Podcasting a Wide Net

by Adam Reger

This year, New Media Lab (NML) at Delaware County Community College is celebrating a remarkable milestone: 10 years of offering students at all branch locations an unforgettable experience producing and recording original podcasts.

Just as remarkable, the two biggest podcast platforms, Apple and Spotify, will now host the three podcasts NML students produce: its flagship production, “This Must Be Heard,” which highlights news from across the College; “Study Break,” a lighter, more pop culture-focused podcast; and “The Written,” an outlet for students to share creative writing and discuss culture and the arts.

The growth of the student organization has been nothing short of astounding, even to associate professor of Communication Studies Maria Boyd, who founded New Media Lab in 2016.

At that time, the podcast format was still new enough that Boyd found herself explaining the concept to others as she made her pitch. The College’s radio station had gone quiet, and Boyd’s decision to pivot toward an emerging format like podcasting, rather than reviving the radio station, was not such an obvious decision.

Nonetheless, Boyd prevailed and in 2020, a major renovation was made to the NML studio, located on the first floor of the Academic Building on Marple Campus. A major renovation was completed in 2020 with help from Don Sloat, the College’s vice president of Information Technology; Tony DeLuca, assistant vice president of Facilities and Construction Services; and senior media specialist George Dobbin.

A decade later, podcasts continue to explode in popularity and NML is thriving, regularly boasting more than 30 student members, who participate virtually and in the studio.

And at graduation this May, Boyd has announced, NML members will wear their very own stoles at commencement. It’s a distinctive sign of just how far the organization has come over the last 10 years.

“We’re all beginners” is the NML motto, and the affirmation is repeated at every NML meeting. It’s a reminder that everyone, from the newest student to Boyd herself, is constantly learning new things about creating podcasts.

For Boyd, one of the most significant aspects of NML is the range of DCCC students it draws in. This year, the organization has students representing three of DCCC’s academic divisions: Business, Computing and Social Science; Communication, Arts and Humanities; and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.

Students who participate in NML go on to a range of different majors and careers, from realtors and teachers to home health care workers or, like recent co-executive producer Moose Sylla, studies in business and project management.

“It’s gratifying to see that these skill sets are so transferable,” says Boyd. What students learn from their experience in NML goes far beyond content development. “They are building and refining transferable skills for every industry so they can be workforce ready.”

She lists teamwork, managing deadlines, and dealing with crises, such as sudden technical difficulties, as some of the soft skills NML alumni take with them into their future careers, both professional and academic.

When Sylla first arrived at the College, all he did was go to class and then go home. College clubs, or any kind of extracurricular activity, were not on his radar.

When he learned of NML, his interest was piqued. Sylla had done commentating at basketball games as an Upper Darby High School student, and the organization seemed like a good fit.

“The moment I walked into the first meeting,” says Sylla, “it was chill and nice—I felt right at home.”

Sylla discovered a passion for podcasting, and went on to host many episodes over the course of his time with NML.

He served as co-executive director during his second year at DCCC, taking on expanded responsibilities including club recruiting and marketing, experiences that meshed well with his major, Communication Studies.

Sylla graduated in May 2026, and is continuing his education at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, with a focus on project management. He’s quick to credit his experience with NML for leading him toward this path.

“Skills from being an executive producer translate really well,” he says. “Project managers have to talk with a team, there’s a planning stage that’s a lot like pre-production, and then it comes to actually doing it and putting the project out into the world.”

After a stellar DCCC career, Sylla admits that leaving and moving on is bittersweet, but he says it is more bitter than sweet.

“I’m like a bird leaving its nest,” he says.

During his time as a club leader, Sylla oversaw a substantial increase in NML’s reach, primarily by implementing a fun and energetic social media strategy.

NML members began covering a wide range of College events, or simply standing in campus buildings, stopping students to conduct man-on-the-street-style interviews. The vertically oriented videos, tailor-made for cell phones, helped grow the average number of views for NML’s social media posts nearly 40% over the prior year. During one 90-day stretch in the winter and spring of 2026, Sylla reports, the club’s posts earned over 90,000 views.

“We put a lot of time and energy into helping it grow,” says Sylla.

The online attention has translated to visibility at the College, with more groups and individual students seeking out NML for collaborations.

The innovations Sylla introduced have created a template for NML going forward, says Boyd. She recalls Sylla coming to her with a plan to cover more DCCC athletic events using the NML Instagram account. At the time, that account was primarily used to announce upcoming meetings and let followers know when new episodes were released.

“When students want to try something, I tell them to come to me with a plan,” Boyd says. “I’m willing to let them experiment.”

Sylla’s experiments have paid enormous dividends for the organization, and are now a part of its outreach strategy going forward. Boyd, along with NML members, frequently creates clips from podcasts as well as fun, quick just-in-time content engaging with the community.

And the organization has set ambitious goals of reaching 60,000 views per month by early 2027. All inspired and driven by student vision.

One of the NML’s greatest strengths is its accessibility to students of all backgrounds and talents, as well as its being open to students at any of DCCC’s branch locations. And as Boyd and NML producers are always quick to point out, there are many roles that don’t require speaking into a microphone.

“There are so many ways to help that don’t necessarily involve being on air,” says Sylla.

Boyd cites the examples of a visually impaired student for whom audio recording was a perfect fit, and a nonverbal student who thrived when given postproduction tasks like editing. Students have also created title cards and logos for the three shows and written their theme music.

Additionally, NML allows students to join meetings and pitch ideas virtually, opening the door to students from all of the College’s locations, as well as students who primarily take online classes.

That’s a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which—far from halting the organization’s work—forced Boyd and NML members to connect virtually. Podcasting proved to be a terrific way for students to remain connected and to work together remotely during times of mandatory social distancing.

“Our goal was to survive the pandemic,” says Boyd. “But we thrived.”

Allyson Gleason, director of Campus Engagement, seconds that assessment.

“The New Media Lab continued to flourish because it was adaptable and so focused on being accessible,” she says.

Today, all members are invited to pitch show ideas, either at NML meetings or through an online form. The organization’s leaders strive to create a fun and welcoming environment, closer at times to a family than a school club.

As Sylla discovered, being part of the NML has benefits beyond the hard skills of recording and editing audio. Past leaders point to the benefits of fleshing out story ideas, coordinating interviews, and getting to know their interview subjects.

Along with interpersonal skills like these, the sense of connection NML members enjoy has been an important part of its role at DCCC, exemplifying the value of student clubs and organizations at the College.

“It’s expanded my view of the college and what I’ve learned here,” says Sylla.

He leaves behind a robust club with terrific visibility and strong connections to groups and departments across the College. Its facilities are also state-of-the-art.

The future is bright for the New Media Lab. Both Boyd and the new co-executive producers emphasize the importance of recruiting and getting the word out to students who might be interested.

“For most students, it’s their first time doing any extracurricular activity,” Boyd says. “They come to New Media Lab and find their people.”

She’s extremely enthusiastic about the new group of co-executive producers and producers. For the first time, the NML’s leadership team is all female.

“Come and be a part of it,” Boyd says. “We’re about having fun, building skills, and making friends.”