Scott Wells
Staff Writer, Photographer
Adam Porter serves two major roles at Parkland; not only has he taught communications courses at the home of the Cobras for the last two years, but he is also the faculty advisor for Parkland’s new record label, Perimeter Road Sound Recordings.
“Growing up, I was an avid fan of skateboarding and music,” said Porter. “I have also been interested and involved in audio recording and production from a young age.”
He currently teaches all of the radio and music recording classes on campus, including Basic Broadcast Announcing, Radio Production, and Introduction to Music Recording.
Before coming to Parkland, the Mount Vernon, Ill., native studied at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, where he earned his Master’s in Professional Media and Media Management.
The establishment of Perimeter Road was a dream come true for him.
“I proposed this idea when I first came to Parkland, and thankfully had a strong ally in Nancy Sutton, who is now the dean of arts and sciences,” he stated. “Nancy had wanted to do something like this for a long time, so it seemed to be the perfect opportunity to get the project off the ground. We started by acquiring some professional recording equipment and setting up a space to perform and record.”
He says he often has to wear a few different hats when working in the studio.
“I am primarily playing the role of teacher and advisor during recording sessions for the record label. The goal is to provide learning opportunities for students that are interested in gaining music business experience,” he noted. “While I try to make sure that the sessions run smoothly, quality sounds are being captured, and informed choices are being made (which can lead into ‘producer’ territory), I also make it a priority to let the students make decisions and be involved in the creative and technical process as much as possible.”
He finds a great deal of satisfaction in the success of his students.
“The most exciting part of this for me is when I see students get excited,” he said. “Whether it comes from creatively solving a problem, learning a new skill or technique, or simply hearing their own great recordings coming through the speakers, it is a thrill to see students having fun while learning.”
He currently teaches an online course during the summer, is already looking forward to the fall semester.
“We will have a fresh group of radio and recording students, most of which will be on-air and producing content in studios for the first time in their lives,” he said. “We will also be releasing the first album recorded on campus for the new record label, which is an EP by the up-and-coming local band The Inn Keepers. There is definitely a lot to look forward to!”