Podcast alert: ‘Saxion Heroes’

Hey Artur! Can you tell me a little bit about yourself and why you’re doing the podcast? 

''I am working as a student recruitment officer at the International Office and, very easily said, my job is to inform potential students and partners abroad about the opportunities of Saxion. In that job I am talking to students, I interview people and share stories from students anyways, that's why we decided to also record those stories for a change and make a podcast about it.''

''I have been an international student of Saxion myself and that also means that I can ask specific questions and relate to the students and alumni quite well. Also I travelled to most of the countries where we have international students or international alumni from so I can relate to their background a bit more. But most of all I do it because I am really curious about all the different stories and I really like this project because of that!''

Why was the podcast created and who do you think will listen to it the most? 

''I think everybody who is interested in the international life at Saxion should listen to it as it really gives a lot of insights into the everyday life of international students at Saxion. But also, more importantly, what students do with their Saxion diploma afterwards as this is a big questions for potential students from abroad.''

''Potential students get a lot of insights through those stories, but in the end you also study in order to increase your job opportunities after your study. So that’s what we also want to show, more stories of people who graduated a few years ago, to let them show their good examples and best practices. There are very nice examples I can tell you and I really believe that this will give a lot of insights to potential and current international students of Saxion.''

So that's also where the name “Saxion heroes” comes from? 

''Yes, basically that's the reason. It really resonated with a lot of people as in the end it really is like that: through a study at Saxion you can be the hero of your future. The stories of our alumni are the perfect example for that as each and every one of them has been and still is their own hero of their future with their individual story. '' 

And does each episode also have a specific theme to it? What kind of topics are covered? 

''It's our aim to show an unpolished version of the stories, also including all the potential struggles during and after the study at Saxion. For example I always also ask about their biggest challenges when studying at Saxion. I have been an international student myself and of course not every day is sweetness and light all the time. We really want to share an authentic story and not some marketing speech or whatever, that`s also what we tell every person before recording the podcast. Literally anything is allowed to share in the podcast as long as we put it in perspective. The only thing that we want to aim for is to share as many different stories as possible, basically from every study programme and nationality that we have at Saxion. ''

So it’s really about showcasing about as much of what Saxion has to offer to these students? 

''Yes, exactly that! It’s also relatable when you recognize things when you are a first year student, for example. The target group for the podcast is anyone who is interested but I would say it is particularly interesting for the people who are on the verge of studying at Saxion in the upcoming September. New students sometimes can be overwhelmed and even insecure, especially international students because they are not only going to a new university but also to a new country. Of course everybody is excited about that, but also everybody deep inside wonders: “Will I really make it, am I able to do it?”. And then they see senior students or even alumni, being confident and easy going and sometimes that makes them even more insecure as it looks impossible to them to ever be like that. With this podcast we exactly want to show that those “heroes” have also started small back then and that everybody can reach their goals and be the hero of their personal story.''

What do you enjoy the most when making this podcast? 

''Definitely hearing all the different stories, that’s not particular only for the podcast but that’s something I really like about my job anyways. That you get in touch with a lot of people and their stories. Right now, I talked to a lot of alumni whom I didn’t know before so it’s very interesting to hear what kind of stuff they are doing. Also it gives me a lot of new perspectives about studying at Saxion. Funnily, a lot of people also say that only a few years after studying at Saxion they realized what they were actually learning through their study. For example: ‘When I was a student I didn’t particularly like group work but right now I see what it gave me, what added value it was.’ So that’s a nice thing, it’s just very interesting to listen to all the people because they work in very diverse branches. It’s really an authentic discussion where I ask what I am curious about myself. Of course we have certain fixed topics we try to cover during the podcast, but how exactly we cover those questions is very different per podcast. It’s broadening my own horizon as well and I like that very much!''

I think if people give it a listen they will broaden their horizons as well! Do you have any comments for people on the verge of listening to the podcast? 

''Just listen to it! The worst thing that can happen is that you can learn something about another story and get inspired by that for half an hour or so. When you like listening to people you should listen to the podcast, very simple. And especially when you are considering a study at Saxion right now and you’re maybe not so sure about the future then listen to it. Also when you’re a teacher at Saxion and want to hear some stories, just go for it. I would not know a single person who should not be interested in that podcast as it also covers a lot about personal development, personal journeys etc. and I think that’s something everyone can get inspired by. ''

*The podcast is available on Spotify. In case you don't have access to Spotify, the podcast is available on Soundcloud too.