I was three weeks into my first semester working at The Prospector. After taking a sports story, the previous multimedia editor at the time, Adam Regalado, tapped me on the shoulder and asked if I could join him on UTEP’s student media podcast.
I had never been more excited to say yes.
Little did I know that in a couple of months, I would go from guest to host of The Prospector podcast, and to say that it’s a fun job is truly an understatement.
The reality is that hosting The Prospector podcast has been one of my greatest feats as a college student. I’ve been able to see people grow with on-camera skills firsthand, I’ve been at the center of many discussions that end in bursts of laughter, and most importantly, I’ve seen people laugh at our conversations and get a boost from the positive energy that echoes through our mics.
A multitude of reasons come to mind why I think UTEP’s podcast is unmatched. I’ll start with the people involved. Sitting to the far right of the table in every episode from start to finish is Cameron Mason and Kristian Hernandez.
Cameron, or as we at The Prospector call him, Cam, has been the living definition of a day-one friend. I met him in my junior year of high school, we were working on the school’s video announcements.
At the time, Cam was on the football team, meaning he had no reason to become friends with me. That didn’t stop him though, simply because he’s a good person who’s always willing to help.
After the first budget meeting of the semester, he walked up to me offering to be my co-host, introducing a tandem non-existent in the previous years of The Prospector Podcast.
Plus, he also takes tough jokes well. Cam if you’re reading this, I promise episode three is the last time I’ll mention your last relationship, however, this story doesn’t count.
Kristian, on the other hand, I’ve only known this semester, but it feels like he’s been a friend for longer. I got to know Kristian at first because he was always willing to lend a helping hand, he was always at the office and had great advice that he’d share with me.
With a media background from EPCC, Kristian’s credentials are far more expansive than any title put on him can encapsulate. He knows camera work, annunciation, directing and podcasting to a tee. What he doesn’t know, which is very few, he’s always willing to learn and grow.
The most important part of our chemistry that makes the podcast distinct in the best way, is that we recognize that we’re college students. Our voices deserve to be heard, and we deserve to have fun. We’re always open to talking about serious issues, but we can’t ignore the fun topics, or slight digs at each other that make the experience fun.
When going back and listening or watching some of the previous seasons, the tag “for the students, by the students,” has an omnipotent presence. I’m glad to say that ideology is still alive and well.
Upon starting your journey at UTEP, know that at The Prospector Podcast, there will always be an open seat at the table. Our arms will always be extended to welcome new listeners and new guests. So just like we do at the table, don’t be scared to speak up.
Sebastian Perez-Navarro is the multimedia editor for the Prospector and can be reached at [email protected].
