Montgomery College’s Video and Multimedia Team Share Podcast Strategies at Higher Education Conference
Three Montgomery College representatives journeyed to Cleveland last month to present at Higher Ed PodCon II new window, now in its second year of drawing higher education podcasting professionals together to share strategies for reaching students, alumni, donors and campus communities.
Video and multimedia producer/director Danielle Stescki, managing producer Francine Wyron and student podcast host David Godoy led the session, “More Than a Mic: How One Community College Built a Podcast Ecosystem for Equity and Belonging.” Tapping into three podcasts launched at Montgomery College, the team demonstrated how podcasting can amplify authentic voices, build community and foster belonging.
Eleva Tu Futuro new window celebrates the journeys of immigrants and the children of immigrants, inspiring others through stories of perseverance, education and achievement.
Atletas Sin Barreras new window explores disability inclusion through the Latino community and features athletes, advocates and leaders. It is hosted by Godoy—an MC student, Special Olympics athlete and musician.
Beyond the Classroom new window takes a student-centered approach, letting prospective and current students hear directly from peers about academics, career preparation, athletics, clubs, scholarships, internships and campus life.
The MC team emphasized how a successful podcast fosters an ecosystem built on reaching the right audience, telling authentic stories, learning from feedback and staying connected to purpose.
“Figuring out the technology and platforms behind a podcast is the easy part,” Stescki said. “The real work, and the real impact, comes from deciding whose stories deserve to be told.”
Stescki, Wyron and Godoy shared practical lessons with other higher education podcasters, including how to adapt content to audience response, use social media to extend a story’s reach, experiment with focused topics and build strong guest relationships. MC’s session garnered attendance from representatives of George Mason University, Eastern Michigan University, Middle States and the consulting firm Education and Workforce, among others.
The overall conference audience included higher education leaders, marketers and media professionals from institutions across the United States, England and Italy, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, New York University and Penn State.
As podcasting continues to grow as a strategic tool in higher education marketing and community engagement, Montgomery College’s participation in this national conference highlights its commitment to using storytelling to connect with diverse communities.