Inside the Texas State Podcast Network: amplifying student, faculty and research stories

The Texas State Podcast Network is hitting its stride as it approaches its third year of production this fall, continuing to amplify campus voices and stories in fresh, engaging ways.

Since launching in June 2023, the network has featured dozens of guests, from familiar names like football head coach GJ Kinne and McCoy College of Business Development Foundation chairman Brian McCoy, as well as the faculty, students, and researchers who shape TXST every day. What sets the network apart is its focus on authentic storytelling, which gives listeners access to perspectives and conversations they might not encounter elsewhere.

Today, the network includes five distinct podcasts: Try @ TXST, Office Hours, Enlighten Me, The Current, and States Up (produced by Texas State Athletics), each offering its own lens into university life.

Created by Giselle Kowalski and Joshua Matthews of the Division of Marketing and Communications, the Podcast Network was built with a broad audience in mind.

“We saw an opportunity to not only elevate the university’s storytelling but also to create content that feels more authentic and engaging than traditional communications,” Matthews said. “It was really about building a space where conversations could happen more naturally, and deliver those stories where audiences already are.”

That philosophy comes to life across the network’s programming.

Hosted by student interns, Try @ TXST takes listeners behind the scenes of campus organizations and initiatives, highlighting the people who make them happen. The podcast is paired with a short-form video series, expanding its reach across platforms.

Office Hours flips the traditional classroom dynamic, giving student interns the chance to step into the role of interviewer and producer. In candid conversations, professors share what inspired them to teach, what drives their work, and the advice they have for students navigating their own paths.

“Seeing the interns take ownership of their own show, interviewing professors with questions they've written and editing the final episodes, has been one of the most rewarding aspects of this process,” Matthews said.

For Kowalski, those conversations have been just as impactful behind the scenes.

“Every time that I was in the studio recording and listening to the interns speak to a professor, I learned something new about a particular program, a professor’s personal life, career, and overall life experience,” she said.

Office Hours has also struck a chord beyond campus, resonating with alumni who reconnect with professors who shaped their own college experiences. Popular episodes have featured faculty like Laurie Fluker, Ph.D., who teaches Intro to Mass Communication, and Louie Dean Valencia, Ph.D., whose course, Harry Styles and the Cult of Celebrity, has drawn widespread interest.

Meanwhile, Enlighten Me dives into the ideas shaping our world, bringing listeners into conversations with TXST researchers and experts across disciplines. Hosted by Rodney Crouther and Jeremy Thomas of the Division of Marketing and Communications, the podcast explores complex topics with clarity and relevance.

The Current, a monthly podcast hosted by TXST President Kelly Damphousse, offers a wide-ranging look at the university through conversations with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community leaders. As the network’s most-listened-to show, it blends insight with accessibility, featuring notable guests such as Pac-12 Commissioner Teresa Gould and criminal justice associate professor Jaymi Elsass, Ph.D.

“It gives our leadership a space to communicate in a way that feels more accessible and less formal, while still addressing important topics,” Matthews said. “That balance of being both informative and approachable is what makes it resonate.” 

While the network now boasts a fully equipped studio and a growing audience, its origins were far more modest.

“We recorded in whatever office space was available,” Kowalski said.

That changed in summer 2024 with the creation of a dedicated podcast studio, elevating production quality. Still, the team continues to experiment beyond the studio. The team has recorded episodes on the Quad of the San Marcos Campus for International Podcast Day and hosted a live show during Mass Comm Week 2025 to engage directly with the campus community.

Looking ahead, the Podcast Network shows no signs of slowing down. The producers are planning more miniseries focused on TXST’s research pillars. The team is also planning more live recordings later this year. 

To explore episodes and stay up to date, visit the Texas State Podcast Network online.