Continuing Studies: Higher Ed Podcasting

Ryan Record: To build a network
is more than just building a show.

Like start there, start small.

It can always grow from there.

And to surround yourself with the people
that will not only back you up, but

challenge you to push for that something
greater that you're aspiring to do.

And all starts with ideas.

Everybody has a story to share.

Neil McPhedran: Welcome to Continuing
Studies, a podcast for higher education

podcasters to learn and get inspired.

I'm Neil McPhedran, founder of Podium
Podcast Company, and Higher Ed Pods.

Jennifer-Lee: And I'm Jennifer-Lee,
founder of J'Pod Creation's.

Podcasting is broadcasting.

We want you to know you're not alone.

In fact, there are many of you
higher ed podcasters out there, and

we can all learn from each other.

Neil McPhedran: You got it, Jen.

And before we jump into this episode,
I would just encourage you all to

join the higher education podcaster
community at HigherEdPods.com.

We continue to add on more podcasts there.

It's amazing how we just keep finding more
podcasts at it just keeps growing and it's

turning into more and more of a robust
directory of higher education podcasts.

Jennifer-Lee: I remember when you
started with a handful of podcasts

and now we have a huge community.

Neil McPhedran: There is over 1200
higher education podcasts in there now.

So in this episode, we are
chatting with Ryan Record.

Ryan is the podcast network manager at
Howard Community College, which is in

Maryland, and the actual network itself
is called Dragon Media Podcasts because

Dragon is the college's mascot, so that's
why that's called Dragon Media Podcast.

Ryan's had quite the journey, so he
is now the podcast network manager.

He's recently taken over that
full managerial responsibility.

He actually started as an intern
and then he was the assistant

manager, and now he's the manager.

So he's got a, he's got a
big job there 'cause there's

eight podcasts in the network.

I think what's interesting about this
conversation is last episode we chatted

with Dee Patel about the Wharton Podcast
Network and so staying on the network

theme here, what is interesting about
this is, this is from a community college,

so a, a different kind of network.

Like this network is very much more the
grassroots, it's part of the community.

It's, it, you know, there's a
large component that's for the

students and for the community.

So it's a different sort, sort of purpose.

And I think that really is interesting in
our conversation that we have with Ryan.

Jennifer-Lee: Yeah.

And I really like how they vet
the network, they really vet it.

And then not only that, I asked
them the question, if someone has

a great podcast idea, do they have
to be connected to the university?

And I was shocked that you don't
because a lot of them you do.

So we're gonna get into
that in just a second.

Neil McPhedran: Let's get into it.

Hello Ryan.

Thanks for joining us on the
Continuing Studies podcast.

Ryan Record: It's an honor
and pleasure to be here.

Thanks for having me.

Neil McPhedran: Wonderful.

So you have a lot going on there on the
podcast front from what I understand,

actually, let's just start at, you've
just taken on a whole new role.

You're now the network manager.

Maybe we should start there and just
sort of let us know just about your new

role and what, what does that all mean?

Ryan Record: Yeah, so stepping into the
role as manager of Dragon Podcasts is

a dream come true for me as somebody
that was an intern here years ago.

My mentor Matt, who was the manager
that just left, laid out like a

really solid creative foundation for
me to jump in and thrive, really.

So I'm hitting the ground running
eight shows that I oversee.

Yeah, it's just really exciting
time to be around, man.

Jennifer-Lee: Yeah, congratulations.

And I have to say, so I met Matt
at, of course, the Higher Ed PodCon,

and you guys were wearing badges
that just said Dragon Podcast.

So what is the Dragon Podcast Network?

Ryan Record: We're the Dragons
because we're the Howard

Community College Dragons.

It's our mascot.

So yeah, Dragon Podcast is a branch under
Dragon Media, which is a branch under the

college's press and marketing division.

Now I do get a lot of creative freedom
to create some of my own concepts.

I run a student life oriented show,
but we also have some shows with

faculty members, not just at the
college, but also other universities.

So it's really created a community
beyond the community college to

really bring in some higher ed ideas.

Neil McPhedran: Well, that's great.

So, how big is Howard Community College?

'cause that's a pretty big podcast network
that you know, and we've come across a

few of them, but that is very commendable
to built it up to eight podcasts.

Ryan Record: Yeah, I mean, as far
as community colleges go, Howard

Community College is definitely
on the bigger end of the spectrum.

I believe we currently
have about 30,000 students.

Now, they don't all come to campus.

A lot of that is online as well.

But we are a rather large
school that's still growing.

Like we're currently building an
apprenticeship program, building, they're

gonna run 12 different apprenticeships.

We just finished a new gym.

We have a new STEM building,
a new health science building.

It's really exciting time to be a
dragon in Howard Community College.

Neil McPhedran: Love it.

Jennifer-Lee: Can you tell us a little bit
about what some of the podcasts are about?

Ryan Record: Wow.

I mean, where to start?

One of my personal favorites is a
podcast called Bookish, which is done

by three faculty members in the English
program here, and one of them just

went to Towson University, is still
a member of the podcast, but it is

one of our most listened to podcasts.

If you ever wanna get the in on like a
new book that came out or we just finished

up, like their summer reading wrap up,
it's really an amazing podcast to just

immerse yourself in the world of novels
and short stories, anything in between.

We run a, a movie podcast where two
faculty in the film department sit down

and talk about new movies they see,
and their dynamic is truly wonderful.

It's like the yin and yang, like
one's always like glass half full,

the other's always half glass empty.

That's a fun listen.

My personal podcast is called Dragon Talk.

Like I mentioned, it's a student
life oriented program where I like

to get student voices involved,
like I interviewed the SGA.

We're working on collaborating
with the cybersecurity department

'cause we got a huge grant to
build up our cybersecurity program.

We also work in the community with
a couple people that are part of

the Howard County Health Department.

So we have a show called HoCo Health,
and we'll talk about anything from

drug overdose prevention to signs of
menopause and how to deal with it.

We have so many shows to check out, but
those are just some of my favorite ones.

Neil McPhedran: That's great.

That's a real breadth as well too.

So maybe sort of take a step back and tell
us what was the genesis of the network?

You know, I see this, and Jen and I
have talked about this a number of

times on the show, and we've talked
to a few others where a university

or college has a network and we see
a ton of positive reasons to do it.

But curious, what was the genesis
of the Dragon Podcast Network?

Ryan Record: Yeah, I'm glad you asked.

The genesis was kind of like
a chocolate chip cookie.

You just got the ingredients
came together at the right time.

Neil McPhedran: I love it.

Ryan Record: If you can find a silver
lining in COVID, like COVID times

it's the genesis of Dragon Podcasts.

We were running a digital radio
station before, which is what I

was a member of the internship team
with, and that was a lot of fun.

But as you know with podcasts,
you can kind of tune in

whenever, listen asynchronously.

So we were losing listenership as
a digital radio station and that's

when we made the leap to just
become a podcast network instead.

We had all these great shows
we could just carry over from

those times and keep running.

So that was really the start of it all.

Neil McPhedran: Was the
digital radio station part of

a program within the college?

Ryan Record: Yeah, it was a
branch under Dragon Media, right?

Neil McPhedran: Ah, okay.

Ryan Record: So we rebranded
ourself as a podcast network as

opposed to a digital radio station.

So the radio station is dead.

It's been reborn as Dragon podcasts.

Neil McPhedran: That makes a lot of sense.

I really like that evolution.

So yeah, I mean the radio side of it, you
know, for other colleges who have more

of a terrestrial radio station and what
we're seeing is some of those are under

fiscal constraint and it makes so much
sense to pull podcasting in, but yours

was a digital radio station and then
the evolution that was into podcasting.

That makes a lot of sense, especially
your point about asynchronous listening.

I mean, that's the beauty of podcasting.

Ryan Record: Exactly, and if you
look at a Venn diagram between

like podcasts and radio shows,
there's a lot of intersection there.

It's very similar, but it's easier to
just jump in and listen to a podcast

whenever you want, instead of tuning in
at 5:30 specifically to hear the show you

want to hear, especially if you're busy.

Neil McPhedran: Right.

So maybe just give us a little bit
more insight into how the network

connects to and operates within the
school, within the community college.

Ryan Record: Yeah.

I mean, we're pretty intertwined
and a lot of the activities going

on, and not just with students, but
faculty, the higher ups as well.

The PRM, the press and marketing
division, they'll often give us

directives like, hey, we would
like an episode made about this.

Which is great 'cause it gives me like
an idea to run with, but then they give

me the creative freedom to really produce
a show that I think encompasses what

they're looking for, if that makes sense.

So, I mean, we're pretty
involved on social media.

I'm trying to get my hands a
little dirtier in that department.

Now I'm in charge of the Instagram
page and the Facebook and the

YouTube and to maintain the
engagement that Matt has built.

'Cause that was one of his fortes.

Like he's a social media wizard.

Really, I mean, we're involved with
clubs, the athletics department,

we're making a new show with them.

Our tentacles are intertwined in many
parts of the college, and our mission is

to get more engagement, get more people
in the know as to like what's going

on here at Howard Community College.

Jennifer-Lee: Obviously these
networks take some time and it's

not just one person to build it.

Can you tell us a little bit
about the other people on your

team, unless it's all you?

Ryan Record: Well, currently I have
my director, Karen, and we're a

branch under the media department,
but ultimately we answer to the

people in press and marketing.

It really falls on me right now
to be the creative outlet which is

great and I'm up for the challenge,
but we're still looking to fill my

old role as the assistant manager.

I'm working on getting some
student interns on here so they

can get hands-on experience.

So we're moving in a directions
where it will be more of a

cohesive team bonding experience.

Neil McPhedran: And so what's the process
for bringing a new show into the network?

Like is that, does that all come
out of your group or do faculty,

et cetera, approach you with ideas?

Ryan Record: It's all of the above,
and there is a heavy vetting process.

So ultimately we look at is this
show gonna be educational and how

will it benefit the wider community?

A couple months we welcomed a new
show in, so network working with a

professor with Loyola University.

Her show is called Essential Pause:
Leading and Living With Intention.

It's a mouthful of a title, but
it has been a wonderful podcast

about mindfulness, finding your
inner zen, if you will, just be

engaged with what's going on.

So back to your initial question,
what is the vetting process like?

You can approach us with an idea.

It all starts there.

But we gotta bring it up the ladder
to the right people that can be like

signing off on, yep, the show meets
our criteria to be on the network.

Is it educational, does it benefit
the community, is really what

we're looking for in a show.

Jennifer-Lee: Do you have to
be a student or associated with

Howard Community College
to be part of the network?

Ryan Record: No, no.

Like I said, we deal with some faculty
that work at other colleges and

universities as well in the higher ed
field 'cause we get so siloed in our

own like networks to where, oh, we're
only representing this college, but at

Howard Community College, we're really
building that sense of community.

Neil McPhedran: You're leaning into the
community part of the community college.

Ryan Record: Exactly.

Exactly.

Neil McPhedran: It's really neat
because usually when we talk to

most universities, you have to be
connected somehow to the campus.

And then that's why when a lot of these
people move on to different careers or

they're students and they leave and they
graduate, the podcasts either stop or

they have other people come on, and maybe
sometimes it doesn't gel because they're

not the original people that did it.

So I really think it's unique
that you're bringing a lot of

diverse voices to the campus.

Ryan Record: Agreed.

And that's kind of the magic behind it.

Neil McPhedran: It, it's obvious from
the outside and what you've shared

that podcasting is a key channel for
engagement for Howard Community College.

How is awareness created?

How is discovery built for the
network itself, but also the shows

within it, within the campus?

And I guess, you know, the, back to my
community comment there, outside and

beyond the Howard Community College.

Ryan Record: Great question.

I mean, it does start within the campus.

A little shameless
self-promotion goes a long way.

Putting QR codes up on bulletin
boards so people can tune

into our shows on the campus.

But also, you know, working
with people from other colleges

goes a long way as well.

Hey, check out my podcast and
before you know it, everybody at

Towson, everybody at Loyola is
listening to this podcast as well.

I was looking at our listener
demographics, we use Podbean to upload

all of our episodes, and it kind of tells
you where your listeners are coming from.

We're like international.

It's crazy.

Like we got people in Indonesia and
Malaysia checking out the podcast, people

in Europe, Africa even, it's, it's nuts
like the expanse of what we're doing here.

It's more than just our
little town of Columbia.

It's becoming an international phenomenon.

Neil McPhedran: I think that's what's
really great about podcasting is that

voice beyond the campus and you know,
your example there, around the world.

I was actually just attending a
symposium last week at NYU and one

of the panel discussions was can
podcasting save the university?

And I, and I think at the heart of it
is, you know, part of that was using

podcasting as an academic tool, uh,
beyond just the written word, but

the other part of it is this way and
this voice for academia directly from

the campus, and I think that's really
what you're seeing in your analytics.

Ryan Record: I would agree.

Yeah.

Jennifer-Lee: What would be some
tips for someone thinking, hey,

I wanna build my own network?

Because they're not that easy to build.

Ryan Record: I mean, to build a network
is more than just building a show.

Like, start there, start small.

It can always grow from there.

And to surround yourself with the people
that will not only back you up, but

challenge you to push for that something
greater that you're aspiring to do.

It all starts with ideas.

Everybody has a story to share and
finding those stories, getting the

meat of those stories, 'cause I'm
sure you guys sit down after recording

these interviews and sometimes you
can be like, well, we have like over

an hour of material here, but really
the meat of it is about half an hour.

So finding like what really
clicks is, is crucial.

'Cause you gotta think like
from a listener standpoint,

what do they want to hear?

What's gonna challenge their ideas
about certain beliefs they might have?

What's gonna give them a new perspective?

Like those kind of ideas go a long way.

And just creating a cohesive narrative.

Neil McPhedran: So you, you must
have senior leadership buy-in to put

budget behind this and obviously that
buy-in to build a network like that.

So we're curious what
that looks like at Howard.

Ryan Record: We're lucky to be at a
public institution that gets public

funds and the higher offices kind
of determine what our budget is, and

that's what we have to work with.

That's a blessing.

Most people in podcasts don't
have a budget to start with.

Neil McPhedran: That's right.

Ryan Record: So that comes with
time, that comes with the buy-in,

the investment into the idea.

But yeah, absolutely blessed to
have that backing us right now.

Neil McPhedran: That's great.

You know, back to Jen's question of
tips for building other networks,

I would imagine that's a key one.

If you don't have that senior
leadership buy-in, it's hard

to push these things forward.

Ryan Record: Precisely.

Yeah.

It is huge and like I said, it's
not something that everybody has.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah.

You mentioned it's partially out of the
media department, so I presume that's the,

that would be the, is that at the school
level, like that's the internal media

department, or is that actually like a
department that's teaching media skills?

And then you also said it's the
college PR team as well too,

so, help me understand that.

Are those two different
teams working together?

Ryan Record: Yes.

It's actually three different teams.

So as the podcast network, I'm
a branch under Dragon Media.

Dragon Media is a branch under
the press and marketing division.

Now, Dragon Media, that's
its whole own team.

We run a TV station here as
well, I believe we have two

public access stations going.

We have a studio
specifically for television.

So that's kind of what
Dragon Media started as.

Years ago they're like, hey, let's
make a digital radio station and now

we're here making podcasts as well.

Neil McPhedran: I think that's great
because you know, we'll typically come

across an either or, not necessarily
those two things put together where you've

got the media arm of the institution,
which typically has students learning.

That's all part of it.

That's all built in.

And then you've got this
separate team typically, which

is the comms team, the PR team.

And they've got a budget and
it usually comes out of that.

But I like how what you're saying is
those two things have been put together.

So you've got that engine of the actual
media team and the students and everything

around that, but then it's also plugged
into, and part of this overarching Howard

Community College Comms PR team as well.

Ryan Record: Precisely, yeah.

The PR team's kind of like the brain
and we're the motor that keeps it going.

Neil McPhedran: I think that's a
really good insight for our listeners

that might be sort of trying to
figure out how to navigate this.

They've got one or two
podcasts under their purview.

They're really looking to move
forward with this network idea.

If there is a college radio station on
your campus or a department where media

is being taught, put it together with
the schools comms team, marketing team

as well is a good way to move forward.

And here's an example where this is a
very engaged, large podcast network.

You can see the power of
putting those things together.

Jennifer-Lee: Networks are becoming
more common, and it's something we see

at the Higher Ed PodCon conference.

Ryan being at the first Higher Ed PodCon,
was there anything that you learned to

strengthen your network or strengthen
the shows that you work on or consult on?

Ryan Record: Absolutely.

That whole experience was invaluable
to like honing our crafts.

Networking first and foremost.

That was invaluable.

The ins and outs of recording,
like, how are you gonna stand out?

Also, the social media aspect, there
were so many bright minds there that

to get all these amalgamations of
perspectives crammed into one day.

You know, my brain was overflowing with,
with knowledge by the end of it, but

what an enlightening experience that was.

And I can't wait for the second one.

It's in Cleveland, I believe.

Neil McPhedran: Cleveland, yeah.

And it's gonna be two days.

We've just opened up early bird
registration today, we're recording

this on the middle of October here.

So yeah.

Thank, thank you so much
for, for sharing that.

I, I wanna circle back to social media.

You talked a little bit about it
earlier on in our conversation, but

curious the role that social media
plays within the network's ecosystem.

You had mentioned there was a specific
Instagram account for the network.

Like maybe you could sort of
tease that apart for us and give

us a little an insight there.

Ryan Record: Of course.

So our social media, like I said,
we have an Instagram, a Facebook.

I believe we have a Twitter
X, whatever you wanna call it.

It's really important for outreach,
engagement once again, but also calls

to action, like what we have going on.

Um, there's always events happening
at school and just to kind of cross

promote those through different channels
goes a long way to getting engagement

for these different things going on.

Jennifer-Lee: Sticking on social media.

You mentioned also that you learned
something specifically about

social media and podcasting at
the Higher Ed PodCon conference.

What is it, and do you implement it with
your existing social media strategy?

Ryan Record: Yeah, absolutely.

It's just consistency really.

Like continued outreach is
what's gonna get you those hits,

those likes, those follows.

That's what's gonna get you in the
algorithms to stay in people's feeds.

I have a, a mission here, it's called
Wednesday Podcast, where we post a podcast

every Wednesday, but really I'm trying to
like make it an every day kind of thing.

We have so many podcasts I could
post a show every day of the week.

I could have calls to action as to
like, keep your eyes out for this.

We have something coming up,
things that are interesting.

Like I said, I'm kind of a novice when
it comes to the whole social media thing,

but I guess what I really walked away
with from the PodCon was consistency.

Neil McPhedran: Great.

And then how does cross-promotion
work from between the podcasts?

So say I stumble across The Green
Dragon Show, do you have like sort

of ways that for each of the shows
to like refer back to the network?

Because if I, for example, have come
across and my discovery point was

The Green Dragon Show, if I listen
to that, am I gonna know, oh, there's

other Dragon Podcasts out there?

Ryan Record: Absolutely.

I mean, with our tag ins and tag
outs, we want folks to know that

we do more than just this one show.

If you're liking this show, there's
probably some other shows in the

network you're gonna like as well.

So once again, a little shameless
self-promotion, but also I wanna

start interjecting some like inner ads
just to promote the network as well.

Like, all right, let's
cut for a quick break.

And then we have like a specific
advertisement say for like the

Razzle Dazzle show or what have you.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah, I think
that's a good idea using the

dynamic ad insertion tool.

But from a house ad perspective,
you could create that and you play

those across all of the shows,
I think is a really good idea.

And, and then as well, you have your
website, so that's a central point

within the Howard Community College web
ecosystem, but there's a specific section

in there with all the podcasts as well.

So that's sort of a central
point I would imagine.

You drive people there to
discover all of the shows.

Ryan Record: Absolutely.

And in addition to that, our college
president puts out an update once a week.

She always plugs our shows in there.

We have a monthly newsletter where
everybody that subscribes gets

the in on all the new shows we
just made the following month.

So, things like that really go a long way.

Jennifer-Lee: I always
tell people, this is great.

Start with what you have.

Like if you already have a base and
an audience, like a podcast network

use it, don't compete against it.

And sometimes we're like, oh, well
I wanna be unique and different.

Like, no, let's cross promo,
let's build each other up.

Because once we build each other
up, we'll have a powerful tool.

That being said, Ryan, I dunno if
it's a fair question to ask you, but

what is your favorite show on the air?

Ryan Record: That's tough because
I want to say it's my show, right?

It's the one I make.

I won two platinum awards.

I won dotCOMM award.

I won a map com award.

It feels good to get recognition, you
know, especially as somebody that is new

in the sphere that like, hey, people are
listening and they think it's pretty good.

But you know, I'm gonna sit
with my original answer from

earlier in the interview.

I like Bookish, like the
casual book club podcast.

They just have such a great chemistry
and dynamic with each other.

They're like naturals.

You'd think they've been doing it for
10 years, but I think they've only

been doing it for like two or three.

So if I'm gonna plug any show,
get out there, listen to Bookish.

Whether you like reading books or
not, you will find it entertaining.

Neil McPhedran: It's such a
good idea for a show coming out

of an English department too.

I mean, it just feels like a natural
thing to do for, in this case, I think

you said it was three profs that do that.

Like that's a really clever idea that
every English department should almost do.

So, any sort of final, I know we asked
you about a couple of tips, but any sort

of additional tips that you'd share?

I think that, as I said, I truly believe
that networks are such a great opportunity

for, you know, all those reasons you
just gave a couple of minutes ago about

just how they could promote each other,
cross promote and all that kind of stuff.

But sort of any other tips that you
would share for any of our listeners

out there that are about to embark upon
creating a network on their campus?

Ryan Record: Absolutely.

Some wise words a professor told
me years ago that has gone a really

long way for myself is take care
of those that take care of you.

That's what's gonna create
the team experience.

When you take care of those that
take care of you, you're gonna

find that your job is a lot easier.

You're gonna have the resources you need
to get things done and get 'em done right.

So always just be looking out for
those that are looking out for you.

Jennifer-Lee: I love that.

Neil McPhedran: Yeah.

That's great.

I mean, I think that is a really good
thing that I find that what is great

about the podcast industry overall
is I think there's a lot of people

out there that are super helpful and
really willing to help each other,

and that's a good spot to leave it at,
I think with our conversation today.

I think that's a good, a good wise tip.

Thank you so much for
joining us today, uh, Ryan.

Ryan Record: Thank you guys.

Pleasure's all mine.

Have a good one.

Neil McPhedran: Well, another
awesome conversation there.

I enjoyed further getting into this whole
podcast network conversation and sort

of digging into the ins and the outs
of the Dragon Media Podcast Network.

What a robust network, and just really
interesting how podcasting is such a key

channel for the Howard Community College.

Jennifer-Lee: It is, and it just
goes to show you, it doesn't matter

if you're a community college,
if you're a larger institute,

podcasting works for many purposes.

Neil McPhedran: That's right.

Well, Jen, why don't you read us out?

Jennifer-Lee: There we go.

Thank you for tuning in to the Continuing
Studies podcast, a podcast for higher

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in higher education podcasts.

We also invite you to join your peers on
HigherEdPods.com, where you can connect

with other podcasters in higher education
and learn from others in the field.

Thank for being part of our community.

We look forward to continuing to bring
new, valuable insights and conversations

around higher education podcasts.

See you in the next episode.