The high profile “Serial” co-creators coming to Syracuse University next spring as a part of the University Lecture series is a good example of what shape University Lectures should take in the future.

“Serial” is from the creators of “This American Life,” the public radio show where the podcast first debuted. The hit podcast began in October 2014 and circled around the investigation of the murder of Hae Min Lee, a Maryland teenager, who was killed in 1999. Her ex-boyfriend Adnan Syed was convicted of the crime, and is currently serving life in prison, but “Serial” creators weren’t convinced of his guilt.

“Serial” has a download average of 1.26 million per episode according to the Wall Street Journal and was called “podcasting’s first breakout hit” by the New York Times.

Having such a prominent pop culture figure like “Serial” creator Sarah Koenig at SU will be a treat for many students and should be the direction University Lectures go in in the future. Even those who have not listened to “Serial” have heard of Koenig, be it from the SNL parody or numerous think pieces on the ethics of making a murder investigation entertainment. This lecture will most likely attract high student attendance, bring attention to already scheduled speakers and make it possible for University Lectures to book well-known professionals in the future.

While Koenig and Snyder won’t be on campus for another year, having their names associated with the University Lecture series is good publicity for the speakers who will come in the interim. This semester Andreas Weigend, founder of Social Data Lab, Laurel Richie, president of the WNBA, and Annie Griffiths, the first female photographer for National Geographic, will all be giving University Lectures. While these speakers are all worthy of note, they have not received the same attention Koenig has.  Hopefully Koenig’s popularity will get students interested in the University Lecture series as a whole.

University Lecture organizers should also consider that bringing “Serial” creators has already created excitement from the student body, and continuing to bring relevant and relatable speakers will garner equal enthusiasm. Similarly widely recognized speakers should be the direction University Lectures go in the future.