From true crime to comedy, history, health and everything in between, podcasting has erupted in popularity in recent years. Two students at The University of Tulsa are taking advantage of this trend by producing a podcast that’s specifically for high schoolers who are deciding whether to pursue higher education, particularly careers in health care.
The 918 STRETCHED Unscripted podcast is an extension of UTulsa’s STRETCHED (Students Reaching Excellence Through Collaboration with Higher EDucation) program, which is dedicated to increasing the representation of health care practitioners from under-represented groups. Zora Szabó (B.S. ’24) is a graduate student pursuing a master’s in sports leadership. Originally from Rowlett, Texas, Szabó, is currently the STRETCHED assistant director and graduate assistant. She teams up with STRETCHED Undergraduate Fellow Hope Guderian, a media studies junior from Edmond, to record the podcast.
“Our generation is really into podcasting,” explained Szabo, “so we thought this would be a really great opportunity to learn more about different careers, meet with different professions and kind of share their story, but also motivate the younger generation.”
While Szabó is the on-camera talent, interviewing guests on the podcast, Guderian is behind the camera, monitoring the video and audio levels. For Guderian, this is valuable, hands-on experience that’s preparing her for a career in journalism.
“I’m really learning the back end of things, as well as just watching people on camera, how to talk on camera,” she explained. “My goal is to be a news anchor one day, so this is a great way to watch other people, take pointers from them, see what to do, what not to do, that kind of thing.”
Professor Roger Kollock, Ph.D., AT, CSCS, is the director of the exercise and sports science program at UTulsa and the creator of STRETCHED. He said the students’ hard work and technical skills have exceeded his expectations, and he’s inspired by their commitment to the podcast.
“I first had the idea to create a podcast, but Zora and Hope are the ones who truly brought STRETCHED Unscripted to life,” he said. “Their tireless dedication, Zora’s leadership in guest engagement, content creation and production, alongside Hope’s connections in the community, providing us with a podcasting space and seamless behind-the-scenes audio and video work, has created a meaningful platform that reflects their creativity, collaboration and passion for serving the community.”
STRETCHED Unscripted is produced in a professional podcasting studio near campus and published to YouTube and Spotify. Recently, UTulsa Interim President and former Athletic Director Rick Dickson appeared on the show, providing meaningful and honest insight into what it means to be a leader in higher education. Dickson and Szabó discussed the benefits of attending a smaller university that offers a warm, welcoming environment. Guderian said that’s exactly why she chose UTulsa.
“I just loved the small atmosphere. Having just a few thousand students is really nice,” she said. “I loved the campus, and I love Tulsa. So, it always just felt like home.”
The next step in Szabó’s career is medical school. She plans to take the podcasting skills acquired through this experience to create her own podcast about her med school journey. Her goal will remain the same: inspire younger students to pursue careers in health care, regardless of their background.
“I started from a family that never had any health care professionals, similar to the community that we’re trying to reach with this podcast,” said Szabó. “Something that I would never have learned or thought of before this was how impactful just one tiny little group of people can be to the community.”
She explained that volunteering at local high schools, teaching students about health care careers and seeing how that effort can spark an interest in young people motivates her as a mentor. You can learn more about the STRETCHED program’s impact on the Tulsa community here.