Swansea University has launched a new podcast series celebrating the success stories of its graduates and the inspiring journeys that began at Swansea.
Hosted by Absolute Radio DJ Andy Bush, who graduated from Swansea in 1998, The Making Of… podcast is a seven-part series featuring in-depth conversations with former Swansea students whose careers span public service, music, media, science, literature and environmental conservation.
Each episode explores guests’ experiences of university life, the career paths they pursued after graduation, and the ways their time at Swansea helped shape their professional journeys and leadership roles.
Listeners can watch or listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. The first episode premieres on Wednesday, 14 January, with new episodes released every Wednesday.
The first episode features Lara Hallett, who graduated in 2007 with a BSc in Psychology. Lara has built an international career leading communications and diplomacy teams across the USA, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. Her most recent role saw her serve as British Deputy Consul General in Los Angeles, overseeing political, cultural and economic relations across several US states.
Other guests featured in the series include:
- Nigerian-born singer, songwriter and producer Nonso Amadi, who graduated in Chemical Engineering in 2016 and has since amassed more than 20 million Spotify streams while founding a charity supporting children in Nigeria and Canada.
- Welsh surfer and documentary filmmaker Renee Godfrey, a Swansea Anthropology graduate and four-time Welsh surfing champion, who reflects on a career producing award-winning environmental films for the BBC, Netflix and National Geographic.
- Trish Kinane OBE, (English and Drama, 1974) who became one of the most influential figures in international television formats, including American Idol, X Factor and America’s Got Talent.
- Professor Heather Koldeway, a Swansea PhD graduate and marine biologist leading global ocean conservation initiatives.
- Poet and author Paul Millicheap, better known as Brian Bilston, a History graduate who has published multiple collections, including You Took the Last Bus Home, Alexaand Days Like These. He has also written a novel,Diary of a Somebody, which was shortlisted for a Costa First Novel Award.
- History graduate Jonny Owen is a writer, actor, producer, and filmmaker. His acting credits include Murphy’s Law, Shameless, and Torchwood, and he has directed acclaimed sports documentaries such as I Believe in Miracles and Don’t Take Me Home. Beyond film and television, Jonny is a director of Nottingham Forest FC and an investor in Merthyr Town FC.
Presenter Andy Bush said: “As a proud Swansea graduate myself, it’s been a real pleasure to meet fellow alumni and hear first-hand how their time at the University helped shape their futures. The breadth of talent and ambition to emerge from Swansea is genuinely inspiring, and I’m delighted to help share these stories, which together offer a compelling snapshot of Swansea University’s global alumni community and the diverse paths its graduates have taken.”