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SUNY Niagara podcast co-host, Madison Ebsary, shows off her recording studio. Denise Prohaska virtually speaks with a guest on the latest episode of Morning Thunder.

May 13, 2020

With social distancing measures taking place across the globe, SUNY Niagara seeks to safely connect students to faculty members in new ways. Zoom meetings, virtual classes, conference calls, and utilizing social media accounts are the new settings for academic and social encounters, but SUNY Niagara’s latest bridge to students comes in the form of a new podcast, “Morning Thunder.”

The founder and co-host of this creative podcast is SUNY Niagara Admissions Counselor, Denise Prohaska. Her co-host, Madison Ebsary, Coordinator of the Academic Center for Excellence, also brings a wealth of information and discussion topics to each episode.  In addition, while he may not have a lot to say, Tripp the Thunderwolf, SUNY Niagara’s beloved mascot, played an instrumental role in giving the podcast its unique name.

“Morning Thunder,” according to Ebsary, seeks to “Connect with SUNY Niagara students and provide a means of communication during this unique time in history.” She adds, “Our primary audience is our current SUNY Niagara students, but depending on the episode, we hope that employees, alumni, and the community will enjoy it, as well.”

Prohaska further explains, “This tool will allow us to remain current and in touch with our SUNY Niagara community.  We have such an amazing group of people on our staff who have expertise, experience, and knowledge to share.  Plus, with Madison as our interviewer, she brings out the best in our guests and creates a warm, open, inviting podcast. Our audience can listen to this information at any time or in any place.  ‘Morning Thunder’ will surely help all of us stay SUNY Niagara Strong.”

The range of topics are diverse and have already included a discussion with campus counselors about mental health practices, tips on prepping for finals with on-site academic coaches, and the impact of grades on students’ transferability and Financial Aid. Future episodes are currently being recorded and will include speaking to Program Coordinator, Aaron Cobaugh, about the Animal Management degree and his thoughts on the Netflix hit, “Tiger King.” Also in the works: a discussion about Workforce Development opportunities with Director Karen Kwandrans.

You can listen to “Morning Thunder” at your convenience by visiting the SUNY Niagara website at http://niagaracc.suny.edu/morning-thunder/ or by listening on the podcast platform, Spreaker, at https://www.spreaker.com/show/morning-thunder-nccc-podcast. The college community, especially students, are encouraged to email ace@niagaracc.suny.edu to pitch ideas about topics they’d like to hear.