The Sound Bearier
The Sound Bearier seeks to acquaint listeners with Northeast State Community College news and events. Our hosts Mackenzie Moore-Gent, Matt Poole, and Thomas Wilson interview staff, faculty, students, and alumni to bring you the latest in all things Northeast State! *** All opinions expressed by the hosts and guests of "The Sound Bearier" are solely their opinions and do not necessarily reflect the official position or opinions of Northeast State Community College. Any content provided by our hosts or guests is for educational purposes. Northeast State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award the associate degree. Northeast State also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Northeast State Community College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).
Episodes
In this season finale of The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent turn the microphone toward someone usually behind the scenes: sound technician and Northeast State alumnus Jordi Barradas.
A graduate of the College’s Entertainment Technology program, Jordi shares how his time at Northeast State helped shape his path from student to staff member and how hands-on learning prepared him for a career in a...
No two paths in emergency medical services are exactly alike, but they're all united by one goal: helping others.
In this episode of The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with Northeast State Community College Paramedic instructor Nicholas Santiago and student Chelsea Harris to discuss their journeys through emergency medical services.
Both Nicholas and Chelsea completed Northeast State’s...
What does an apprenticeship look like in 2026, and why are more students and employers turning to them as a pathway to success?
On this episode of The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with Northeast State Community College Vice President of Economic and Workforce Development Holly Free-Ollard and Director of Apprenticeships Dawn Carter to explore how apprenticeships are changing lives across t...
In 1966, Northeast State Community College looked very different. The College was known as Tri-Cities Area Vocational-Technical School, classes were just beginning and the foundation for the institution we know today was only starting to take shape.
In this episode of The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with Tom Jarrell — Northeast State’s very first instructor.
Jarrell reflects o...
In this special episode of The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with Northeast State President Dr. Jeff McCord to reflect on the College’s 60th anniversary.
From its earliest days to the momentum building across campus today, Dr. McCord shares insight into how Northeast State has grown, adapted and stayed true to its mission of connecting people to prosperity.
The conversation explores w...
Northeast State Community College's Radiologic Technology program is celebrating a major milestone: its first graduating class.
In this episode of The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with program director Ivan Kennedy and student Leslie Smith, who is preparing to graduate this May as part of the program’s inaugural cohort.
Leslie shares her journey through the two-year program, what dre...
Recent Northeast State graduate Caleb Owens sits down with The Sound Bearier co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent to share what's next in his respiratory therapy journey.
Owens reflects on how he found his path, what shaped his decision and how his experience at Northeast State helped set the foundation for what’s next.
Chapters
- (00:00:00) - Meet Caleb Owens
- (00:03:03) - Respiratory Therapy at Northeast...
In this episode of The Sound Bearier, we’re joined by Northeast State alumnus Taylor Williams, an Aviation Technology graduate now working as an HR associate at Bell.
As part of the College’s 60th anniversary, we’re highlighting alumni who have taken their education to new heights, and Taylor’s path shows there’s more than one way to get there.
He shares how his experience at Northeast State helped sha...
In this episode of The Sound Bearier, we sit down with Northeast State student and SkillsUSA national gold medalist Rose Bleckley.
Rose’s journey hasn’t been easy. After facing health challenges, she refused to let those obstacles define her path. Instead, she pushed forward, earning gold at the SkillsUSA national competition and following it up with a silver medal at this year’s state level.
Now, she’s prep...
As Northeast State Community College celebrates its 60th anniversary, we’re kicking off the year with a conversation rooted in reflection and forward momentum.
In this episode, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with Greg Walters, a longtime member and friend of the Northeast State community. Though he retired from the College, Greg remains closely connected through his work with the Alumni Association a...
Gordon Ramsay and Marco Pierre White started somewhere. The new Culinary Arts program at Northeast State boasts an instructor who knows his way around the kitchen.
What's cooking on the Sound Bearier podcast? Chef Josh Murray and his students! Chef Murray brings an impressive resume and regional sensibility to this exciting new academic program.
The Culinary Arts program at Northeast State leads the charge of exciting d...
Explore Northeast State at Kingsport as co-hosts Tom Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with Northeast State at Kingsport Executive Director Dr. Stephanie Barham and Assistant Vice President for Economic and Workforce Development Blake Montgomery to discuss recent growth in the Academic Village and the expanding opportunities it's creating for students and the region.
In this episode, Barham and Montgomery share what's new at...
Northeast State Community College's Because of You Campaign (BOYC) is just around the corner! Co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit with the College's Assistant Director of Alumni & Advancement, Joshua Johnson, to talk all things Because of You! From a golf tournament and concert to rummage sales, chili cook-offs, community trick-or-treating and more, the 2025 BOYC is slated to be jam-packed with events the entire...
This week on The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Tom Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent welcome Northeast State Police Chief Andrew Mitchem. In honor of Campus Safety Week, Chief Mitchem highlights the week’s initiatives and shares important insights on how the College keeps students, faculty, and staff safe every day.
Chapters
- (00:00:44) - Introducing Chief Mitchem
- (00:01:15) - Chief Mitchem's Background
- (00:01:39) - Campus ...
Formula for Success: An Inside Look at Northeast State's New Program, Chemical Laboratory Technology
What's bubbling at Northeast State Community College, you ask? A brand-new Chemical Laboratory Technology program! Join co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent as they sit down with program head Dr. Sam Stevenson to explore what the program offers, the cutting-edge technology students will use, and the exciting career paths this degree can open!
The Northeast State Center for Leadership, Enrichment, Access, and Discovery provides Northeast State students with the support and access to navigate college life and persevere when life outside college challenges them.
We were privileged to welcome Brittany Wick, Assistant Director of Strategy and Innvation for Access and Learning Enrichment at Northeast State, to the podcast. Brittany discusses the LEAD Center's mission, helping...
Northeast State's Debate Team is turning up the volume on critical thinking and confidence! Meet a standout student from the debate team, Matthew Hughes, and hear firsthand how the art of argument is more than a quick rebuttal; it’s about listening, learning, and leading.
Plus, Debate Team Coach Emily Napier drops in to share how the team prepares for tournaments, builds community, and turns nerves into conviction.
In this episode of The Sound Bearier, co-hosts Thomas Wilson and Mackenzie Moore-Gent sit down with Engineering Design Instructor Daniel Arnett and Associate Professor of History, Tabetha Garman, to discuss the roles technology and humanities play in society and around the world.
Though Daniel and Tabetha teach in two seemingly opposite corners of the academic world — technology and the humanities — we explore where the...
The study of economics strives to explain the forces behind money, markets, and human choices.
In this episode the Sound Bearier’s Mackenzie Moore-Gent and Tom Wilson talk with Northeast State Economics professor, Wayne Loving, who explains how economics is defined as the science of choices.
We discuss the growing role of digital currency in the world economy, the nature of wealth, and how tariffs affect economies. We discuss...
Get your green on and celebrate as Saint Patrick's Day brings out the Irish spirit around the world. The Sound Bearier celebrates St. Patrick's Day and the contributions of immigrants from Ireland to America. Click the photo link above to listen or visit https://the-sound-bearier.castos.com/episodes/lets-go-green-on-st-patricks-day.
In a nod to our Scots-Irish, the Amateur Highland Game Clinic happens April 5 at the Bl...
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