Advanced degrees are increasingly out of reach for many. Receiving financial aid has gotten more difficult too.

Many schools are already rethinking how they support their graduate students.

We'll get an update on financial aid and hear what some Connecticut institutions are doing to make their graduate programming more affordable and accessible.

Guests:
Emily Roberts: Financial Educator and Owner of Personal Finance for Ph.Ds
Kymberly Pinder: Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of the Yale School of Art
Jessica Blake: Federal policy reporter for Inside Higher Ed, based in Washington, D.C.

Advanced degrees are increasingly out of reach for many. Receiving financial aid has gotten more difficult too.
Many schools are already rethinking how they support their graduate students.
We'll get an update on financial aid and hear what some Connecticut institutions are doing to make their graduate programming more affordable and accessible.
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Emily Roberts:&nbsp;Financial Educator and Owner of&nbsp;<a href="https://pfforphds.com/">Personal Finance for Ph.Ds</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.art.yale.edu/kymberly-pinder">Kymberly Pinder:</a>&nbsp;Stavros Niarchos Foundation Dean of the Yale School of Art</li>
<li><a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/author/jessica-blake">Jessica Blake:</a>&nbsp;Federal policy reporter for Inside Higher Ed, based in Washington, D.C.</li>
</ul>

Produced by Connecticut Public, 'Where We Live' puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Where We Live is a call-in talk show about who we are in Connecticut and our place in the world.

Where We Live

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Are graduate degrees worth the cost in 2026?

A recent study found that the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline may have contributed to a decline in suicide deaths among young people.

This hour, we learn what the research tells us and what questions remain.

We also hear from Connecticut advocates working to connect people with mental health resources and reduce stigma.

Later, two residents share their personal experiences navigating mental health challenges and how speaking openly about those struggles can help others find support.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. It’s free, confidential, and offers support 24 hours a day.

Guests:
Anupam B. Jena: Professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School and physician in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital 
Kai Belton:state representative for the 100th district, Middletown
Jacquilyn Davis: Director of Learning Workforce Development, Mental Health Connecticut
Rob Santos: Comedian and Connecticut resident 
Rachael Perillo: Connecticut resident 

<a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2848066?guestAccessKey=e44e29be-7891-45b3-a22d-128a80e60dad&amp;utm_source=for_the_media&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=ftm_links&amp;utm_content=tfl&amp;utm_term=042226#google_vignette">A recent study</a>&nbsp;found that the<a href="https://988lifeline.org/">&nbsp;988 Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline</a>&nbsp;may have contributed to a decline in suicide deaths among young people.
This hour, we learn what the research tells us and what questions remain.
We also hear from Connecticut advocates working to connect people with mental health resources and reduce stigma.
Later, two residents share their personal experiences navigating mental health challenges and how speaking openly about those struggles can help others find support.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, you can call or text&nbsp;<a href="https://988lifeline.org/">988, the Suicide &amp; Crisis Lifeline</a>. It&rsquo;s free, confidential, and offers support 24 hours a day.
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://hcp.hms.harvard.edu/people/anupam-b-jena">Anupam B. Jena</a>:&nbsp;Professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School and physician in the Department of Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://housedems.ct.gov/Belton">Kai Belton</a>:state representative for the 100th district, Middletown</li>
<li>Jacquilyn Davis:&nbsp;Director of Learning Workforce Development,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mhconn.org/">Mental Health Connecticut</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.robsantoscomedy.com/">Rob Santos</a>:&nbsp;Comedian and Connecticut resident&nbsp;</li>
<li>Rachael Perillo:&nbsp;Connecticut resident&nbsp;</li>
</ul>

Why mental health conversations matter

There currently are over 2,000 confirmed cases of measles in the United States of America, including some cases in Connecticut’s surrounding states.

Today, we get an update on measles closer to home, and abroad.

Plus, we’ll hear about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other parts of central Africa.

Guests:
Dr. Ulysses Wu: Chief Epidemiologist at Hartford Healthcare
Dr. David B. Banach: Head of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiologist at UConn
Provash Budden: Americares Deputy SVP of Emergency Programs

There currently are over&nbsp;<a href="https://publichealth.jhu.edu/ivac/resources/us-measles-tracker">2,000 confirmed cases of measles in the United States of America</a>, including some cases in Connecticut&rsquo;s surrounding states.
Today, we get an update on measles closer to home, and abroad.
Plus, we&rsquo;ll hear about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/06/01/g-s1-125143/ebola-updates">Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and other parts of central Africa.</a>
Guests:
<ul>
<li>Dr. Ulysses Wu: Chief Epidemiologist at Hartford Healthcare</li>
<li>Dr. David B. Banach: Head of Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiologist at UConn</li>
<li>Provash Budden: Americares Deputy SVP of Emergency Programs</li>
</ul>

CT epidemiologists respond to measles outbreaks, plus a look at Ebola

Actor and playwright Sam Shepard wrote over 40 plays and worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment.

After his death, Connecticut biographer Robert Dowling started a journey to learn everything he could about this larger-than-life artist. His book is “Coyote: The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard.”

Today, we listen back to a conversation with Robert Dowling. He’s a professor of English at Central Connecticut State University. This conversation took place at the Ferguson Library in Stamford.

"Where We Live" is available on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Actor and playwright Sam Shepard wrote over 40 plays and worked with some of the biggest names in entertainment.
After his death, Connecticut biographer Robert Dowling started a journey to learn everything he could about this larger-than-life artist. His book is <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Coyote/Robert-M-Dowling/9781501195730">&ldquo;Coyote: The Dramatic Lives of Sam Shepard.&rdquo;</a>
Today, we listen back to a conversation with Robert Dowling. He&rsquo;s a professor of English at Central Connecticut State University. This conversation took place at the <a href="https://www.fergusonlibrary.org/event/where-we-read-author-robert-dowling-85062">Ferguson Library in Stamford.</a>
"Where We Live"&nbsp;is available on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/where-we-live/id706066099">Apple Podcasts,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0j08SgnZIU5BmjDyHbgjgP">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/43f3a507-ebfa-4876-b34a-030759a8924c/where-we-live">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/Where-We-Live-p1207905/">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/where-we-live-connecticut-public-radio-lz9NAwSEexh/">Listen Notes,</a> or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Are graduate degrees worth the cost in 2026?

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