Common Time, Fall 2023

Department of Fine and Performing Arts


Common Time

Common Time encourages students to meet one another across Fine and Performing Arts programs, build new relationships, discuss projects and learn about resources and opportunities.

Each Friday session meets from noon – 1 p.m. on Blackboard Collaborate. Links to join are below.


Friday, September 8, 2023 | noon – 1 p.m.

Podcasting: How to Conduct and Record an Interview

Host: Rob Thomas

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.

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.


Friday, September 22, 2023 | noon – 1 p.m.

Study Skills and Time Management

Host: Eric Wallack 

An interactive session full of practical and simple methods for maximizing your personal effectiveness.

Eric Wallack is a Professor of Music at Owens Community College. He is a specialist in plucked string instruments.


Friday, October 6, 2023 | noon – 1 p.m.

Pitch Perfect:
How to Hit the Right Notes with Your Professor (and Make Beautiful Music Together)

Host: Dr. Steve Culbertson

Join us to enter the mysterious and sometimes frustrating mind of a professor to discover the hidden secrets of the structure of a class session or its on-line equivalent.  Together, we will use a case study of the Harlem Renaissance to experience and document complex content.

Dr. Steven L. Culbertson is Professor of Humanities at Owens Community College, where he has taught a wide range of Humanities courses since 1990.  He holds a Ph.D. from Bowling Green State University. Currently, he also serves as Vice-President of the Board of the Edison Birthplace Association in Milan, Ohio. His primary area of research is recorded sound and its reproduction in the United States from 1877 until 1929.


Friday, October 20, 2023 | noon – 1 p.m.

Career vs Side Hustle

Host: Herbey Atkinson

Herbey Atkinson graduated with honors from Owens’ Music Business Technology program, served as an intern with OCCR, and he is now the full time OCCR Manager. Herbey was awarded an Inter Collegiate Broadcast System nomination for best celebrity interview.

Herbey is the host of Radio Picoso, a Latino music program that airs on Sundays from 1-5 p.m. on 103.9 WLEN in Adrian Michigan. He also is the lead producer, audio engineer and audio editor for The Conversations Podcast with Owens President Dr. Dionne Somerville. Herbey is owner of Impact Media Group of Michigan, specializing in audio production, live sound and mobile DJ services.


Friday, November 3, 2023 | noon – 1 p.m.

Preparing for your Internship

Host: Denise Grupp-Verbon

What should you be doing to prepare for your internship? Join us for a discussion of tips as you get closer to that exciting day!

Denise Grupp-Verbon is Internship Manager for the School of Liberal Arts. She has placed over 150 interns. She is a working harpist and performs with her husband in a harp and acoustic guitar duo called TAPESTRY.


Friday, November 17, 2023 | noon – 1 p.m.

Audio Engineer, Freelancing and Beyond!

Host: Josh Jump

What exactly does an Audio Engineer for an on-hold marketing company do? How can you help to make yourself a valuable asset to your employer or internship host?  How can you be open minded when it comes to job hunting?  Josh will also discuss the importance of personal projects and freelance work.

Josh Jump is a 2021 graduate of Owens Community College with an AAS in Music Business Technology. He is an Audio Engineer at MadAveGroup – a family of agencies, mostly geared toward Business Voice’s “On Hold Marketing” services.


Friday, December 1, 2023 | noon – 1 p.m.

Your Advisor is Here to Help!

Hosts: Adam Wagner 

What can my advisor do for me? Join Adam as he talks about Academic Advising at Owens, how students can take advantage of the help they offer, and how to best utilize your academic advisor to contribute to your success in college.

Adam Wagner is the Lead Academic Advisor for Liberal Arts at Owens Community College. He has a BA in English from Cedarville University and an MA in Literary and Textual Studies from Bowling Green State University. Adam has worked in Advising at Owens since 2019 and is proud to have been born and raised in Toledo, Ohio. In his free time, you can find Adam exploring the Metroparks, listening to Taylor Swift, and consuming all the latest Star Wars media.