we have another reunion throwback! On Saturday, June 7th, Kibi Anderson and Sara Blanchard hosted Professor Robert Waldinger for a session that was standing room only! Below is the original description. 

Many of us left Harvard believing that success was measured in careers, wealth, and prestige. But what if the true markers of a good life lie elsewhere? Join us for a fireside chat with Dr. Robert Waldinger, renowned psychiatrist and Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, as we explore the surprising lessons from one of the longest studies on happiness. Alongside classmates from the Class of 2000, we’ll reflect on how our definitions of success have evolved—and what it really means to live a life of purpose, connection, and joy.


What happens after the cap and gown are put away? Harvard College Class of 2000: The Podcast explores that long, winding road. This isn't a formal reunion report but a series of conversations with classmates, catching up on more than two decades of life. You'll hear about careers that took unexpected turns, personal milestones, and the perspectives that only time and distance can provide. We also circle back to our shared origin point, swapping stories about those formative Cambridge years-the moments that stuck, the lessons that mattered, and the quirks of a particular time and place. Each episode is a different story, a unique path stemming from a common starting line. It's a chance to reconnect with voices from the past and discover where they've landed in the present. Tune in for a thoughtful, often surprising, and deeply human look at the journey from then to now, all through the specific lens of this class. This podcast is created by and for the Harvard College Class of 2000, offering a genuine audio chronicle of our group's evolving narrative.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 82

Harvard College Class of 2000: The Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Niki Santo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:03:48
Niki talks to Dara about her journey in the world of higher ed- from studying at Harvard and the University of Cambridge to working at multiple universities, focusing on innovation and education. Niki recently had a big…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Laela Sturdy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:24
Dara talks to Laela Sturdy about Florida, basketball, and working at Let’s Go and liquor crew at reunion. Laela has gotten multiple degrees after college and now is the head of CapitalG, Google's growth fund- investing i…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Ben Krefetz [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:56
Ben talks to Dara about data science, visiting breweries all over the U.S., including in every county in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and biking across the U.S. Follow Ben’s adventures via his biking and beer blog and…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Matt Levine [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:20
Matt started his career as a Latin teacher in Wellesley, using that Classics degree. Matt then pivoted to law school and clerked and worked as a lawyer briefly before pivoting again into investment banking. Matt then wor…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Lizzy Ayer Wright [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:37
We start the episode with a non-profit ad from classmate Jonathan Wintrode for the Annapolis Immigration Justice Network. Lizzy worked in government intelligence after graduation, including tracking Bin Laden, later swit…
Harvard 2000 Podcast: Dmitry Sagalovskiy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:35
Dara talks to Dmitriy Sagalovskiy about the Harvard tunnels, sailing, and math education. Dmitry is an engineer who has worked at Google, with classmates as a co-founder of Hudson River Trading, a teacher, co-founder of…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Christine Chen [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:04:03
You know and love Christine from her masterful Puns & Punctuation WA group comments- from angry vaginas to creating our beloved pony images, Christine’s sense of humor shines through from the first second of her intervie…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Ana Torres [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:29
Eileen interviews Ana Torres, who was one of our speakers at “The Paths We’ve Traveled” event at reunion. Today, Ana continues to share insights from her “life of extremely low probability events.” At Harvard, Ana lived…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Kaitlin McGaw [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:55
Dara talks to Kaitlin about her Grammy and Emmy-winning career with the Alphabet Rockers and we hear more about the JV women’s hockey team that came up in earlier episodes! Follow Kaitlin on her Instagram. Listen to her…
Harvard College 2000 Podcast: Yayoi Shionoiri [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:29
Dara talks to Yaoi Shionoiri, who is an art lawyer- a career we have not yet seen on the podcast! Yayoi has worked for a museum, art company, artists’ estates, and is now at Powerhouse Arts in Brooklyn (go visit her!). Y…