Bellisario College of Communications

Podcast driven by Bellisario College alumni grows in popularity

Faculty member Kevin Hagopian was featured in a recent episode of the COMMversations podcast discussing the Oscars and teaching film. Credit: Penn State. Creative Commons

A podcast produced by the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications — with episodes addressing topics ranging from faculty research and student support services to behind-the-scenes updates about the Bellisario College and timely topics like the Oscars and even Penn State basketball — has built a growing audience in recent months.

The COMMversations podcast, with more than two dozen episodes complete, has grown from idea to implementation as the result of collaborative efforts by the Bellisario College Alumni Society Board and members of its Young Alumni Council, with support from students and staff.

Episodes are available on the Bellisario College website or through Apple Podcasts.

Initially designed specifically for young alumni in the communications field, the podcast got a strong response and branched out as alumni drove topics for episodes. Alumni recorded podcast episodes remotely and those were edited and published by the communications team from the Bellisario College.

Because of the podcast’s popularity among young alumni, students and staff from the Bellisario College added episodes to complement what was initially a once-a-month schedule. Episodes are scheduled for a release twice a month during the spring semester.

Two of the most recent episodes demonstrate the podcast’s diversity.

One, featuring two young alumni, focuses on advice for job-seeking students and ways to make the most of their semester break. The most recent episode features Kevin Hagopian, an assistant teaching professor in the Department of Film-Video and Media Studies, discussing the Oscars and teaching film. That episode is also available on YouTube, an expansion of the podcast’s presence.

Upcoming topics include: advertising (in-house vs. agency), corporate communications, and entrepreneurship on campus. Also, Steve Jones, the play-by-play voice for Penn State football and basketball who teaches sports broadcasting in the Bellisario College, will be featured in late February.

Last Updated June 2, 2021