Earlier this month, the NMI’s Spark student team and their faculty made their way to Washington, D.C for Podcast Movement 2024, the world’s largest annual gathering of podcasters and industry professionals. Over the course of four days, EM students Hope Thornton, Beth Anne DeKeizer, and Hank Tatum participated in panels and workshops led by industry experts, gaining insight and inspiration for the upcoming season of the Georgia on Your Mind (GOYM) podcast.
As part of the conference, the NMI joined other podcasters at TopGolf and “swung” their way into some really meaningful conversations. And when they weren’t workshopping the podcast or networking, the students explored D.C.’s landmarks, including the Smithsonian and the National Portrait Gallery, caught a glimpse of the White House, and visited the Cellphone Exhibit: Unseen Connections!
A standout moment was pitching the Georgia on Your Mind podcast to iHeartRadio at their studio booth, after being encouraged by a supportive UGA alum they had met during the conference. This trip, made possible by generous donors, provided an invaluable opportunity for the NMI and our students to expand our horizons as audio storytellers.