Talk:WRUC

message: Shouldn't the title be WRUC, not Wruc?  How is that changed? --SafeLibraries 22:13, 26 August 2006 (UTC)
replies: text: Done.  Here's the history: 02:58, 2 September 2006 Ehornick (Talk | contribs) m (moved Wruc to WRUC: capitalization of radio station name) --SafeLibraries 03:10, 2 September 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Title Wruc 

message: From Concordiensis, October 27, 2005, p.2 [as converted from PDF by Google]:
Union’s WRUC Celebrates 85 Years of Airtime
Rosie Foley, Staff Photographer
Union College made history 85 years ago as
the first college to have a radio station in the
nation. Back in October of 1920 Union students
hit the airwaves for the first time. Alumni gathered in Reamer Campus Center this past
Saturday to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Current students and graduates mingled at the
anniversary party and spoke about their time
working for the station and the new changes
that have recently been made. Those in attendance had the opportunity to celebrate the station that has lasted through the years here on
campus.
According to WRUC’s website, back in 1920
the station was first known as 2ADD and was
created using makeshift equipment in a shed
behind the electrical engineering lab to broadcast 27 minutes of music through the airwaves.
William G. Craig of the class of 1923 was the
station’s first announcer and Glen C. Mercer of
the class of 1916 built the first station. The first
song ever to be played at the station was “Tell
Me Little Gypsy” by John Steel. Although it was
shut down during World War II, the station has
continued to evolve throughout the 20th century. In 1940, 2ADD was given new call letters,
WRUC, which stands for Wireless Radio of
Union College, and in 1975 WRUC went to
FM, marking two important steps in the development of the station.
Last spring, the station moved into its new
studio, the WRUCkus Room, in Reamer
Campus Center. The new facility is fitted with
state-of-the-art equipment and offers a wide
range of programming for the campus,
Schenectady, and the Capital District.
During the WRUC cocktail reception, alumni discussed the changes since their time at the
station. Greg Pattenaude graduated from
Union in 1979 as an electrical engineering
major. He described the changes as weird, but
great, mostly in reference to the new physical
station. During his tenure as a DJ, he spent his
time in the large studio which was then the station. Pattenaude remembered an entire room of
records and a lounge with the bench Barbara
Streisand allegedly sat on in her 1973 movie The
Way We Were, which was filmed on the Union
campus. “It was just a good time,” he noted.
Another alumnus, Scott Wykoff, class of
1985, was a two-term General Manager for the
station, as well as a broadcaster for Hockey and
Football games. Although he graduated with a
degree in history, he went into news reporting at
a radio station immediately following graduation. “I was really a WRUC major,” he asserted
with great love for the station. Wykoff echoed
the sentiment of many radio alumni that the
technological advancements marked the greatest difference in the station since their time.
Regardless of the physical changes, he felt that
the enthusiasm for the station has not changed.
Current students certainly exemplify that
eagerness. A wide variety of shows are hosted
each week, each with their own flavors. Anyone
interested in hosting his or her own show is
encouraged to do so by contacting
shotsbac@union.edu. General Manager Tom
Reilly ’06 has worked at the station for two
terms. “I think WRUC is a great way for students to be exposed to broadcasting, especially
since Union doesn’t offer a communications
major.” The station also presents an opportunity to expose the campus community to great
music. The "first station in the nation" continues to provide commercial free, student-run
radio, featuring everything from jazz and rock
to news and sports, on 89.7 FM.
--SafeLibraries 22:47, 26 August 2006 (UTC)
thread_title:  Source Material