The Independent Florida Alligator is an award-winning newspaper serving the University of Florida and the surrounding Gainesville community. After covering arts and culture for them as a print reporter, I joined the multimedia team as their second-ever podcast producer.
About
The Alligator Podcast was relatively unestablished when I joined as host and producer, lacking a consistent release schedule and diversity of programming.
The challenge
On today’s episode, I speak with UF president Kent Fuchs about the challenges of the fall semester, backlash to the HyFlex method, and mandatory COVID testing in the spring.
On today’s episode, I speak with UF J-School Dean Diane McFarlin on her 8 years at UF, the future of journalism, and what she’s looking forward to in retirement.
On this week’s episode, I wander around Gainesville on game day and have a conversation with veteran Gainesville bar owner JD Chester about reopening Florida.
On this week’s episode, three UF freshmen speak on how the COVID-19 pandemic has shaped their transitions into college.
On today’s episode, I talk with Avenue columnist Lonnie Numa about having Halloween in a pandemic, coping with existential dread, and the cinematic genius of the 2005 Disney Channel Original Movie, “Twitches.”
On this week’s episode, we bring on iconic UF journalism professor Mike Foley to speak on the difficulties of teaching online, tell of his complicated journey to UF, and get a surprise pop quiz on AP style.
The solution
As host, producer, and editor of the Alligator podcast, I published one full-length interview and one short news roundup per week. I spoke with UF professors, students, Alligator reporters, members of the Gainesville community, and UF president Kent Fuchs himself, turning the podcast from an afterthought into an established fixture in the Alligator’s coverage.
