COFAC wants to know, "What's Your Story?"
COFAC faculty and staff develop podcasts around the concept of storytelling as part of this year's college programming theme.
By Sedonia Martin on December 11, 2017
Who doesn’t love a good story?
Since the beginning of time, oral storytelling has served a critical role in sharing experiences and emotions. Ancient storytellers were the keeper of knowledge, history and traditions in their communities.
And so it is with the “What’s Your Story” podcasts from Towson University’s College of Fine Arts and Communication (COFAC). As part of this year’s programming theme, faculty and staff from COFAC disciplines will share theirascinating tales, memorable narratives, thought-provoking journeys, enchanting and captivating stories and misadventures.
What makes podcasts so addictive? They are essentially radio on installment, a return to the intimacy of storytelling with pregnant pauses, implications of words, sounds and silences all unfolding in the theater of the mind.
The college will release a new podcast every two weeks throughout the spring 2018 semester for a total of between 14–16 podcasts. The following episodes are available now:
- Episode 1 – Mathew Bainbridge, electronic media & film (EMF)
- Episode 2 – Jennifer Atwater, mass communication and communication studies
- Episode 3 – Runqiao Du, dance
- Episode 4 – Tavia La Follette, theatre arts
- Episode 5 – Kalin Kirilov, music
- Episode 6 – Heather Sorensen, dean's office
Marc May, assistant professor of EMF, loves to tell stories.
“There isn’t one human society, now or in the past, whom has not told stories,” said May, who is the Theme Scholar for the College of Fine Arts and Communication 2017-2018.
In fact, May has plenty of storytelling credits, including a successful film industry career as a screenwriter, selling and optioning to Hollywood studios such as MGM and Sony as well as having his original documentaries premiered on PBS.
As theme scholar, May went to work discovering colleagues amazing stories.
“Artists speak in distinctive voices,” said May. “We all speak the same human story, yet with as many one-of-a-kind permutations as there are communicators. That’s why I love stories. They communicate our human experience to each other.”
May is working with Adam Schwartz, an EMF lecturer, on the series. Schwartz—who has worked nationally as sound designer, post production mixer, dialogue and music editor, voiceover for televised shows and commercials—is recording and editing the podcasts.
“The “What’s Your Story” podcasts, conceived and created by the Department of Electronic Media and Film, are a perfect vehicle for our faculty to share interesting and engaging stories with students, staff and the community. We’re thrilled to support and promote our podcasts and our faculty,” said Susan Picinich, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication and a supporter of the podcasts.