March (Audio) Madness! Here are the finalists in NPR's College Podcast Challenge

"A student's personal narrative of what it's like to earn a college degree while at the same time raising a child. A look back at the rich sounds and music of a New York City neighborhood, recorded by a recording artist in the 1950s. Feelings of loss and displacement among the lifelong residents of a Georgia town when their community became a popular vacation hot spot. These and other compelling stories, chosen from hundreds of entries we received this year, have been named the finalists in our fifth annual NPR College Podcast Challenge."

"The list of colleges on this year's list is dominated by newcomers, and represents a full range of institutions: large public universities, smaller private colleges, and one community college: Highline Community College in Des Moines, Wash. We also have two returning schools: the second appearance in a row on the list for Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, and the return of Boston University for the first time since 2022."

"We received podcasts this year from students at 75 colleges in 35 states. The NPR education team listened to all of them to narrow them down to the list of finalists below. Each finalist will receive a $500 cash prize, and our grand prize winner, $5,000. Our champion, as well as many of the finalist podcasts, will appear on NPR podcasts and programs, including Morning Edition and All Things Considered, in the coming weeks."

NPR announced the finalists for its fifth annual College Podcast Challenge, receiving submissions from students at 75 colleges in 35 states. The competition features 10 finalist podcasts covering diverse topics including a student balancing college and parenthood, archival recordings of 1950s New York City music, and community displacement in a Georgia town. The finalist pool includes newcomer institutions alongside returning schools like Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Boston University. Each finalist receives $500, with the grand prize winner receiving $5,000. The winning podcasts will be featured on NPR programs including Morning Edition and All Things Considered. Additionally, 35 standout podcasts received Honorable Mention awards.

Read at www.npr.org