Two New Co-hosts to Lend Their Voices to "Many Voices, One Call" Podcast
Podcast co-hosts Sion Hardy, Dr. Babette Faehmel, and Ashleylucie Ntumba Lumbala in the Vianna-Brignola Recording Studio.
A new season of the College’s Many Voices, One Call podcast kicks off this month and features two new student co-hosts, Ashleylucie Ntumba Lumbala and Sion Hardy, alongside Faculty co-host Dr. Babette Faehmel, Professor in the Division of Liberal Arts.
Ashleylucie is a Computer Science major and is joining the podcast through the Empire State Service Corps program. An international student from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), she is following in her brother Alexandre’s footsteps who was a co-host during the third season while he was a student at the College. Ashley remembers listening to his podcasts while she was still living in DRC.
She shared, “I’m looking forward to talking about different topics, hearing people’s thoughts, views and opinions, and gaining new skills. For me, it’s also about getting out of my comfort zone because I’m not an extrovert. I thought, ‘Why not share my thoughts and hear what others have to say?’ ”
Sion Hardy, a Teacher Education Transfer major and artist, is not new to hosting discussions and interviewing people. She has had her own YouTube channel for a few years, where she interviews other artists and creators about what inspires them. She also shares her views on current societal issues.
“One of the main things I’m looking forward to is learning, because there are going to be different perspectives on very important topics. With all of the guests we will have on the podcast, it will be a great opportunity to learn more about the topics we will be discussing.”
Dr. Faehmel, who began the podcast in 2021, shared her thoughts on the upcoming season.
“I am really excited to be working with these students. There is a lot going on right now, and it takes courage and an open mind to engage with people under these conditions, but both Ashley and Sion seem to me more than ready!”
Among the topics the team is planning to work on are mental health issues among students, the challenges facing international students, and the threat of cuts to students support programs.
This is the fifth season of the podcast that is “a space for courageous, honest, open, and unscripted conversations about teaching and learning; about the things that excite us; and about the things that challenge us.” It premiered in 2021 with the episode Many Voices - One Call: Episode One: One Year of Pandemic Learning.”