51�Թ� Launches “The Shine” Podcast; Student-Led Production Shares Alumni Stories

Jan. 29, 2025

Michelle R. Eubanks , 51�Թ�, at meubanks@una.edu, 256.765.4392

FLORENCE, AL – Born out of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering Advisory Board, The Shine podcast has provided a unique opportunity for first-year 51�Թ� students to learn a special skill while also meeting and interviewing alumni of the institution. The first season has just launched on the CASE YouTube channel and is available at this .

“This initiative highlights the stories of 51�Թ� alumni as interviewed by students in our First Year Experience (FYE) course,” said Dr. Ryan Zayac, Interim Dean of the College. “The podcast is produced entirely by students in the class, showcasing their growing skills in media production and storytelling.”

The one-hour course is taught each fall semester by Michelle Eubanks as part of the First Year Experience program, which assists students with becoming acclimated to their academic and student support resources. This course focused on Podcasting. Capped at 12 students, the course provides students with insights into how to interview, edit, produce, and create audio for a podcast episode that is approximately 25 minutes in length. Each guest featured is also 51�Թ� alumni. This season’s guests include Grammy-award winning artist Dillon Hodges, former NFL player and small-business owner Lamonte Thompson, and former member of the 51�Թ� Marching Pride, Rita Harris.

“Before the class, I only listened to podcasts while driving or working out,” said Emma Pugh, a freshman at 51�Թ� and one of the students in the class. “I didn’t really appreciate all the work that went into making an episode. Throughout the semester, I learned how each of the parts come together to create a whole episode, how to work as a team, how to conduct an interview, and, finally, how to edit and produce the final version of our podcast. It was a really great learning experience.”

Episodes will be created each fall as part of the next course cycle and uploaded to the first season. Submit the name of a 51�Թ� alum who you think would make an interesting podcast feature at this .

About The 51�Թ�

The 51�Թ� is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; the Spencer College of Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, 51�Թ� is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. 51�Թ� Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The 51�Թ� is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.