Real student stories, helpful advice, and experiential learning resonate on Major Insight podcast
"So that’s what I should have done in college."
Real student stories, helpful advice, and experiential learning resonate on Major Insight podcast
Successfully navigating college can be both exciting and daunting, especially for new or incoming students who are undecided or unsure about their path forward.
Major Insight -- an original podcast from Miami University -- helps college students find their place and purpose on campus by sharing real stories from real students who talk about overcoming a variety of common fears and challenges. Topics include choosing a major, getting involved, making new friends, finding faculty mentorship, and more.
“College-intending students and their parents everywhere would benefit from this podcast,” said Nate Jorgensen, Miami senior director of strategic academic marketing and communication. “The honest conversations show that nearly everyone gets homesick, feels out of place, or unsure about what to study. Each episode shows how students tackled those feelings, and gives new or undecided students a perspective they may not otherwise get. I listen to each episode and always think, ‘So that’s what I should have done in college.’”
Now in its fourth season, Major Insight can also help listeners make more informed personal decisions by showcasing the diverse range of options and opportunities that college can offer.
It also embraces a growing opportunity for universities to utilize podcasting as a versatile tool to achieve a variety of strategic goals, while providing a hands-on learning experience for students.
“Podcasts represent an increasingly important vector for universities to communicate, both internally and to the public,” said Mack Hagood, Robert H. and Nancy J. Blayney associate professor of Media and Communication and host of the Phantom Power podcast. “Faculty are using podcasts as ways to circulate new ideas to peers in specific fields. But universities are only just beginning to realize the potential of podcasts as a communications vehicle. In this regard, Miami is on the cutting edge with a program like Major Insight.”
Students directly involved in the project can also develop marketable skills in audio production, copywriting, graphic design, and social media marketing, as well as the leadership skills associated with interviewing and networking with accomplished peers across campus.
“I'm really excited to be here, and I feel like I've joined at a really exciting time,” said Major Insight student host Meredith Aliff ’24, a Speech Pathology and Psychology double major. “I can't wait to get to know these phenomenal people at our university – students who have figured it out, are going their own way, and are totally succeeding at it.”
“We definitely have something special with Major Insight,” Aliff said.
More episodes of Major Insight are available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever podcasts are found.