Forty-four percent of the U.S. population listened to a podcast in 2018, according to Nielsen. Capitalizing on the popularity of this medium, two DePaul business professors are using podcasts not only to educate, but also to enlighten listeners about issues in their respective areas of expertise: hospitality leadership and accountancy.
“The Hospitality Spirit”
“People who work in the hospitality and tourism industry have a great spirit—a sense to serve,” says Associate Professor Nicholas Thomas, director of the School of Hospitality Leadership. “The idea behind the podcast is to bring in a huge cross-section of people from the hospitality and tourism industry and have a conversation.”
Thomas created his podcast, “The Hospitality Spirit,” to drive awareness of the industry, act as a teaching tool and draw attention to programming at the School of Hospitality Leadership. Thomas has interviewed leaders from various segments of the hospitality and tourism industry, discussing with his guests their personal experiences, insights, industry trends and advice for those looking to make a career in hospitality.
“What makes this podcast so interesting is that the topics are wildly varied and unique,” says Thomas. “Whether our guests are entrepreneurs or work in food and beverage, hotel management or meeting and event planning, they bring a huge range of life experiences. As long as we are having fun and producing great content, we will keep on sharing the hospitality spirit.”
Listen to the podcast at SoundCloud (below) or Spotify and iTunes.
“Dupe of the Week”
“A ‘dupe’ occurs when you unexpectedly fall victim to something that seems natural,” says Associate Professor of Accountancy Kelly Richmond Pope, “like when you bury your loved one and the funeral home puts extra charges on your bill, or when you return an item for a gift card and it is empty because the cashier put the return on their own gift card.”
In “Dupe of the Week,” Pope and her cohost, Bill “Professor Fraud” Kresse, a Governors State University assistant professor, provide weekly stories about deception in business, politics, education, nonprofits and even love. Some of the topics are timely, like the failed Fyre Festival that resulted in a multi-million-dollar lawsuit, while others are timeless, cautionary tales.
“There are so many different types of dupes out there that our weekly short segments can be very helpful,” says Pope. “I use the podcasts to educate my students about forensic accounting, and I hope professionals can use them in the classroom, at brown-bag meetings or in training sessions.”
Pope and Kresse interview fraud experts, people who have been duped and, in some cases, the people who perpetrated the fraud. “We provide a one-of a-kind look at every aspect of a fraud,” says Pope. “This podcast not only entertains, but helps protect you from becoming a victim.”
“Dupe of the Week” is available on iTunes. Follow @dupeoftheweek on Twitter.
By Andrew Zamorski
