When the news of COVID-19 broke in March and everything was abruptly interrupted, Athena Reynolds was finishing her last semester with a full-time schedule of five classes that included 
calculus. “I have a son who is eight. We didn’t have a pandemic growing up. How do you explain a pandemic to a child? It’s just insane to explain this to a child.”
Summer Hom acknowledges how Reynold’s feels and said, “Exactly! Especially when we are all just trying to figure it all out at the same time.”
Athena continues while laughing, “I don’t even know where April went. I blinked, and April was gone!”
This conversation is a quick snippet of episode 2 of the Cochise Convos podcast, a new podcast led by students in the Alpha Mu Zeta chapter of Phi Theta Kappa for their Honors in Action project. Hosted by Summer Hom, a sophomore pursuing an associate of arts degree in liberal arts with a focus in journalism, the podcast documents the experiences of Cochise campus community members during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We couldn’t execute our initial plan for the Honors In Action project in a way that follows the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for social-distancing, so I suggested the idea of a podcast,” recalled Hom.
Each week’s episode features a student, faculty, staff member, or alumni who share their insight and tips on approaching distance learning challenges, teleworking, mental health, and socialization during the pandemic. “To date, I’ve interviewed 17 guests,” said Hom. “We have guests from diverse backgrounds on the show. Many who are studying everything from fine arts to STEM fields and some are non-traditional students as well.”
Cochise Convos started around early June and continues to shine a light on what’s happening throughout the fall semester. “I wasn’t seeing much media coverage that documented how college students were adjusting to the consequences of the pandemic,” said Hom. “College is a highly dynamic and transitional time, where you’re not quite a professional, yet you’re not exactly a juvenile, and your responsibilities mirror that duality. Because of this, the pandemic’s influence adds another layer of complications to an already complex phase of life.”
In episode 8, Hom speaks with Devon Williams, a nursing student who just finished his first year in the program. As Williams reflected on his experience, he shared how his coursework, clinicals, and hands-on learning adapted when the pandemic impacted the local area. He said, “we had to convert quickly and learn through virtual simulations. However, I understood that we had to transition and be lenient to protect ourselves and to protect others.”
Jennifer Wantz, Phi Theta Kappa Advisor – Alpha Mu Zeta Chapter, said, “One of my favorite things about being an advisor for Phi Theta Kappa is encouraging students to achieve their dreams and goals. Through Summer’s efforts, this project has become a digital time capsule of student experiences that will allow us to learn from the opportunities and challenges of this year.”
As the podcast host, Hom discovered many similarities between each guest on how they managed their experience during COVID-19. Especially experiences that affected their mental health and socialization. “Everyone is struggling with some type of hardship, both pre-existing and those initiated by the pandemic,” said Hom. “Let’s take the time to be courteous and respectful to one another. This year wasn’t what we planned, but it is the year we’ve been given. Let’s make the most of it and not let it go to waste.”
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If you have a few minutes, the podcast is available on the Cochise College YouTube channel. Look for new episodes to launch on Wednesdays. Listeners will discover inspiring new perspectives and conversations that build community.