BY: Julianne Cozens
When flipping through radio stations, what are you most likely to stop and listen to? Is it a station that plays pop music or are you more the oldies type? Well, at Bloomsburg University, the radio station for you is WBUQ- The Revolution. The Revolution plays today’s hit music and the classics you love.
Owned and operated by Bloomsburg University and its students, WBUQ – The Revolution is always looking for new and upcoming talent to either perform as a disk jockey or a talk radio host.
- Inside look of WBUQ’s studio, Photo Courtesy of Julianne Cozens
Becoming a D.J. is very simple and no experience is required and you do not have to start as a freshman, you can join when you are an upper classman. The staff of WBUQ will teach you how to work the equipment and give you the confidence to become a D.J. You can even pick your own program.
WBUQ D.J. Kelly Barnett, Photo Courtesy of Julianne Cozens
One D.J. who has been working at WBUQ- The Revolution since her freshman year is Kelly Barnett. She started as a freshman and has been on the executive board at WBUQ- The Revolution since Spring 2008, and has her own program at the radio station. In asking her a few questions about the radio station, you can realize that she is a committed and loyal member of the radio station and really wants it to thrive!
She wants to convey that anyone can become a D.J. and to understand it is not as scary and nerve-racking as it might seem. When the question arose about what you would tell a student who wants to join but is too afraid, Barnett said, “I was the exact same way. I was so nervous, but I guess I kind of sucked it up and just went for it. It’s really not scary at all – we don’t yell at you and you get to do things the way you would like to on air (for the most part). It’s really a great experience – surprisingly minimum pressure.”
Another question that came up was how working for the radio station could help you in the future? As a Mass Communication major and Marketing minor, “having broadcasting experience will be a great addition to my resume,” she said, and it will help her find a career after she graduates. Being a part of a program like this might cause stress in the beginning but in the end it will be worth it when you have a job and you enjoy what you are doing.
At the conclusion of the interview, Barnett was asked what advice would you give someone who wanted to join the staff of WBUQ- The Revolution? Barnett answered the question with this simple response: “JOIN! It looks great to have a real position in a club on your resume, and it looks even better when it’s a club that makes you unique. I mean really, how many people really can say they have been a DJ on the radio? We are looking for new members for next year and next semester- I would love to meet them!”
So if you had any concerns about joining the WBUQ staff, go and ask them! They are always willing to sit and explain everything they know and want to make you feel comfortable there. Any questions please contact Kelly Barnett at klb33104@huskies.bloomu.edu.
