Campus Profile: WGRN

Written by Jonathan Barker. Media by Paul Anderson.

Did you know Greenville College has a radio station on campus? Well, if you didn’t, 89.5 WGRN is located in the Upper Dietzman Center. Not only is music played but WGRN also it runs programs and airs live sports and music events. In fact, there’s a whole staff that helps the radio station function.

I’ve been doing work at WGRN since my freshman year here at Greenville. This is my second year serving as the Station Manager and I’ve enjoyed the perks that come with my position. It has been so satisfying bringing together a solid team of friendly workers who not only enjoy the day-to-day operations but also working on exciting projects and competitions to keep the student body involved.

If you went to the All-College Hike, you might have seen some of the WGRN staff on the porch at Durley Camp playing loud music and hosting a contest to guess how many Swedish fish were in a container. Levi Jubelt, the Promotions Director, commented, “I really enjoy my position because it’s not a mundane job. I get to go out and do things and talk to people. We’re working on a Super Smash Brothers Tournament that’s going to be really awesome!”

*WGRN Super Smash Bros Tournament Promo video by Paul Anderson*

Paul Anderson, the Digital Media Director, works hand in hand with Levi. You’ll see him with his camera taking photos of several campus events. Paul mentioned, “What I do is super rewarding. I work on my digital media and I get positive feedback from mostly everyone. It feels like I’m doing a lot of good work for the station.” Whether it’s designing T-shirts, making chapel videos, or trying to get people to like our facebook page, Paul Anderson is an unsung WGRN hero.

Alex Gruberman is the Sports Director for WGRN. You might have heard him doing play-by-play during football or basketball games. Alex really enjoys his position: “I really enjoy the opportunities that come with my job. I love being able to travel from Greenville and visit other colleges and see their press boxes and stadiums. I enjoy sports in general and I love being involved with the teams.” Alex has traveled to Minnesota and Iowa among several other locations within the SLIAC division.

Jacob Burrell is the man behind the music. You might recognize his deep and manly tone from his Sunday night radio show Iced Vinyl sponsored by Jo’s Java. Jacob is serving as the Music Director this year and has both the metaphorical and physical keys to WGRN’s playlist. He stated, “I really enjoy taking suggestions. I had a friend who recommended me Christian-Indie songs so I really like stepping out of my comfort zone and finding new music.”

One of the most valuable members of the WGRN staff is Glenn Owens. Glenn is the master Engineering Director. “Believe it or not, I really enjoy problem-solving for the radio station. It’s really interesting to see how the equipment works and figuring out how to troubleshoot things,” Glenn reflected on his position.

Last but not least, Melody Fenton is the backbone of what keeps the station running. Melody organizes shift schedules, writes chapel scripts, and keeps track of the DJ logs. Did you know the FCC requires every radio DJ to record their times on air?

Overall, it is a fun environment to work in. Dr. Cary Holman is the General Manager and serves as the supervisor to the entire staff. I would say that the entire staff has a great dynamic and it makes a fun group to work with. To me, that’s the most important part of my time here at Greenville: building relationships that will prepare me for my future.