Western's Radio Station on Air for 40 Years

KWSB is celebrating its 40 year anniversary this weekend, and they are inviting all the DJs of the past to come back for the party. Terry Schliesman, who is the faculty advisor for KWSB, said the station, "feels like an old neighborhood."

He added, "It's good that education can be interactive."

The station lives in the first floor of Taylor Hall and is known as "kwisby" or "the penguin".

Hopeful future DJs can enroll in a communications course which gives them training and on air time. Schliesman reported that 50 students a year are involved with the station.

Opportunities to advance with the station are available via management positions. Sack is the current station manager. "We don't have to worry about being judged (for our musical interests)," he said. "I'm into every kind of music and on the station we play everything from metal to Grateful Dead."

Erica Veratten is the programming manager. She hopes to work in news reporting after college. "It's good to get my feet wet for a career in broadcasting," she said.

Mike Hardmin is the promotions manager. He is learning to sell air advertising through working with KWSB, "It's not an easy job selling ads for this station," he said. "But it's a good way to develop my pitches."

This weekend these student managers and other current DJs will mix in with fellow previous DJs for a variety of events. The alums that credit KWSB for their current successes are many.

Brian Lifker, a 1991 Western grad is one of them. He was the station manager for two years at KWSB and has been involved with broadcasting ever since. Today he owns a small broadcasting business in Georgia, Timberline Creative.

"We took things very serious at KWSB with hopes that it would prepare us for immediate employment after graduation," he said. "Without question the knowledge and experience I gained at KWSB played a critical role in my development as a broadcaster and production professional."

Kristie Colby was the station manager from 2001-2002. She is proud that she was, "one of the few female station managers in the history of KWSB."

Today she runs her own business, Colby Creative Consulting, a Web design company out of Colorado Springs. "KWSB affected my career path because I got so much leadership opportunities and training."

Schliesman expects the weekend to be entertaining, "When nine different generations of broadcasters get together down here in the station it could get a bit crazy," he predicted.

Story by: Luke Mehall, assistant director of public relations