English Majors After Mac: Podcasting with Hannah Rehak ‘15

by Zoë Roos Scheuerman ’24

Graduation, while exciting, can also be a source of anxiety for outgoing Mac students. People might walk away from commencement with a barrage of existential questions, including: am I employable? Will I be able to avoid a boring 9-to-5 office job and pursue my love of literature instead? Do I have to pay for my coffee and bagels now that I don’t have access to the lounge? How will I survive without the heart and soul of the English Department, Jan Beebe? To alumni, prospective majors, and seniors alike, fear not! This month, The Words reached out to Hannah Rehak ‘15 to get the rundown on podcasting, one awesome career where majors can put their English skills to work. 

Hannah graduated in 2015 with a degree in English and American Studies, as well as a minor in Media and Cultural Studies. Since graduation, Hannah has come to work on several podcasts in various roles. She is the executive producer of Witch, Please, a Harry-Potter inspired podcast that uses the book series to teach critical theory in an accessible, fun way. As the executive producer, Hannah handles administrative tasks such as bookings and production meetings. She also ensures recordings’ quality and edits each episode. 

Hannah plays a slightly different role on another podcast, Hot and Bothered. This series discusses romance novels, and the latest season focuses on the famous English Department stalwart Pride and Prejudice. Every other week, Austen scholars read the novel aloud and discuss it! Hannah manages the show’s Patreon page, and she works to monetize the show and broaden its reach. 

Hannah also works on other shows like The Real Question: Should I Quit?, nocrumbsleft Table Talks, Man Dog Pod, and her own podcast, Nina, Hannah and Emily in Paris (with Mac ’14 alum Nina Slesinger). While at Mac, she worked as a podcast producer in the three departments she was involved in, and she was influenced by Mac classes on Austen, queer aesthetics, and critical race theory. She values being able to combine her academic background with creative work in podcasting, and she never could have done it without professors like Lesley Goodman, Leola Johnson, Casey Jarrin, Marlon James, Duchess Harris, Daylanne English and James Dawes, just to name a few!

You can learn more about Hannah at her website here! She is also a performer at Second City, and she moved to Chicago after Mac to pursue improv after her time with Fresh Concepts™.

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The Words thanks Hannah Rehak for reaching out and kindly providing us with the information for this article!