JOHNSON, Vt.-In our next Student-Athlete Spotlight we feature men's basketball player Dashaun Archer and his work titled "The Peculiar Post". 

Dashaun Archer created "The Peculiar Post" in December of 2019. The concept was birthed when Dashaun had realized his voice has more power behind it than he realized, and the stories told were not just for him. 

"I got the idea while reading the scripture 1st Peter 2:9, where it talks about, " a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and peculiar people," Archer commented. "The scripture had given me hope and I began to realize there were more people like me out there. With that being said, this blog is about life lessons, current events, and Christian values."

The Peculiar Post was just the beginning for Archer, a few months after publishing the post there was buzz on social media about the content within the blog. Archer would write about a variety of different content from the COVID Pandemic to battling your own emotions to even current events involving racial injustice. The blog quickly generated positive comments and many followers believed Dashaun should develop his blog into a podcast. So, that is exactly what Archer decided to do. 

"The reason I started the podcast was a direct reflection on why I started my blog," said Archer. "Both platforms enable me to speak on matters, communicate life lessons, and give a voice to things that people usually do not publicly speak on. I started out with a blog, and with two relaunches, I began getting comments stating I should do a podcast. I never really liked hearing playbacks of my voice, but there were some voices in my life pushing me to start it."

After the initial launch of the podcast word quickly spread. "I first learned of the podcast when Dashaun launched an episode titled "Save NVU." Said Chad Copeland, Assistant Athletic Director for Communications. "During a time when I was constantly listening to opinions and ideas related to the Vermont State College System, it was really refreshing to see the continued passion and support from our student-athletes at Northern Vermont University-Johnson about what it means to be a Badger."

The episode speaks volumes on why the VSCS group began as an organizing center for protesting the proposed permanent closure, that is, elimination, of Northern Vermont University (Lyndon and Johnson campuses) and the Randolph Campus of Vermont Technical College. Archer and peer Devyn Thompson mainly spoke on how they have grown both on and off the playing surfaces at NVU-Johnson and how being back home due to the COVID Pandemic has been a setback, and that they would like nothing more than to return to the Johnson campus. 

The blog and podcast is just a start for Dashaun as he hopes to eventually write books and be a mentor and outlet for his peers and other people that want to express their views. 

"My podcast is simply another way to voice my writing for those who do not like to read but want to hear about what I have to say. My content is an outlet, but it is also a step in the right direction to my end career goals, which is writing books and mentoring people."

To view the full blog click: THE PECULIAR POST