Beyond The Brown & Gold

Matt Graifer ’08 on Being an Entertainer, Fashion, & Life with the Savannah Bananas

Rowan University graduate Matt Graifer '08 is many things including a father, a high school history teacher, and notably the on-field host for the notorious Savannah Bananas baseball team. Dubbed "The Young Professor" and "Chief Potassium Enthuasist," Graifer stopped by Beyond The Brown & Gold to share some wisdom on how a flashy wardrobe and outgoing personality have paid dividends for him so far. Also, he talks about his upcoming book project, how working at the Rowan University Rec Center impacted his life, and even flashes a good Hulk Hogan impersonation.

Michael Facchin ’08 on the Badger Den, E-Commerce, & Dashboard Confessional

Once upon a time, Michael Facchin '08 was serenading students with songs while living at Rowan University. Now, he takes the Beyond the Brown & Gold crew inside the Badger Den.
Facchin covered his time living in South Korea, his love of music, and the world of e-commerce. He shared his experiences while being a Rowan University student and how he went from the world of biology to talking Amazon and all things e-commerce on his podcast. Plus, he explained what the Badger Den is all about.

Alexandra (Carella) McGroarty ’12 on Women in the Workplace, Handling Grief, & Tattoos

Balancing a career in human resources, being an author, and a single mom is all in a day's work for Alexandra (Carella) McGroarty '12. The newest edition of Beyond The Brown & Gold catches up with McGroarty, who graduated from Rowan University in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies. She shares her trials and tribulations of raising two children while managing a career, which includes writing books. Also, she outlines the challenges for women in the workplace and talks about managing grief after losing her husband.
You can find McGroarty's books available at booksellers or by heading to the links below:
Bridging The Gap: Reducing Gender Bias in the Workplace
So Now What?: Harnessing Grief After Life's Major Losses

Jason Levin ’97 on How to Build & Maintain Meaningful Relationships

Jason Levin '97 has traveled the world and established meaningful relationships despite spending parts of his life out of the country. A new Beyond The Brown & Gold catches up with Levin, who explains how to build relationships with people; how frozen yogurt played an important part in his college experience at Rowan University; balancing a $1 million budget as a student; and how to keep up with people by using postcards.
Also, Levin discusses the writing process for his book "Relationships to Infinity: The Art and Science of Keeping in Touch" and how his wife played a motivational role in the experience.

Dr. Keisha Stephenson Taylor ’98, M ’00 on Education, Parenting, & Leadership

Dr. Keisha Stephenson Taylor '98, M'00 is the Senior Director of Alumni & Postsecondary Engagement at NAF. She stays on the go but managed to stop by Beyond The Brown and Gold to talk about her time as a Rowan student, her career in education, and more. Also, find out how she managed to balance a career, family, and find time to obtain her doctorate degree. Plus, she provides parenting tips, how she met her husband, and tells us how her parents impacted her decision to attend Rowan University.

Jason Dennen ’98 on Surviving a Near Death Experience & Thrill-Seeking

Jason Dennen '98 is an author and a thrill-seeker but most importantly, he is a survivor. A nearly fatal skydiving accident almost cost Dennen his life. However, he lived to tell the story and he does just that on a new edition of Beyond the Brown & Gold. Dennen discusses his time at Rowan University in the late 90s and how he became a triathlete. Also, he talks about how his ill-fated skydiving accident led to his own holiday; learning experiences from the injuries he suffered; and becoming the author of a book called "8 Days Till Sunrise."

Dr. Kay Yoon-Flannery DO ’11 on Becoming a Doctor, Dollhouse Rehab, & Breast Cancer Awareness

Beyond the Brown & Gold welcomes its first graduate from Rowan University's School of Osteopathic Medicine, Dr. Kay Yoon-Flannery. Dr. Yoon-Flannery reveals the difficulties of balancing family and becoming a surgeon. Also, she discusses her motivation for becoming a doctor and her parents' thoughts about tackling a challenging career path. With a background in breast surgical oncology, Dr.  Yoon-Flannery offers advice on when to screen for breast cancer as well.

Steven Calakos ’08 on Education, Teaching, & His Love of Theater

A member of a Glassboro State College/Rowan University legacy family, Steven Calakos '08 stops by Beyond The Brown & Gold to talk about the world of theater and how his education background helped him in the arts industry. Elsewhere, Calakos covers life in Naples, Florida during the COVID pandemic, a stop in reality TV thanks to Grease, his unique proposal to his wife, making a career change, and more.