Campus and Character Podcast

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Host David Magolis interviews Bloomsburg Mass Communications alum Dave Marra on the Campus and Character podcast after he speaks at the first day of the Confer Media Academy. Dave, a 1991 graduate, describes discovering the Macintosh computer while working for The Voice, building communication skills that helped launch a 30-year career, and now working as a senior systems engineer at Apple specializing in accessibility for vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive, and speech. He explains a typical workday presenting built-in accessibility features to educators, and shares how tools like text-to-speech aid everyday productivity. Dave stresses the importance of effective communication and encouraging others to improve. He also discusses his Porsche-focused freelance artwork, giving back, and his passion for Porsche history, plus rapid-fire answers about his childhood, jobs, cars, favorite band R.E.M., and advice about being a “big fish in a small pond” and doing what you love.

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On the Campus and Character podcast, host David Magolis interviews Steph, associate vice president of philanthropy and operations at the Bloomsburg University Foundation, about the new Confer Media Academy (an expanded version of the Confer Radio Talent Institute open to high school and college students) and how philanthropy supports Commonwealth/Bloomsburg. Steph explains the foundation’s role in cultivating alumni and donor relationships, connecting donors with students and faculty, and funding scholarships, faculty fellowships, and program support; she highlights misconceptions that foundations are only about money and stresses volunteering time and mentorship. She shares impact figures ($8.5 million supported last year, up from about $750,000 15 years ago), examples like $1.4 million for nursing simulation equipment, and how students apply for scholarships through Financial Aid starting in January. The episode ends with rapid-fire questions and a call to sponsor or get involved.

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Host David Magolis interviews Neil D’Amato on the Campus and Character podcast, beginning with light basketball banter before discussing Neil’s role as comptroller of the Community Government Association (CGA), a nonprofit affiliated with the university approaching its 100-year anniversary in 2027. Neil explains CGA’s operations, including distributing student fees through a budget process, running the university store, overseeing Honeysuckle housing, managing club accounts, and advising student government leaders alongside university co-advisors. He shares his background in accounting at Penn State, early career responsibility, and how he found the Bloomsburg position after work in banking and manufacturing. The conversation shifts to sports—especially Penn State college football amid NIL changes, plus Phillies/Yankees baseball and Joe Maddon’s leadership perspective—then rapid-fire questions about habits, favorite local restaurants, the Garden Tearoom, campus traditions like The Big Event, and leadership as student growth in different forms.

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Host David Magolis interviews returning guest Mason on the Campus and Character podcast about his expanding sports media work at Bloomsburg University. Mason and Noah Cook will call high school football games every Friday night at 6:45 on 91.1 WHSK, traveling to seven venues to cover 13 teams, and Mason emphasizes that opportunities often come from simply asking. He also discusses a new home-game football pregame video show, his busy schedule calling multiple BUSN sports, serving as sports editor for The Voice (buvoice.com), and producing the Talkin’ Bout Balls podcast weekly on Spotify and 91.1. They discuss local D1 prospects, Bloomsburg football’s outlook (new QB Zade Etheridge, improved kicking, losses at receiver), Mason’s Vikings fandom, college football’s NIL/transfer issues, spring coverage ideas, and end with rapid-fire questions.

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Host David Magolis welcomes back Chris to the Campus and Character podcast for a fall-semester conversation centered on sports and Chris’s senior-year plans. They discuss the Mets’ season, the Little League World Series experience and how championships hinge on pitching, hitting, and action, plus how few players reach the pros. Chris shares the outlook for Bloomsburg football, including transfer QB Zade Etheridge and a new kicker, and notes his play-by-play and color work on the PSAC Digital Network through football and basketball, then baseball in spring as a “farewell tour.” He describes refining reels, networking, and job searching, likely requiring a move away from Bloomsburg, and mentions work with MLB’s Global Events team at the Little League Classic. In rapid fire, he calls Derek Jeter overrated, praises work ethic (Juan Soto, LeBron), picks “Run This Town” as a walk-up song, and names Chipotle as his postgame meal.

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Host David Magolis interviews Warren on the Campus and Character Podcast. Warren joins from Berlin, Germany, two weeks into a two-month study-abroad internship at Berlin International University (renamed Wildcliffe), chosen to complement his dual majors in biology and political science. He explains his choice of Bloomsburg (now Commonwealth University) after a Pennsylvania school search and says he grew to love the campus through unexpected opportunities. Warren outlines his academic path—biology and political science (pre-law), with minors in professional sales and Black studies—and his career goals in biomedical sales and, later, law, with volunteer work for the NAACP. He lists extensive involvement in groups such as The Voice and CGA, discusses leadership in student recruitment, and describes winning first place and $3,500 in the Husky Dog Pound with “Fold Outfit,” a bag that becomes a shelf for changing in public spaces, including a provisional patent and manufacturing plans. Rapid-fire answers cover ambition, favorite staff, 3D printing, advice to “stand out,” inspiration from Eileen Gu, Tri Pi pizza, and studying in The Voice office.

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Host David Mogolis interviews Paige on the Campus and Character podcast after she is named the #1 public relations student at Commonwealth University Bloomsburg Campus. Paige shares that she started college planning to study pharmacy at Wilkes University, transferred to Bloomsburg to pursue mass communications because she wanted a more people-centered environment, and previously earned college credits while still in high school through attending Bloomsburg classes. She explains why she chose PR, describes two internships (PR for Bloomsburg’s art galleries and social media/marketing for 10 Mile Mushrooms), and discusses lessons about art and campus engagement. Paige talks about balancing coursework, jobs, and career planning, building connections while taking many online classes, and relying on support from her family and advisor. She enjoys reading and rescuing cats, hopes to work in education-related roles, and dreams of a future supervisory job in a warmer, beachside area.

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Host David Magolis interviews Maddie on the Campus and Character podcast as the semester ends, recognizing her as the top journalism student in the media and journalism program at Commonwealth University–Bloomsburg. Maddie explains her choice of Bloomsburg for its hands-on media program and real-world technology, and shares her interest in storytelling, journalism, and video production. She describes an internship as lead videographer at All-Star Sports Academy, creating promotional content, a branding portfolio final project to market herself as a graduating senior, and extensive involvement in the National Broadcasting Society (secretary for three years), The Voice student newspaper, the honors college, Young Life, and studying abroad twice. She discusses leadership challenges around collaboration, advice to get involved and learn from current leaders, overcoming rejection when interviewing people, pride in producing a new sports pre-game show, and plans to seek broadcasting/video work near Doylestown/Philadelphia, plus rapid-fire favorites and networking advice.

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Host David Magolis interviews Meg on the Campus and Character Podcast about her path to Bloomsburg University and her leadership growth through sports media. Meg, who lives about 45 minutes away and works seasonally as a waitress, explains she chose Bloomsburg after dual enrollment and a banking job showed her she didn’t want desk work. A lifelong athlete (basketball, track/javelin, softball), she channels her interest in sports into media production, working with BUSN on many sports and enjoying camera work, directing, and replay. She is interning with Service Electric covering high school sports in similar roles and is considering a sport management minor. Meg discusses leadership challenges like finding where you fit, goals to narrow her post-grad plans (graduating next spring), her Philly sports fandom, and rapid-fire favorites and inspirations.

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Host Dave Magolis sits down with Nick on the Campus and Character podcast to discuss why he chose Commonwealth University–Bloomsburg—citing its distance from his hometown of Clarks Summit, affordability, and the moment he discovered his major after hearing Dr. Inch speak on digital forensics and cybersecurity. Nick outlines the program’s strong forensics emphasis, warns against overreliance on “push-button forensics,” and explains how digital evidence work often intersects with law enforcement, including the mental-health challenges that can come with exposure to disturbing material.

He also highlights his campus involvement, serving as secretary of the Digital Forensics/Bloomsburg Cyber Defense Club, helping build a server room for hands-on enterprise experience, and leading activities like analyzing a Nintendo console’s storage. Beyond tech, Nick is pursuing minors in music and music technology, performs in vocal ensembles and the Take Note a cappella group, and contributes to the radio club. For his honors capstone, he plans to produce a radio show focused on improving tech literacy.

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