Back in the Studio

ADAM REGER

The On Air sign in a corner of the studio glows red as podcast host Raymond Porras leans into a microphone and introduces his guests, fellow Delaware County Community College students Kia Hutt and Rowan Miller.

“What’s a favorite memory you have with your pets?” Porras asks. In honor of National Pet Week, pets are the topic of today’s episode, being taped on the first floor of the Academic Building.

Miller laughs as Hutt describes life with her dogs, K.G. and Sir Magic.

“We’re all beginners” is the motto of DCCC’s New Media Lab (NML), which gives students the opportunity to produce, edit and distribute their own podcasts.

The motto, repeated at every NML meeting, is a reminder that everyone, from the newest student to faculty advisor Maria Boyd, is constantly learning new things about creating podcasts.

Boyd, an associate professor of Communication Studies, launched New Media Lab in 2016. An avid consumer of podcasts, Boyd found herself explaining the format to others as she made her pitch.

Nearly 10 years later, podcasts continue to explode in popularity and the New Media Lab is thriving, regularly boasting 20 to 30 student members, who participate virtually and in the NML studio on the first floor of the Academic Building on the Marple Campus. It was finished in 2020 with help from Don Sloat, the College’s assistant vice president of Information Technology; Tony DeLuca, assistant vice president of Facilities and Construction Services; and senior media specialist George Dobbin.

Students in NML produce three podcasts: “This Must Be Heard” is the flagship production, highlighting news from across the College; “Study Break” is a lighter, more pop culture-focused podcast; and “The Written” is a chance for students to share creative writing and to discuss culture and the arts.

The organization gives students from all branch locations an opportunity to develop valuable technical skills and to practice softer skills like pitching episode ideas, conducting research and leading interviews.

Student Moose Sylla says that he and his fellow student and executive producer, Raymond Porras, assign roles based on students’ interests and comfort level.

“There are so many ways to help that don’t necessarily involve being on air,” says Sylla, an Upper Darby native who joined NML in the spring of 2024. He was drawn by an interest in audio and video editing. 

Boyd cites the examples of a visually impaired student for whom audio recording was a perfect fit, and a nonverbal student who thrived when given post-production tasks like editing. Students have also created title cards and logos for the three shows and written their theme music.

Additionally, NML allows students to join meetings and pitch ideas virtually, opening the door to students from all of the College’s locations.

That’s a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which—-far from halting the organization’s work—forced Boyd and NML members to connect virtually. Podcasting proved to be a terrific way for students to remain connected and to work together remotely during times of mandatory social distancing.

“The New Media Lab continued to flourish because it was adaptable and so focused on being accessible,” says Allyson Gleason, director of Campus Engagement.

All members are invited to pitch show ideas, either at NML meetings or through an online form. 

Porras and Sylla help flesh these ideas out, brainstorming interview subjects and questions.

Along with interpersonal skills like these, the sense of connection NML members enjoy has been an important part of its role at DCCC, exemplifying the value of student clubs and organizations at the Collegeon campus.

When he started at DCCC, Sylla says, he basically went to class and went home, and he estimates he knew three or four people on Marple Ccampus. Now, he has an extensive network of fellow students, faculty, and administrators whom he’s met through producing podcasts.

“It’s expanded my view of the college and what I’ve learned here,” says Sylla, who will be continuing his education at Temple University, pursuing a degree in digital media.

The future is bright for the New Media Lab. Both Boyd and the co-executive producers emphasize the importance of recruiting and getting the word out to students who might be interested. At the same time, they’re also focused on getting their podcasts, now available on the New Media Lab’s YouTube channel, onto podcast platforms like Apple and Spotify so that students’ voices can be heard even more widely.