Contributed by Adam Cockfield

Adam Cockfield is a senior sales major graduating this May.

Adam Cockfield, a senior sales major at Southeastern, is turning his college experience into something bigger than himself through a student podcast focused on faith.

Cockfield created his podcast, Padres Playlist, after noticing what he felt was a gap in media for college-aged Catholics. 

He said he wanted to offer a perspective that reflects the challenges students face today, especially in college.

“I felt like that was an area that didn’t have a lot of representation; there should be a new voice out there to speak into that topic, especially with the different challenges people face now,” he said.  

The podcast, which releases about every other week, features conversations with other students about faith and personal experiences. 

Cockfield said he works closely with friends and brings on different guests, including fellow students, to help shape each episode. 

Some discussions focus on personal faith journeys, while others explore topics that are not always widely understood.

“We’ve talked about things that people might not fully understand, even within the faith. It’s really about having honest conversations and learning from each other.”

Cockfield said the podcast has grown since its start early in the school year, with certain episodes gaining more attention than expected. He said seeing that response has made him more confident in continuing the project.

“It makes me excited and optimistic to see people actually engaging with it, even if we don’t get the most views, likes, comments or subscribers, we reach someone, and that’s what matters.”

While the topics vary, Cockfield said his main goal is to create a sense of connection for listeners navigating similar experiences in college.

“The main thing that I want listeners to get out of my podcast is to know that you’re not alone, there are so many other people trying to stay true to their faith and grow, even when it’s not easy.”

Cockfield produces and edits the podcast himself, balancing it with coursework and preparing for graduation in May. 

He said starting the podcast came with a learning curve, particularly when it came to filming, editing and organizing episodes, but campus resources helped him get started.

“Don’t let fear hold you back. If you’re looking to start a podcast or any other project, the iHub is a great resource. They set everything up for you, so it makes it a lot easier, especially if you’re just starting.”

He said encouragement from friends played a big role in getting the podcast off the ground, pushing him to follow through on an idea he was initially hesitant to pursue.

“I didn’t want to start it at first, but I had a friend who told me to just go ahead and do it. Now it’s something I really enjoy, and I don’t see an end in sight.” 

As he looks ahead to graduation, Cockfield said he plans to continue the podcast while expanding its audience to include young adults beyond college students.

He said the message will remain the same, even as his audience grows.“I still want it to be something that applies to college students, but also to people figuring out life after college,” he said.

Cockfield said the most rewarding part of the experience has been hearing that others are connecting with the content. “If you put the work in, hearing that someone actually benefited from it shows that nothing is done in vain; this is something I wish I saw from more people our age,” he said. 

Students can watch Padres Playlist on YouTube, where new episodes continue to be released.