Neligh-Oakdale Alum Develops Diversity Podcast At Northeast

A new podcast developed by students at Northeast Community College, including Neligh's own Hunter Bergman, is taking a closer look at the diversity within its own student body.

HawkCast was developed and produced by students serving on the staff of the Viewpoint, Northeast’s student newspaper.

“You look at everybody you see, and you don’t realize that everybody has a story, everybody has something interesting to say. And finding that out is fun,” said Hunter Bergman, Neligh, creator and host of HawkCast.

Bergman said his idea for the podcast started when he became acquainted with his teammates on the Northeast men’s soccer team, many of whom hail from other countries.

“There’s so much culture and diversity on Northeast’s campus, and I want to capitalize on that and get people to realize that we have students from Colombia, Brazil, Africa. There’s so much more diversity in Norfolk, Nebraska, than you could ever imagine.”

With HawkCast only an idea in his mind, Bergman approached Nancy Sutton-Smith, mass media instructor, about creating a podcast. Soon, he had joined the staff of the Viewpoint, even though it wasn’t a requirement for his business administration major.

Bergman said Sutton-Smith assisted with graphic design and other skills he needed to learn to make the podcast a reality.

“Without the Viewpoint, I would not have the tools to make a podcast. That boosted my creative and professional skills, just by taking that one class.”

Josh Crim, Holmesville, editor-in-chief of the Viewpoint, serves as co-host with Bergman. Viewpoint Reporter Luna Sierra, Norfolk, has also hosted an episode in both English and Spanish. Josh Talbott, Norfolk, work study student, helped train the hosts on use of the audio equipment, and Austin Graves, Mount Vernon, SD, video editor, also contributes audio skills.

“If you have a creative idea, don’t be afraid to ask the faculty,” Bergman said. “They are here to help you in any way. Even if it’s just a hobby, go to a teacher and ask. That one decision could influence the rest of your life.”

Bergman said that as he interviews students about their diverse backgrounds, he’s often surprised by similarities between cultures.
For example, when interviewing two students from Brazil, the topic of popular music arose.

“We have the same musical tastes. Everything we hear here, like Drake, that’s all popular in South America. Obviously they have their own artists, but for the most part, the music is international.”

Another example: “They grew up watching the same cartoons we did.”

Other episodes have featured students from Mexico and Colombia as well as students attending Northeast during the Spring 2018 term from College 360 in Silkeborg, Denmark.

Bergman said the ultimate goal of HawkCast is to promote interaction with students on campus and in the community.

“I want international students to feel welcome. Especially with the language barrier, people may be intimidated to walk up and say hi. But even if one person walks up to them and says, ‘Hey, I heard the podcast,’ that would be really cool.”
​
HawkCast can be found at https://neviewpoint.com/category/the-viewpoint-podcast/.