by Rose Orrala
WONC was founded in 1968 as North Central’s student-led radio station. When people first think of the station, they probably assume that most, if not all, station members are majoring in journalism or communication and go on to lead successful broadcasting careers. Or, at the very least, students have a strong appreciation for rock, since that’s what we play.
However, the people who make up the station are much more diverse in opinion, interests, and academic backgrounds than one might expect. Take me, for instance, a sophomore majoring in political science with minors in environmental studies and economics. At first glance, one might wonder what any of those areas of study have to do with radio, and that’s where the station’s mission comes in.
Despite not having any of the “traditional” radio majors and limited exposure to the rock genre, I was presented with the opportunity to join the station as a first-year student in the fall of 2024. Out of over 40+ student organizations present at the student engagement fair, I was recruited to the radio station, which I now consider my second home. I don’t remember exactly what was said to me that day, but I remember feeling that I’d met a community of people who believed that I could be a part of something great.
Despite having to wake up at 5am for my on-air shifts, I enjoyed sharing my stories and interests. I enjoyed it so much and I wanted others to find their place in the station, so I decided to interview for an assistant position in the Campus Involvement Department. During my interview I was asked a very important question, “What makes the station: the place or the people?” The answer, to me, is the people.
The question reminds us that the station has a long legacy of success, but that success doesn’t come from the fact that we’re one of the 420 college radio stations in the US. It comes from the people who pour their hearts into the work they do and the community we have built.
Even though I’m only a sophomore, I now serve as the Assistant Station Manager and Station Outreach Director. In my roles, I’ve challenged myself to discover what the mission of the station is. When I first asked myself this question, I thought the mission might have been to win awards. After all, we do have well over 30 awards and the station was named the Best College Radio Station of the Year by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System in 2015.
But the more time I spent at the station, I kept coming back to the idea that WONC is a college radio station led by students. Winning is great, but our mission isn’t to win awards at the expense of creativity. Our mission is to ensure that all students, even those who aren’t members of the station, know that their authenticity is valued.
