Miami, March 4, 2024 – Anna Bassett and michael vargastwo Miami Dade College (MDC) students were selected as finalists in the latest edition. NPR's College Podcast Challenge. These were selected from a record number of over 500 entries from universities across the country. MDC is the only Florida university on the list and the only university with two finalists in the competition., showcasing the best of college podcasting. The winner will be announced later this month and will receive a $5,000 scholarship.
Bassett and Vargas were students at the university. Professor Emily Andrea Sendin's Introduction to Communication class created a podcast as a course project. Professor Sendin tailored the curriculum around his challenge on the NPR podcast.
“I am so proud of my students’ authentic and vulnerable storytelling, and I am grateful for all the support they have received at the Kendall Campus Speech Lab in the Department of English and Communication. Achieving Excellence “Creating space for students to meet challenges and grow allows them to thrive.” Professor Sendinteaches English, speech, literature, and creative writing at the MDC Kendall campus.
The contest asked participants to create a 3-8 minute podcast on a topic, issue, or story of their choice. This year's entries ranged from personal stories of conflict and triumph. A deep and thoughtful interview. Compelling local news coverage. Investigative reporting with rich sound.
In addition to having their work featured on national NPR programs such as: Taking everything into account and morning paperthe winning student will also receive a feature article about their submission by an NPR journalist.
For more information on the MDC finalists, please see below.
Listen here: midway through
by Anna Bassett
What is it like to return to college as a middle-aged woman? In this heartwarming entry, Bassett interviews her son and tells her story about why it's important to take on new challenges and continue to grow in different adult ways.
Listen here: monsters we make
by michael vargas arango
This personal story follows the life of Vargas Arango, a college student with schizoaffective disorder. He uses his sound designs and interviews to recreate what it's like to live with a mental illness and hopes to remove the stigma against mental illness.
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