Linscheid Library Blog

Faculty Spotlight: Ken Hada

Main take-away: Academic expertise can be shared with the public, with sometimes unexpected results!

Related links

• The Sunday Poems Podcast (opens a new tab)
• Dr. Hada's website (opens a new tab)

If you would like your research or creative work featured in a blog post, please contact Marla at mlobley@ecok.edu.

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Faculty Spotlight: Ken Hada, Professor, English & Languages

Dr. Hada produces a weekly podcast called "The Sunday Poems." 

Question: What inspired you to start a podcast?

Answer: "People are constantly bombarded by a deafening noise, so when they take a moment to listen, it is valuable."

Question: What do you want listeners to take away?

Answer: "A quiet sense of satisfaction and an affirmed sense of self. It has become a ritual experience for myself as much as listeners."

Question: What preparations are involved in making the podcast?

Answer: "I want to choose poems that can be naturally performed." He chooses poems based on his experiences rather than artificially portraying someone else's. "I want to keep it as fresh and improvised as possible." He is usually inspired by what he is feeling that day. "I often get up before sunrise on Sundays and read the chosen poems as the sun comes up."

Question: Has anything surprised you about making a podcast or about listeners' responses?

Answer: "It soon became clear from external and internal feedback that it held a powerful moment of freedom when listeners can take a moment to listen, to hear a voice. Some people have called it "church", saying it has become a form of Sunday service."

Listen to Dr. Hada's podcast for yourself by searching for The Sunday Poems in your podcast app or by visiting anchor.fm/ken-hada. Learn more about Dr. Hada's work at kehada.org. Visit the library to learn more about poetry or creating your own podcast!