You might have seen an inspirational quote on your Instagram feed or heard about them around campus. In less than a month, the word has gotten out about a new podcast featuring four Adrian College students. Hosted by Jayme Hein, Maddie Josey, Jazmyn Ramirez, and Blaire Weiman, Kinda Not Kidding has gained over 500 Instagram followers and 200 listens on their first episode in less than a month. The social media savvy group releases new episodes every Sunday focusing on self-improvement and the road to becoming CEOs.
Two Public Relations students, Maddie Josey and Blaire Weiman, believe their introductory course on radio announcing helped turn their dreams into a reality. The COMM109: TV & Radio Announcing class is a three credit course offered to Adrian College students in the Fall and Spring semesters. The goal of this course is to introduce students to techniques used by television and radio talent. After taking this course, Weiman believes she is a more confident speaker and has a better understanding of the microphone and editing software: “Dr. Shehan did a great job explaining how to create the perfect level and tone of voice so that when your audience hears your message, they are actively engaged!” The outcomes of this course include both microphone and camera performance readiness which is noticeable in their first two episodes.
A graphic design, fashion merchandise, biology, and public relations major walk into Rush Hall and record their own podcast. With a squad like that, each host brings their own unique aspect to the show leading to a compelling series for those who follow along their podcast journey. WVAC 107.9 interviewed the hosts of Kinda Not Kidding individually for their initial responses after the first episode:
You just released your first episode of Kinda Not Kidding. How does it feel to have your podcast live on the internet?
Jayme: After releasing the first episode of Kinda Not Kidding, it seriously doesn’t feel real. It genuinely made me feel so grateful that we have such an amazing support system. After feeling so nervous to release it, it felt so rewarding to hear everyone saying that they loved it. I am beyond proud of the four of us, and this first episode made me ecstatic to see where this journey will take us!
In the “Meet Your Hosts” episode, the four leaders introduced themselves and shared their first impressions of each other. Maddie Josey left that recording session feeling de-stressed and energized: “It was so much fun for us all to sit around the microphone and just laugh together. Especially with the semester wrapping up and getting more stressful, it was so nice to have some friend time while also feeling productive.”
What do you want your audience to gain from listening to your podcast?
Blaire: My biggest goal for the podcast is to create a true, genuine community. By being friends with Josey, Jayme, and Jazmyn, I am reminded every day that I am not alone, that I am able to complete all my tasks, and that I am perfectly normal for dreaming big. I think we all provide a unique insight that is relatable to most college girls.
Jayme: I want our audience to feel very empowered, motivated, and inspired after listening to each and everyone of our episodes. It can be so scary trying to follow your dreams, but I hope that people understand that we are in the same boat, so that they are comfortable using our journeys as a way to help them feel more confident on their own.
You can listen to the latest episodes of Kinda Not Kidding on Spotify, Anchor, and Apple Podcasts. Don’t forget to leave them a rating and review, and support your fellow AC students! Go Bulldogs!
Interested in starting your own podcast? Contact Dr. Stephen Shehan to get started on your journey.
For more information about the Department of Communication Arts and Sciences, be sure to check out their page on the Adrian College website or the Course Catalog.
