Neumann University’s Communications and Digital Media department is empowering creativity within students.
Two freshman students have been introduced into the Mullen Communication Center by creating their new radio show, “ADHD and Me.”
Rachel Straub and Allison Siravo, both freshman biology majors, have taken the initiative to create a radio show as a hobby.
Their journey with radio began when Straub was on the Mission and Ministry radio show, “Campus Ministry Hour” with Jillian Tutak and Guilherme Lopes, and their passion for radio was ignited.
The title “ADHD and Me” came from an idea that both Straub and Siravo felt encompassed and represented what their radio show would portray.
“We were trying to come up with a name,” stated Straub, “and we wanted to include ADHD in there because we felt like we just talk.”
The radio show consists of Straub and Siravo speaking on different topics throughout the hour-long program based on their guest appearances, with their favorite songs playing in between each segment.
Each week’s topics are curated and chosen based on the interests of each guest, bringing new and different topics to each radio show segment.
Prior to coming to Neumann, both Siravo and Straub had no experience in doing radio, yet have shown perseverance in learning the craft and creating their own radio show.
“ADHD and Me” airs every Wednesday from 7 pm to 8 pm on the NeuMedia app or on 98.5 WNUW, and each week has new topics and themes for the show, as well as guests.
The guests each week are different and their radio show has spoken about several different topics including girls scouts, religion, and biology. Guests have included Maggie Ensell and Angel Sims, both fellow students from the university. Both hosts are looking to expand and invite more guests to their weekly show.
Though neither Straub nor Siravo had plans of creating a radio show when coming to Neumann, they found comfort in having a creative space.
“It’s an escape. I feel like the major we’re in is so stressful and we just have work constantly for class, and we come to the media and the radio and it’s just fun,” Siravo stated.
Being biology majors, both hosts have a full workload; however, doing radio has allowed them to experience and learn new things outside their majors. Despite not having prior experience or a wish to take up a CDM major, they feel as being part of Neumann’s radio allows them to explore their different interests while not being stressed over the academic aspects of a CDM major.
When they had begun learning about radio and the technical aspects of hosting a radio show, Straub revealed that she was able to learn the mechanics by watching Youtube videos.
Although starting a radio show may sound intimidating, both co-hosts gave several tips: “[When creating a radio show] make sure you have stuff to talk about before you go on…having guests gives us something to talk about…and having a topic, but not limiting yourself to a topic. Keep yourself together..stay organized.”
For instance, before their show about the boy and girl scouts, they researched the mission of the organization and created a list of questions to keep the conversation moving for the entire hour. Both co-hosts are involved in girl scouts camps during the summer and were both interested in speaking about the subject. They were fortunate to find a fellow boy scouts camp scout leader as a guest for their show during that week, with Sims being the first female boy scouts leader in the East coast.
Neumann University and WNUW have opened new opportunities for their students, with Siravo and Straub’s journey to doing radio setting an example of going beyond one’s major and exploring different areas of interests. Many students feel the college years are the prime time to explore different areas, and with their creativity, Straub and Siravo have established new areas of interests they had not thought about before.