Hannah Allen, PhD, Executive Director William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing and Tyler Barber, Project Coordinator, The Thomas Hayes Mayo Lab, University of Mississippi presented on the Mayo Lab Podcast, an initiative of the William Magee Institute for Student Wellbeing.
The podcast bridges student experiences and research-based insights to promote health and wellbeing. Initially created to share substance use research with college student parents ,the podcast has evolved to center student voices, translating research into practice through storytelling and expert commentary. The podcast, now in its fourth season, creates a safe space for students to talk about a myriad of topics, including substance use, academic stress, relationships, and mental health.
Podcast development and evolution:
The podcast began with David Magee as host and focused mostly on expert interviews, especially for a parent audience. Now, the podcast includes both student stories and expert interviews in most episodes.
- Season 1: Launched with host David Magee, this season focused primarily on expert interviews and educational content for parents and concerned adults.
- Season 2: With new hosts Megan Rosenthal and Alexis Lee, the podcast began integrating community perspectives and shifting the focus from a parent audience to a student audience.
- Season 3: Marked a turning point with the highest number of episodes (17). Students and alumni stories took center stage, and the branding evolved to reflect a more student-focused identity.
- Season 4: Features a mixed format—each episode pairs a student voice with a content expert or researcher, creating a dialogue between experience and evidence.
The team uses a variety of promotional strategies, including their Instagram and webpage to increase podcast visibility and engagement. The team is also creating a TikTok and exploring additional avenues.
Key Takeaways & Recommendations:
- Consistency is essential—regular posting and promotion help build trust with listeners and grow the audience. All you need is a camera (even the one on your phone) and someone to talk with.
- Student-centered storytelling has become the heart of the podcast, shifting away from its original expert-driven format but seems to resonate with students.
Dr. Allen concluded that the podcast has transitioned from highlighting seasoned substance use experts to featuring student voices. Now, students share personal stories about topics such as substance use, academic success, and relationships. The team hopes this new format will continue to grow engagement.