Kendall Campus Launches Student-Led Podcast Platform: StoryBytes

Emily Sendin knows the importance of student-led podcasts.

In 2019, she spearheaded efforts by Urbana, the literary arts magazine at Eduardo J. Padrón Campus, as they launched the Urbanites podcast series. 

Five years later, Sendin—now an English and Communications professor at Kendall Campus—has galvanized a new group of aspiring podcasters to start the campus’ first student-led podcast platform, StoryBytes.

“Alpha and Gen Z generation really gravitate toward this means of getting information…” Sendin said. “So I think that it’s relevant to the audience.”

StoryBytes took flight this fall.  It aims to be a platform that amplifies student voices.

The publication already has starpower. Sendin recruited National Public Radio’s Student Podcast Challenge winner Michael Vargas, a former student, to join the team. He serves as vice president.

Rounding out the editorial board are president Isabel Paz, secretary Victoria Cuellar and treasurer Ainhoa Osorio Torres.  

 Currently, StoryBytes has 14 members. They have been working on the their website, Instagram page and media kit—a digital compilation of the platform’s responsibilities and operational and promotional costs.

Episodes are released weekly for each podcast series on SoundCloud. 

Their first project, The Vault, debuted on Oct. 16. It analyzes the transfer essays of Miami Dade College alumni who have matriculated to Ivy League schools. 

Cuellar writes the scripts, Vargas edits, and Torres and Paz host. The script is written and revised in a week before it is recorded at the Speech Lab on Monday mornings. Vargas then has two weeks to edit. Episodes are posted every Wednesday. 

“I just hope it helps [students] take the pressure off [sending applications],” Torres said. “You spend all your time and energy trying to do your best…and it could mean a lot to have that sort of inspiration from students that have started at MDC, [and] end up going to Cornell, Brown or Stanford.” 

The Vault will continue through the spring semester. A visual element will be added with behind the scenes videos and interviews with alumni.

In tandem with the English Honors Society, StoryBytes will also host online workshops to aid students working on their transfer essays. 

This month, they plan to bring the winning entries of the campus’ Learning Resources’ Ghost Story competition—announced on Nov. 15—to life through the Ghost Stories series. 

To further connect with its audience, StoryBytes plans to kickoff The Friendship Project to give groups an opportunity to publish a podcast series under their platform. 

In addition, they are hosting a podcast oral pitch competition that lets students submit potential series ideas through Jan. 13. Projects will be pitched at the Speech Lab on Feb. 7. Winners will work with the StoryBytes team to produce the idea. 

“I think it’s important for students to participate in podcasts,” Paz said. “It helps them expand their perspective…and in doing that [they] build empathy with the world and patience with themselves.” 

For more information on StoryBytes, visit https://bit.ly/3YIdHa6.

Click here to subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter, The Hammerhead. For news tips, contact us at mdc.thereporter@gmail.com.