By Keith Brunson
It is early morning in the continent of Africa. David Desroches is beginning his day. It’s already becoming hot outside. And the day has already started to produce its’ challenges. That’s because David’s story begins in Ethiopia, where he started a community news outlet. He was only 28 years old but wanted to practice journalism where information is not so readily available.
David Desroches in Ethiopia at the start of his journalism career.
And living in Africa is no walk in the park, “but the coffee is really good, “says David. “Every day was different, but most days were like waking up in America.” https://daviddesroches.com
“There were times when I woke up in a tent or a barn with 50 strangers,” says David. “But I wouldn’t want to overdramatize it.” Sharing your food, your dwelling, or asking if someone would share their barn or tent with you for a night is culturally commonplace. “But all and all, I lived in the top 5-10 percent, but quite different than western standards.” And that’s where our story of The Voice Shop’s David Desrochees begins. It begins in Africa, where his thirst for knowledge and discovery shaped his life forever. I think it still does.
David pauses to enjoy the natural beauty of Africa.
Fast forward, and David works at the NPR radio affiliate in Hartford, Connecticut. There, he spent over five years in an ultra-organized relaxing atmosphere. The goal is journalistic excellence coupled with colleagues who pride themselves on accuracy and emphasize the non-chaotic atmosphere that network television news is known for. “It’s thoughtful audio production,” says David. And true to form, David is perceived as a thoughtful producer. Our conversation telegraphed a teacher who had been around. “And being versatile makes for a good teacher, leader, and mentor,” said my very own professor Dr. John Carr at the University of Tennessee, where I got my degree in journalism.
These days, David is an adjunct professor as the Director of Community Programming at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, Connecticut. https://www.qu.edu/faculty-and-staff/david-desroches Tuition is $41,000 a year, and Quinnipiac graduates 72% of its bibliomaniacs. This means that you don’t go to Quinnipiac to party. You’ll experience college life. Of course. But the goal is an education surrounded by high-value individuals. For the uninitiated, it’s a small quaint college for the upper class. It can be considered the crème de la crème for the student who wants only the very best in a small, interpersonal collegiate experience. David has been teaching journalism there for about seven years. “I think back to Africa, and my perspective on communications and journalism is well adjusted.” David teaches with a life experience developed in real-world journalism to bring to the classroom. He IS the real deal. https://hqnn.org/2021/10/09/quinnipiac-podcast-studio-gives-a-voice-to-the-community/
David’s extensive journalist background is utilized in his curriculum as
the podcast instructor for The Voice Shop.
David joins The Voice Shop as our first podcaster instructor. And he’ll teach you from concept to completion. By your first show, you will know how to create, engineer, and produce storytelling content for the world to see. And it’s not like he’s just a bookworm. Oh no, David’s got his own podcast at Quinnipiac. https://quinnipiacpodcasts.com/baffled-with-david-desroches And, he’s got a solid and active background in storytelling. He’s worked internationally. He’s also worked domestically at America’s most prestigious terrestrial radio outlet. So, David can take you into the podcast world and enable you to have a vehicle to communicate any subject you choose.
At The Voice Shop, Mr. DesRoches will train you in all avenues of how a podcast is created and hosted. That includes the technical aspects of podcasting, not just the spoken part. David will teach you how to set up your podcast rig in your own home, and you’ll learn how to be both an engineer of podcasting and a storyteller. The subject matter is up to you. It’ll be your show. But, once enrolled in his tutelage, the actual coaching will continue as you grow and improve. You’ll never be left without his instruction or advice on becoming a professional communicator.
The experts all agree the new television is the internet. Information will disseminate via podcasts using computer technology. Television as we know it will eventually cease to exist. “And I’m right here for the person that wants to learn everything about how to communicate in this new technological world,” says David. “Because the future of journalism will develop via the internet, and I’m looking right now for those that want to become educated on just how powerful the web is,” he says, “and that is the student that’ll succeed.”
So, if you’re sitting there right now and you’ve been looking for someone to teach you podcasting, David DesRoches can be found at www.voiceshopcoaching.com. You won’t have to know anything. All you’ll need is the drive and ambition to become “a voice” in the world of communications. You can learn with Mr. DesRoches at home at your own pace. Cost is nominal compared to college. And unlike university life, you’ll be taught everything that is podcast-related. No math. No physics. No time studying Mesopotamia. Just classes and mentorship about the artform of the podcast. And unlike David, you won’t have to leave the country on a sojourn that cultivates your inner soul. Under David’s instruction, you’ll be on-mic quick. You’ll be taught how to think creatively in a podcast way. However, African coffee is NOT part of the deal. “For that,” says David, “You will have to go to Africa.” And we suggest you bypass that continental adventure.
