Conversations with COJO
Conversations with COJO
sdsucojo
Bi-monthly podcast produced by students in the School of Communication and Journalism (COJO) at South Dakota State University featuring faculty, students, administrators and guest speakers from COJO courses and events.
Jason Hove
Student host Alex Olson interviews Jason Hove, SDSU's Assistant Athletic Director for Communications, about his path from college journalist to athletic communications professional, how sports information has changed, and how digital tools and AI are shaping the field.
May 8
20 min
Dr. Kevin Kessler
Student host Lydia Hill talks with Dr. Kevin Kessler, director of athletic bands and assistant professor of music, about his leadership of The Pride of the Dakotas Marching Band and his impact on music education at South Dakota State University.
Apr 24
37 min
Anna Peters
In this episode student host Claire Booth talks to Anna Peters, director of news and multimedia content at KELOLAND Media Group. She discusses the challenges of rural reporting, building trust with sources, the role of social media and ethics, and tips on how to get internships, craft strong stories, and grow in broadcasting.
Apr 10
31 min
Tyler Teal
Student Host Emily Attrill interviews photojournalist and COJO alum, Tyler Teal, about his path from Sioux Falls and college internships to working at KARE-11 in Minneapolis. He discusses mentorship, the learning curve of shooting and editing, and offers practical advice for aspiring journalists.
Mar 27
27 min
David Earnest - Part II
Student Host Amina Aidarkhanova wraps up her conversation with Dean David Earnest, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at South Dakota State University.
Mar 13
35 min
David Earnest
Student Host Amina Aidarkhanova talks with Dean David Earnest, dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at South Dakota State University. In this episode, they discuss leadership in higher education, the role of the humanities and social sciences today, and how programs like COJO prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
Feb 27
35 min
Wren Murphy
Student Host Ryann Davis talks with COJO alum Wren Murphy. Wren is a reporter at the Madison Daily Leader in Madison, South Dakota.  They graduated from SDSU in 2021 with a Bachelor of Arts in journalism with minors in Spanish and English.  Wren has worked at the Mobridge Tribune, The Beacon in Beulah, North Dakota, as well as the Collegian when they were a students.
Feb 13
23 min
Dr. Jamie Folsom
Our first episode of the new year features student host Emily DeCock talking with Dr. Jamie Folsom.  She is an Assistant Professor of American Indian and Indigenous Studies in the School of American & Global Studies at SDSU. Dr. Folsom is an experienced journalist, who also teaching journalism courses for COJO.
Jan 30
18 min
Miss SDSU Sydney Meissner
Student host Kyla Andvik talks with COJO student Sydney Meissner. Sydney was crowned Miss SDSU 2026 earlier this fall. She is a Communication Studies major with double minors in Spanish and theater from Rapid City, SD.
Dec 5, 2025
8 min
Tom Nieman
Student host Jordan Roemeling talks with Tom Nieman, an SDSU alum whose career began in broadcast journalism and expanded into sports reporting, play-by-play announcing and sales. Today, he serves as a Development Director at the SDSU Foundation for the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.
Nov 21, 2025
20 min
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