Students Establishing Podcast Presences

Podcasts have become the ideal platform for Marist students to share their conversations that are sparked by obscure questions and astute observations.

“We’re not trying to preach anything, just trying to explore,” Marcello Betman ‘21 said.

Partnering with Sele Ojo ‘21, the pair of seniors recently created the Lo-High Podcast, in which no topic is off limits.  

Inspired by 24-hour Lo-fi music channels on YouTube, the mellow and conversational Lo-High Podcast covers new topics every week. Source: Marcello Betman '21 and Sele Ojo '21

“We got all these questions and all this time. Basically this is a conversation to fathom the useful and useless,” Ojo said. 

Although the pair only released their first two podcasts on Oct. 21 and a third on Oct. 31, it’s been an idea in the making for months. Inspired by 24-hour Lo-fi music channels on YouTube, Betman and Ojo wanted to take this specific vibe and transform it into a mellow, conversational podcast. Since June, the duo have been working on their concept; but the original idea was sparked at the end of their junior year. Their plan was to create a podcast that covers a new and esoteric topic in every episode.

From discussing legacy traditions to Brita filters — which they explain is a metaphor for the improvement of the human race — there is no shortage of talking points for the partners.  

Despite Betman and Ojo’s abundance of comical questions and analyses of the world, they are willing to dive into serious subjects as well. “We realize everyone has a complicated life and acknowledge how things are universally complex,” Ojo said. “You can’t talk about the absurdity without the dark.”

During previous podcasts, Betman and Ojo discussed Black Lives Matter in congruence with the political climate in the U.S. In future podcasts, the duo plan to use their platform to create more awareness about the demonstrations against SARS in Nigeria. By discussing the current state of affairs in the U.S. and around the world, Betman and Ojo are providing relevant content that resonates with listeners. Betman said the purpose of their work is to cover the lows and the highs of the world. 

In addition to the Lo-High Podcast, the Echols Unlimited Podcast is also being produced out of a Marist dorm room. For over a year, Terrence Echols ‘21 has also been managing his own podcast, frequently covering professional and collegiate sports, specifically at Marist. However, Echols doesn’t shy away from more serious subjects either. Nearly 400 people viewed his episode on YouTube about Black Lives Matter. 

“Finally, I have an opportunity to have my voice heard, which is really cool,” Echols said. “I now have a platform to speak my mind on things I care a lot about.”

Since starting the Echol's Unlimited Podcast over a year ago, Terrence Echols has released 37 episodes to date covering professional and collegiate sports. Source: Terrence Echols '21

While sharing his thoughts and commentary with everyone on the internet, Echols is also sharing himself. For Echols, confidence has been integral in producing a podcast. “It’s really cool to put content out into the world and have people see that. It also comes with the realization of how people perceive me,” Echols said. “You have to listen to yourself and go through that awkwardness, but it’s totally worth it.”

Passionate about his podcast, Echols has published 37 episodes. During winter and summer breaks, Echols is able to release one episode almost every week. Podcasting takes up the majority of his free time, but it’s an opportunity to feel productive with a hobby that’s not nearly as tedious and mundane as schoolwork. 

During the semester, school is his primary concern, slowing the frequency of new podcasts. “It’s definitely tough being consistent. It’s hard to prioritize school and still be able to put in enough time to make a quality podcast,” Echols said. 

Following college, Echols plans to continue his podcast for as long as time allows. Betman and Ojo have similar plans, hoping to build The Lo-High Podcast’s collection of episodes and listeners. 

Find the Lo-High Podcast and the Echols Unlimited Podcast wherever you stream podcasts.