Major Insight: Behind the microphone

For many college students, finding a path on campus can be overwhelming. This is especially true at Miami University, with more than 600 clubs and organizations to choose from. That is exactly the conversation that “Major Insight,” a podcast about successfully navigating college and finding purpose on campus, focuses on.

“I think there’s so much validation that can be found just in hearing someone say, ‘I have struggled with the exact same thing that you did,’” Maggie Snee, former podcast host, said. “My [first] year I was here, I had my friends, but at the same time I felt isolated.”

Last year, Snee was the sitting host of “Major Insight” until she graduated in the spring. As a zoology major, Snee never felt that she might be the host of a podcast, but she knew what it was like to feel lost on campus, and she wanted to help other students find their places.

She added that this collaborative platform was created for exactly that reason. Since 2019, it has been a safe space for students of all majors and grades to express what they have struggled with and how they overcame it.

Snee shared how her “Major Insight” experiences have impacted her for life. Snee recently lined up her next internship at the Toledo Zoo, following her experiences at both the Cincinnati Zoo and the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery.

At the end of the 2024-2025 school year, Snee and James Loy, the executive producer, gave Michaela Buck the news that she would be the new host of “Major Insight.”

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Buck is a senior journalism and political science major. She heard about the job posting soon after telling her friends about her dream of starting a podcast. Buck said that this opportunity came at the perfect time for her. After her initial interview, she met with Loy three more times and met Nate Jorgensen, Miami’s senior director of marketing. Buck was offered the job of host after this process.

She gathered with Snee and Loy soon after to film an episode where Snee passed down the microphone and position to Buck. The two hosts shared bittersweet feelings about the uncertainty of college life and the time coming after it.

Today, the “Major Insight” team includes four class of 2026 members: Michaela Buck as host, Katie Caleodis as senior producer, Gianna Colarich as promotions and art director and Kayla Angus as assistant producer.

Buck said she admired the podcast’s ability to bring her into conversations with people she ordinarily wouldn’t interact with.

“Something I do love about this podcast in particular is how we cultivate so many different opinions and experiences of college life,” Buck said. “The main criteria we look for is just someone who has maximized their potential on campus and really gotten involved in different things.”

Both Buck and Loy said the ideal guest is one who has maximized their college experience and has gone through a journey of discovery, getting to where they are now. This makes the podcast relatable to high schoolers planning ahead, college students figuring out their paths and parents who want to learn about college in the 21st century. The latest guest on the podcast was editor-in-chief of The Miami Student, Olivia Patel.

“Major Insight” has paired with multiple areas of campus, including the Office of the Provost, the Office of Admission and the Department of Media, Journalism and Film. The university helps fund resources to keep the podcast running, as it is a communications and marketing tool for the university. However, each episode comes with a disclaimer that the views and opinions expressed are those of students rather than the university itself.

The work of this small team includes creating, planning, recording, audio editing and advertising. It has led them to receive a variety of awards: 5 CASE Awards, a Public Relations Society of America Blacksmith Award, and 2 Ragan/PR Daily Nonprofit Communications Awards.

The award-winning podcast can be accessed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

“It’s really for anyone who’s looking for advice, guidance, inspiration, or just to not feel alone in the college experience, or just ways to find out what opportunities exist,” Loy said. “Make the most of it.”

Duganec@miamioh.edu