The UNLV Presidential Debate has been the catalyst for a boatload of campus initiatives, but only one of them is available on iTunes the next time you’re looking for something to distract you at the gym. 

“UNLV: Different, Daring, and Diverse” is a new student-run podcast. University Communications created the new podcast and partnered with a journalism class helmed by Greenspun College of Urban Affairs professor Frank Mueller as well as Las Vegas-based podcast producers Swell Story Media. 

Four students rotate hosting duties on the podcast: senior journalism majors Mallika Pal and Genevieve Grippo; senior communications major Ben Dimalibot; and senior marketing major Tre Norman. 

“It's UNLV-centric,” Pal said. “This is the first time UNLV is doing a podcast, and it happens to be the same time we're having the debate. After the debate is over, it's going to be on health-care related issues, business, all kinds of things campus life.”

The podcast, available on iTunes and Google Play, premiered Oct. 4 with snippets from President Len Jessup’s State of the University address. Student producers followed that up with an interview of the president by Pal and Jennifer Solis. The interview focused on the ongoing renaissance at UNLV, amid a flurry of construction and the new medical school; as well as the debate’s impact on campus. 

Led by UNLV Social Media Strategist Katy Griffin, the podcast was in the planning stages for two months before the first episode debuted. 

“My favorite part about working with this team is seeing how excited the students are to be a part of this project,” she said. “When you listen to an episode, what you're hearing are students conducting interviews. Each student is learning the art of storytelling in this format.”

Future episodes will touch on everything from gold-medal winner Connor Fields to the debate team to the Clark County School District essay contest inspired by the Presidential Debate to mental health issues.