In Episode 133 of AV/IT Amplifier, Ryan Gray talks with Mike McHugh of Goshen College about what it means to build a career, and a legacy, at a small institution where everybody knows everybody and the work is always personal. Mike shares what it has been like to spend more than two decades at a 900 student college in northern Indiana, doing everything from classroom technology support and system design to campus events, athletic streaming, video, and recording. The conversation gets at something a lot of higher ed AV people will recognize right away: when the school is small, the team is small, and the mission is clear, the job becomes a constant balancing act between capacity, creativity, relationships, and service.
What makes this episode especially strong is how naturally it moves between practical AV work and the deeper human side of the profession. Mike talks about revisiting systems he built decades earlier, realizing that the “future somebody” who has to deal with those decisions might just be him. He reflects on community, consistency, and stepping into new ways of contributing, from running for leadership in ETC to helping bring stability and follow through to The AV Life. This is a conversation about institutional memory, saying yes when students are at the center of the ask, and what it looks like to keep showing up for the long haul.
Topics Discussed
- Working in higher ed AV at a small private college
- Wearing multiple hats across classrooms, events, athletics, and media
- How small campus culture changes the way AV work gets done
- The upside and pressure of being known across an institution
- Revisiting and replacing systems you built years earlier
- The difference between building for “future somebody” and building for “future Mike”
- Finding professional community through ETC, HETMA, and Higher Ed AV Media
- Moving from membership to leadership in professional organizations
- What consistency and follow through mean in media and podcast production
- How behind the scenes contributions create visible results
Connect with Mike
LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikecsm/
Connect with Ryan
@Ryan_A_Gray
https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanagray/
ryan@higheredav.com
Voiceover by Chris Dechter
Have feedback or guest ideas? Let us know!
This show is a production of Higher Ed AV Media. Visit www.HigherEdAV.com for fresh content every day!
