The Homebase Podcast

In Episode 210, Adam —a first-year Political Science major at SDSU and Homebase College Mentor—leads a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation with middle and high school student mentees about navigating change, growth, and the transition toward college. The episode explores student success, adjusting to change, ASMR, and relationships, offering an authentic look at how younger students begin to...

In Episode 209, Ozzy —an SDSU undergraduate student majoring in Economics, and working on campus as an ambassador, peer mentor, and Homebase College Mentor—leads an engaging and dynamic conversation with Mr. G and student mentees. Together, they explore student success, mentorship, and pop culture, creating a space where real experiences and perspectives come to life. Ozzy brings a unique lens sha...

In Episode 208, what started as a college tour at San Diego State University turns into a spontaneous and powerful podcast conversation. Hosted by Karim , an SDSU student and Homebase College Mentor, this episode features two Homebase mentees and Mr. G during their visit to campus. Set in real time, the group engages in an authentic dialogue about student success, mentorship, and pop culture, blen...

In Episode 207, Dr. Ricky Pope and Auriella Pope explore The Way Forward in higher education through the lens of mentorship, belonging, and applied developmental support. Centered on the Homebase College Mentor Model, this episode brings together leading voices— Dr. Liz Buffington and Nick Martin , an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor, will examine how institutions can move beyond traditio...

In this special episode, created as part of the GEN S 299 Homebase Service-Learning course , students share their journey toward becoming future helping professionals—educators, counselors, mentors, and youth advocates. The episode highlights the role of bidirectional mentorship, paid apprenticeships, and student-centered pathways in cultivating young men as emerging leaders in the helping profess...

In Episode 205, we sit down with Nick Martin , a graduate assistant in his final year of the Community-Based Block (CBB) program, and Karim Plascencia , an undergraduate student with hands-on experience in youth mentoring and community-engaged service. Together, they reflect on what it means to step into the helping professions as young men navigating identity, purpose, belonging, and professional...

Episode 204, “ Stars in the Making ,” showcases four first-year undeclared students who step into the podcast studio and—rather than simply following a script—create something entirely their own. In this lively and unscripted conversation, the group explores pop culture, identity, declaring a major, and the unpredictable journey of adjusting to college life. What emerges is a genuine, unfiltered p...

In Episode 203, Homebase Peer Mentor and President of YMOCA , Jesus , sits down with three first-semester undeclared students who are navigating the early challenges of college life. This conversation highlights what it means for young men to step into SDSU without a declared major, while juggling academic expectations, family responsibilities, identity development, and the search for belonging at...

Episode 202 features first-year undeclared students reflecting on the journey of entering college without a declared major—and learning, step by step, how to build identity, community, and confidence at San Diego State Universit y. The title “ I Am the Marching Band ” comes from a powerful student metaphor: the idea that success in college is not about having it all figured out on day one, but abo...

Homebase Podcast is back for Season 2 with a raw, layered conversation on men, masculinity, and coming of age. In this opening episode, Dr. Ricky Pope sits down with Uncle Eddie , Nick Martin , and Karim Plascencia , three voices representing different generations and life experiences, to discuss what it truly means to grow into manhood today. This isn’t a scripted take on masculinity. It’s honest...

The Homebase Podcast returns with a powerful season premiere centered on Dr. Ricky Pope’s original poem The Quiet Part Out Loud (TQPOL) — a raw and resonant work about what it means to speak truth when silence feels safer. In this episode, Dr. Pope invites listeners behind the creation of TQPOL , a poem born from years of listening to students’ unspoken struggles and navigating his own quiet battl...

In this powerful episode of the Homebase Podcast, Dr. Pope sits down with Nick Martin , the " Orange Line Poet ," who is currently pursuing his master's degree in professional counseling through the C ommunity-Based Block (CBB) Program at San Diego State University (SDSU) . Nick candidly shares his personal and professional journey, highlighting his growth as a young man dedicated to becoming a me...

In a unique twist for Episode 007 of the Homebase Podcast , a Young Men of Color (YMOC) student takes the mic to interview Dr. Pope , revealing a rare glimpse into the man behind the mission. For the first time, listeners gain insight into Dr. Pope’s emerging research at the Homebase Lab at San Diego State University (SDSU), where he integrates Practice, Research, and Outreach (PRO) to redefine th...

In this insightful episode of the Homebase Podcast, Dr. Pope engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Alexis Dixon, a Harvard-trained mediator, visionary, and founder of the groundbreaking Brilliance Exposed project. With over two decades of experience in conflict resolution, Alexis shares how his work in mediation and art intersects with education, resilience, and humanity. Together, they...

In this thought-provoking episode of Homebase, Dr. Pope teams up with the Homebase Lab and the YMOCA Student Leadership Team to tackle themes central to personal and academic growth. The conversation dives into the importance of honesty as a tool for personal development, the concept of cognitive distortions and their impact on decision-making, and a pop culture-inspired discussion on relationship...

In this inspiring episode of Homebase , we sit down with Dr. Ternot Macrenato , a college professor, historian, and community advocate whose life is a testament to the power of education, service, and resilience. Dr. Macrenato shares his journey from the U.S. Marine Corps to the halls of higher education, where he has dedicated decades to teaching and empowering students. We explore his academic a...

In this insightful episode of Homebase, Dr. Kasimu Harley , a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with over 30 years of experience, joins us to share his wealth of knowledge and lived experiences. Dr. Harley has worked tirelessly across K-12 schools, post-secondary institutions, and non-profit organizations to support underrepresented students and communities. As a graduate of the University of...

Welcome to the Homebase Podcast , where Dr. Pope delivers College Success Shorts that aren’t just informative but transformative. These brief, strategic episodes are crafted to invite first-generation students to embrace their student agency, discover their unique identity, and ignite a profound sense of meaning and purpose. College Success Shorts taps into the deep-seated aspirations and dreams o...

Welcome to the Homebase Podcast , where Dr. Pope delivers College Success Shorts that aren’t just informative but transformative. These brief, strategic episodes are crafted to invite first-generation students to embrace their student agency, discover their unique identity, and ignite a profound sense of meaning and purpose. College Success Shorts taps into the deep-seated aspirations and dreams o...

Welcome to the Homebase Podcast , where Dr. Pope delivers College Success Shorts that aren’t just informative but transformative. These brief, strategic episodes are crafted to invite first-generation students to embrace their student agency, discover their unique identity, and ignite a profound sense of meaning and purpose. College Success Shorts taps into the deep-seated aspirations and dreams o...

Welcome to the Homebase Podcast , where Dr. Pope delivers College Success Shorts that aren’t just informative but transformative. These brief, strategic episodes are crafted to invite first-generation students to embrace their student agency, discover their unique identity, and ignite a profound sense of meaning and purpose. College Success Shorts taps into the deep-seated aspirations and dreams o...

Welcome to the Homebase Podcast , where Dr. Pope delivers College Success Shorts that aren’t just informative but transformative. These brief, strategic episodes are crafted to invite first-generation students to embrace their student agency, discover their unique identity, and ignite a profound sense of meaning and purpose. College Success Shorts taps into the deep-seated aspirations and dreams o...

Hey there! I’m Dr. Pope , and today, I want to talk about something that can make all the difference in your college experience—especially if you're the first in your family to take on this journey. Did you know there’s a resource for students tackling tough subjects, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math? It’s called Supplemental Instruction , or SI , and it's a game-changer fo...

In this profoundly engaging episode of the Homebase podcast, we’re honored to welcome Dr. Sara Roldan, a clinical psychologist, educator, and national speaker who has devoted her career to uplifting first-generation college students and young people from diverse backgrounds. A first-generation Guatemalan immigrant, Dr. Roldan has built an impressive career dedicated to mental health advocacy, acad...

Have you ever wondered how young men of color navigate the maze of college life while embracing their unique identities? Join us as Nephi , Darren , and Michael , three inspiring students from San Diego State University, open up about their academic journeys, offering a powerful lens into the world of college success and identity. From Nephi's excitement as a first-year transfer student to Darren'...