An academic history podcast becoming a massive hit sounds unlikely. But Dr. Greg Jackson’s success shows that depth, consistency, and craft can find a huge audience.

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen talk with Dr. Greg Jackson, creator and host of History That Doesn’t Suck, about taking history beyond the ivory tower without sacrificing rigour. Greg shares how storytelling, consistency, and a clear sense of purpose shape his long-form, deeply researched approach. They also get into the work behind the show, resisting podcast trends, and why making knowledge more accessible doesn’t have to mean making it less substantial.

Episode Links:

• Listen to History That Doesn't Suck
• Connect with Greg Jackson
• Buy Greg's Book: Been There, Done That: How Our History Shows What We Can Overcome

Connect with Us:

• Share Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.com
• Learn More: Continuing Studies Podcast
• Follow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn Page
• Join LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters Network
• Connect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or jpodcreations@gmail.com
• Connect w/ Neil: LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.com
• Twitter: @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastco
• Youtube
• HigherEdPods

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (03:18) - Meet Dr. Greg Jackson
• (03:40) - Media disruption and the rise of podcasting
• (06:18) - The episode production process
• (06:41) - From tenure track to podcasting
• (08:42) - Taking history beyond the ivory tower
• (10:43) - Making rigorous history accessible
• (13:06) - What drove the show’s growth
• (16:56) - Scaling the show with a small team
• (18:41) - Writing, research, and production
• (21:19) - Why following the rules can make you generic
• (22:16) - Staying true to your strengths
• (25:35) - Advice for academics starting a podcast
• (27:01) - Using popular culture to spark historical curiosity
• (28:43) - Conclusion

Build the studio, and they’ll come… right? Not necessarily. A successful podcast studio starts with solving a real need and giving people the support to actually use the space.

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen talk with Emily Sikora from Penn State about how she built the Podcast Lounge by starting with the user experience, not the technology. Emily shares how simple onboarding, hands-on support, and thoughtful planning help students and faculty feel confident creating, keeps them coming back, and is building podcasting culture across Penn State.

Episode Links:

• Learn more about the Podcast Lounge
• Connect with Emily

Connect with Us:

• Share Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.com
• Learn More: Continuing Studies Podcast
• Follow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn Page
• Join LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters Network
• Connect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or jpodcreations@gmail.com
• Connect w/ Neil: LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.com
• Twitter: @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastco
• Youtube
• HigherEdPods

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (03:32) - Empowering students to record
• (04:34) - Inside Penn State’s Podcast Lounge
• (08:41) - Building the studio around a problem
• (11:25) - Getting people through the door
• (12:21) - Why they keep coming back
• (15:18) - Designing for confidence and independence
• (19:35) - Supporting editing and production
• (21:21) - Building a campus podcasting ecosystem
• (23:15) - A Podcast Lounge success story
• (25:58) - Conclusion

How does podcasting fit into MIT’s goal of reaching one billion learners?

In this episode of Continuing Studies, Neil and Jen talk with Mary Ellen Wiltrout from MIT about MIT Learn, open learning, and how podcasts can make world-class expertise feel more accessible and human. Mary Ellen shares how MIT is experimenting with podcasts, short videos, and other formats to reach learners beyond traditional courses, and why audio can help audiences connect with the people behind the research. They also discuss Beyond Biology, storytelling in science, measuring impact beyond downloads, and how podcasting can spark curiosity, open doors, and remind listeners that even MIT experts are real people with unexpected paths.

Episode Links:

• Learn more about MIT DELTA
• Connect with Mary Ellen Wiltrout
• Listen to Beyond Biology
• Listen to our episode with Brett Paci of MIT OpenCourseWare

Connect with Us:

• Share Feedback & Ask Questions: hello@continuingstudiespodcast.com
• Learn More: Continuing Studies Podcast
• Follow: Continuing Studies LinkedIn Page
• Join LinkedIn Group: University Podcasters Network
• Connect w/ Jen: LinkedIn or jpodcreations@gmail.com
• Connect w/ Neil: LinkedIn or neil@podiumpodcastco.com
• Twitter: @namcphedran / @podiumpodcastco
• Youtube
• HigherEdPods

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:35) - Meet Mary Ellen Wiltrout
• (02:58) - From biology to online learning
• (08:21) - What is MIT DELTA?
• (10:12) - MIT’s one billion learners goal
• (12:39) - Where podcasting fits in
• (14:04) - Making MIT feel more human
• (16:20) - Building the MIT Learn Podcast Network
• (18:51) - Beyond Biology
• (21:23) - Measuring impact beyond downloads
• (24:41) - Conclusion