As Mr. Tim Carlson ‘10 takes on the role of Director of Admissions, he hopes to reach new audiences in innovative ways, such as podcasts. As there are 546 million podcast listeners worldwide, and 47% of Americans ages 12 and up listen to a podcast at least once a month, they are perfect for trying to reach prospective students and curious parents all around the world.
“The Round Table,” the chosen name for the podcast, refers to a medieval round table where knights could sit and convene.
“I felt that ‘The Round Table’ was fitting as we are the Knights,” Jackson Teetor ‘25 said.
Helping the show come to fruition are student ambassadors and journalism members Jack Stanek ‘25 and Teetor. Both collaborated on building a list of resources, along with renovating an old classroom in the Benedict Building to a brand-new podcast studio equipped to help the podcast succeed.
“I did some research on YouTube to find out what was the best equipment for our set up and budget,” Stanek said. The studio is filled with pieces of memorabilia that show the rich history of Mount Michael’s campus and show off what makes The Mount special.
As a boarding school, Mount Michael has the opportunity to bring in students from around the world; however, reaching students in other countries can be challenging. Carlson hopes that with the help of the podcast, he will be able to expand Mount Michael’s reach.
“The goal of this podcast is to highlight what makes our school so special. Through various conversations with students and staff members, my hope is that the audience will be able to hear different stories [and] perspectives on why each individual loves Mount Michael. Everyone has their own story…this podcast will be used as a platform to share those stories,” Carlson said.
A new episode will be released every other week, giving listeners around the world an insight into what is happening on campus. The content of the podcast will vary depending on the guests; however, listeners can expect to hear topics ranging from what a day looks like for a Mount Michael student to answering questions from prospective students, along with banter displaying the unique personalities around The Mount.
“Looking forward to the future, I would like to see this podcast become a true broadcasting opportunity for our students. This could eventually evolve into a Mount Michael school channel with student-led announcements and a platform to stream athletic events with students calling the game,” Carlson said.
The debut episode featured Dean of Students Mr. Derrik Spooner as he and Teetor discuss Spooner’s experiences as a legendary head basketball coach and Dean of Students, along with what makes Mount Michael special.
Look for new episodes of “The Round Table” on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.
