WILLIAMSPORT — In fulfillment of the requirements for a $150,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) supporting the Humanities Research Center, Lycoming University has launched the Lycoming University History Podcast Series.
The podcast has a dual purpose: to serve as one element of a larger strategy to digitally preserve the university's 200-plus years of history, and to provide research experience for student interns as they prepare to embark on employment or graduate studies. It serves two purposes:
For nearly a year, a podcast team of students and faculty has blended research, interviews, podcast development, and collaboration with Lycoming University to highlight key moments and movements in the university's history, particularly in the local and national historical context. There has been a concerted effort to address those related to. Archives and other community organizations. The first season of production ranges from a look back at Williamsport's Indigenous history in “Before 1812: Williamsport's Indigenous History,” to a recent and current account of the university's increasingly diverse student population. Covers a wide range of university history. “Lycoming's Hispanic Voice”
“When we planned the podcast series, we wanted to leverage our faculty’s research expertise in a way that intersected with our students’ interests and gave them room to grow as scholars. We wanted them to use their interviews with students to create an exciting story about the history of the university that would be of interest to students, alumni, and the community,” said Dr. Andrew Reiter, professor of English and director of HRC. Ta. “HRC hopes that the podcast series will serve as a model for integrating more public-facing humanities research into existing and new courses at Lycoming. We conduct fascinating and important research that helps us understand cultures, histories, and communities. The more we share that knowledge, the more beneficial humanities research will be for everyone.”
The following podcasts and accompanying digital exhibits can be heard through the Lycoming University Institutional Repository.
• “Lycoming 1969” Dominic Philipp, Class of 2024, triple major in economics, philosophy, and comparative literature, and minor in German, worked on this project with Dr. Andrew Reiter, professor of English and director of HRC.
• “Hispanic Voices of Lycoming” Amelia Thompson, Class of 2026 archeology major and Spanish minor, worked on this project with Dr. Ruben Varona, assistant professor of Spanish. Released on April 9th.
• “Before 1812: Williamsport’s Indigenous History” Mackenzie Holmes, Class of 2025 and history and English double major, worked on this project with Dr. Christopher Pearl, associate professor of history. Released on April 16th.
• “Breaking Barriers: Pathways for Women and People of Color in the Legal Profession” Ray Searle, Class of 2025, double major in Spanish and political science and minor in French, worked on this project with Dr. Susan Archery. Ta. Assistant Professor of Political Science. Released on April 23rd.
• “Lycoming Warriors and Native American Mascots” Alicia Purcell, Class of 2024 and double major in anthropology and Spanish, worked on this project with Dr. Ryan Adams, associate professor of anthropology. Released on April 30th.
Part of the NEH funding enabled the university to establish a one-button studio: a professional, user-friendly digital audio/video recording and editing studio. Students and faculty involved in launching the series attended his two-week training seminar with guest speakers, mentoring sessions, and technical training that included workshops with alumni skilled in podcasting and oral history. .
The second season of the Lycoming University history podcast series is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2025, and five freshman interns will begin production on the new season this summer. The second season will tackle topics such as Lycoming University's Black student activism, the COVID-19 pandemic, the treasures and oddities of the university's archives, Lycoming University athletics, and the history of Lycoming University's art collection .
