IU Kokomo Podfest '22
Stories of Survival, Overcoming, and Renewal
On-campus and online
March 1 through 31, 2022
IU Kokomo Podfest '22
Stories of Survival, Overcoming, and Renewal
On-campus and online
March 1 through 31, 2022
CFP: Call for Podcasts
If you are reading this, then congratulations. You have survived.
We are all survivors, really--whether of hard times, this pandemic, or something else entirely--and in that spirit, we invite you to share your stories of survival, overcoming, and renewal. What challenges have you bested? What long odds have you overcome? What hidden sources of power and resilience have you found to tap into that you didn’t know existed? What have you learned to do that you never thought you’d tackle? How have you stretched yourself?
Or maybe you failed at something. Tell us about that, too. What did you learn?
COVID-19 has changed the way we work, play, socialize, and engage with media. (In 2019, who could've imagined that a Zoom call would constitute a social gathering?) It has shifted priorities surrounding careers and family and life itself (see “the Great Resignation”). It has exposed the brittle fault lines of our social safety nets and global supply chains, our ability to care for each other and talk productively about race and gender and wealth and poverty and violence, and even our conceptions of what it means to be an American.
Maybe your story of survival, overcoming, and/or renewal has nothing to do with the pandemic or abrupt shifts in work or schooling or socializing or any of the other challenges that we’ve heard so much about--and experienced firsthand--in the past year and a half. Maybe you want to tell a different story, one that illustrates your ability to survive and overcome challenges more broadly.
Perhaps you never thought you’d make it through a tough period in your life. Maybe you survived a crushing blow or stifling setback that left you wondering how you were ever going to recover. Or you found renewal and renewed strength in the unlikeliest of places.
Whatever your story of survival, no matter how big or how small, whether pandemic-related or just getting through life on this planet, everyone has a story to tell because everyone has survived…something.
And you are surviving every day. We want to hear your story.
IU Kokomo PodFest ‘22 is open to all members of the IU Kokomo community: students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community members. Podcasts can be virtually any length, though we suggest a range of between ten and twenty minutes. Entries should feature a personal narrative--or a shared narrative, in the case of group submissions--that connects creatively to the theme of survival, overcoming, and renewal. Instructors are also encouraged to modify these basic requirements as they see fit for class assignments and projects. Group submissions are encouraged.
Links to resources for beginning podcasters and for instructors looking to incorporate podcast assignments into their courses can be found below.
Given these broad guidelines, the possibilities for podcast topics are vast and diverse. Interested? Did we get your attention? Here are a few more ideas that would fit with this year’s theme:
- Formative educational experiences
- Learning new skills and putting them to work
- Significant transitions in your life
- Traveling overseas or experiencing a new place
- Childhood memories and the allure of nostalgia
- Organizations and businesses that pulled through despite hardships
- Awakenings and revelations in the midst of difficulties
Submissions are due by 11:59pm ET on Monday, February 28, 2022. The submissions portal will open on February 1, 2022.
Podcast entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges using the NPR criteria for its College Podcast Challenge. Winners will be recognized and top prizes will be awarded in the following six categories:
- Best “On Theme” Podcast (the podcast that best exemplifies the theme of survival, overcoming, and renewal)
- Best “Wildcard” Podcast (the best off-theme or random podcast)
- Best “Series” Podcast (the best podcast series)
- Best “First Timers” Podcast (the best podcast from a podcasting newbie)
- Best Student Podcast (the best podcast by an IU Kokomo student or students)
- Best Collaborative Podcast (the best group effort)
Questions? Email iukpodfest@gmail.com. Also be sure to check out the FAQs below.
Resources & FAQs
I want to get involved, but I don't know much about podcasting. What should I do?
Over the last decade, podcasting has emerged as a fun and easy way for people to share their experiences, stories, and ideas with the world. It is by far the easiest way to develop content for the web and social media. While some podcasts are fancy and include polished interviews with famous people and clever sound effects and music, they certainly don’t have to be. In fact, a podcast, at its core, is just an audio recording with some thought and planning put into the process ahead of time. Moreover, having students work through a podcast project from brainstorm and design to outline and script draft to finished product is a wonderful way to open up the creative potentials of the digital storytelling medium.
PodFest '22 offers a series of virtual workshops led by faculty, staff, and alumni to help people get started with podcasting. No prior expertise is required. These events will be held at alternating days and times throughout February 2022. All pre-festival workshops are Zoom-based.
In the meantime, here are several online resources and step-by-step guides to get you started with everything from planning to execution:
- "How to Start a Podcast"
- "Podcasting for Beginners"
- "How to Podcast 101"
- "The Ultimate Teacher's Guide for How to Use Podcasts to Teach English"
- "Project Audio: Teaching Students How to Produce their Own Podcasts" (NYTimes.com)
I am a faculty member who would like to encourage my students to get involved with podcasting. Are there sample assignments and in-class activities I can view to get started?
Here are a few sample podcasting assignments that are sure to spark ideas:
- Scaffolded Podcasting Assignments in History (U of Toronto)
- Creative Assignments: Podcasts (U of Chicago)
- Getting Started with Student Podcast Assignments (Duke U)
- "This Time It's Personal" (MP1 from Paul Cook's ENG-W 131 in Fall 2020)
I am a faculty member who would like to bring my students to a pre-festival podcasting workshop in February. How would I go about setting this up?
Large groups and classes of students are welcome. Please email iukpodfest@gmail.com to let us know the details.
What will the festival look like? Will the event be in-person or online? Will there be awards?
PodFest '22 will include a series of both in-person and online events throughout March 2022, culminating in a final awards reception at the end of the month. For detailed information, check the "Event Schedule" menu at the top of the page (full schedule will be released in February 2022). There will be panel discussions, guest speakers, podcasting workshops for beginners, Q&A sessions with established podcasters, an awards reception, and more!
In the month of February 2022, there will be three pre-festival podcasting workshops for newcomers and experienced podcasters alike. These will be held on Zoom and are free for all.
Who can participate in PodFest '22?
This event is open and free of charge to all IU Kokomo students, staff, faculty, and alumni, as well as community members.
Will there be T-shirts? Commemorative swag? Koozies? Keychains?
Yes! Stay tuned for details. (A firm "maybe" on the keychains.)
PodFest '22 Board of Directors
Tess Barker, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (tessbark@iu.edu)
Julie Deem, IU Kokomo student and business podcaster (jsdeem@iu.edu)
Jim Coby, Assistant Professor of English (jcoby@iu.edu)
Meg Galasso, Information Services Librarian and Archivist (galasso@iu.edu)
Quiana Preston, Academic Advisor (qpreston@iu.edu)
Paul Cook, Associate Professor of English (paulcook@iu.edu)
Erin F. Doss, Associate Professor of Communication Arts (efdoss@iu.edu)
Jamie Oslawski-Lopez, Assistant Professor of Sociology (jloslaws@iu.edu)