Overview:

Jenna Spinelle (she/her) ’08 Communications is a writer, podcaster, and speaker in higher education. She hosts and produces the Democracy Works podcast and the narrative series When the People Decide, both productions of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State. Jenna hops over from her host chair to the interview chair on Following the Gongfor this episode to discuss the current media landscape – on campus and at large – working in podcasting and content creation, and other topics like the value of continued participation in music. You can read Jenna’s full bio and a breakdown of the episode topics below.

Guest Bio:

Jenna Spinelle (she/her) ’08 Communications is a writer, podcaster, and speaker in higher education. She hosts and produces the Democracy Works podcast and the narrative series When the People Decide, both productions of the McCourtney Institute for Democracy at Penn State.  She teaches courses on freelancing and the creator economy at Penn State’s Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications, from which she earned her BA in Journalism with Honors in 2008. She also finds time to freelance for various firms and publications. She previously worked in marketing and public relations positions at Penn State and in traditional newspaper settings. Her writing has appeared in outlets including Bello Collective, Inside Higher Ed, and Current. You can find her on Twitter @JennaSpinelle or visit her website at jennaspinelle.com.

Episode Specifics:

In this episode, Jenna shares her insights on:

· Choosing Penn State over “big city” schools for its academic reputation and being close to home

· Aspects of journalism that can help you identify it as a field for you

· Making the most of Penn State’s student media culture – even if you are not a journalism major or in the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications

· Joining the College as a current Penn State student

· The evolving media landscape of the mid-2000s through to 2022

· Getting into professional podcasting without previous on-air experiences

· Translating dense topics for listeners on the Democracy Workspodcast

· Creating a narrative-based podcast – like Serial – in When the People Decide

· The different types of podcasts and Jenna’s (and Sean’s) inspirations

· The how of podcasting, and advice on building up your skills to be a content creator

· The value in freelancing and pursuing side-hustles

· Continuing playing a musical instrument through college and into post-college life

· Pushing yourself out of your professional comfort zone and initial discipline

· Thoughts on mentorship