Common Time

September 4 | Noon – 1 p.m.

Create your own podcast featuring an interview. Rob will cover the basic, and surprisingly easy technical elements, as well as how to conduct an engaging interview.

Host: Rob Thomas is the Broadcast Media and Technology lead instructor and advisor for the Owens OutComm Student Media Center. He has over 35 years of experience as a multimedia producer in the broadcast, marketing, and communications industries, working with both for-profit and not-for-profit businesses.

September 18 | Noon – 1 p.m.

Every creative project tells a story—and your portfolio is the story of you as a creator. Join us for an interactive workshop designed to help students build portfolios that feel professional, authentic, and memorable. We’ll explore what employers notice, how to showcase your strongest work, personal branding, AI tools for polishing materials, elevator pitches, and strategies for presenting your creativity with confidence.

Host: Jen Hazel is a Professor of English at Owens Community College, where she has served for 19 years. She teaches a broad range of courses, including Creative Writing, English Composition, Mass Media, Media Influencing, World Religions, Honors English, Literature, and Business and Technical Writing. As a published poet, she is committed to supporting emerging writers and advancing creative expression within the academic community.

Professor Hazel has led numerous academic and institutional initiatives aimed at improving student success, strengthening curriculum, and enhancing campus and community engagement. Her past work includes revitalizing the advising program, developing a comprehensive new student orientation, expanding mentoring opportunities for students, and co-leading the development of a co-requisite Composition I model with accompanying professional development workshops for faculty. More recently, she co-created the Oregon Road Film Series with another professor, which includes the annual ORFS Film Challenge, and she oversees the publication of The Silo, a creative arts journal featuring student and alumni work. In partnership with the Library Director, she also co-founded and leads The BIG Read, a campus- and community-wide initiative designed to foster dialogue and promote diverse perspectives through literature.

In addition to her instructional and creative work, Professor Hazel leads campus-wide student learning assessment efforts to ensure alignment with accreditation standards and, most importantly, to promote meaningful evidence of student learning across disciplines. She also serves as the Humanities Department Faculty Fellow, during which she developed three new academic certificate programs.

Throughout her career, Professor Hazel has remained dedicated to fostering transformative learning experiences. She values the opportunity to guide students toward discovery, growth, and what she describes as their “Ah-ha!” moments—particularly those that emerge through writing, creativity, and critical inquiry.

October 2 | Noon – 1 p.m.

Students have mastered a game of checking off boxes defined by someone else. College and work hand them no such boxes. This session covers the skills needed to be successful in the classroom and beyond.

Host: Michael Vanderpool is a lifelong learner, educator, entrepreneur, and consultant whose career has centered on helping people grow through education and technology. After earning a bachelor’s degree from Oakland University and a Master of Education in Learning Design and Technology from Bowling Green State University, he worked across industries, including instructional design, software development education, graphic design, and curriculum architecture. Michael has taught video production and visual communication, supported coding bootcamp instruction at The Software Guild, led the Visual Communication / Graphic Design program at Northwest State Community College, and developed workforce training content in software development, data analytics, and cloud computing. In August 2024, he became Assistant Professor of Graphic Design at Defiance College.

October 16 | Noon – 1 p.m.

Imposter syndrome tells you that you don’t belong and that everyone else has it more figured out than you do — and it’s wrong. Josh Jump, Studio Manager at MadAveGroup’s Family of Agencies, joins COMMON TIME to share an honest and humorous look at his own unexpected career journey and how to turn self-doubt into your secret weapon.

Host: Josh Jump is a 2021 graduate of Owens Community College with an A.A.S. in Music Business Technology. He is the Studio Manager at MadAveGroup’s Family of Agencies, where he oversees audio production across a wide range of applications.

October 30 | Noon – 1 p.m.

How did Randomosity get started? What were the struggles? Learn about how a collective of Owens Community College professors, staff, and students, helped spark the marketing and promotions flame that ushered in a new era of social media and community awareness for what students have the opportunity to accomplish and become a part of at Owens Community College.

 Host: Joe Smith is a Broadcast Media Technology graduate from Owens Community College. When he walked into the studios at OCCR and cracked the mic to go on the air, he became Dr. Jay Thomas. He was the creator, producer, and host of the award-winning ‘Randomosity – Toledo’s ONLY Vinyl Radio Show’ from the Fall of 2020 through the Spring of 2025. During it’s over 200 episode run, the program was nominated every year for national awards and recognition through the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System and locally became a multi-year nominee and winner of Best Radio Show for 2022 and 2023 and Best Podcast three years in a row between 2022 and 2024 through the Toledo City Paper. The show was nominated for a total of 11 total awards across the board, five national, six local, and five total wins. When the program concluded, it became the most successful show in OCCR history, and one of the most recognized of the Owens Community College Creative Arts and Media programs. Joe is currently studying for a Bachelor of Communication and Radio Studies at Ohio University.

November 13 | Noon – 1 p.m.

Host: Todd “T.J.” Tressler