The College of Communications Alumni Society—with support from the College of Communications—recently celebrated 50 years of Penn State radio with an alumni reunion for past participants of student-run radio at Penn State.  The event, held the weekend of March 20 at The Nittany Lion Inn, attracted 120 people, including former DJs and founders of student radio station WDFM, now WKPS.

The weekend featured tours of Sparks Building—where Penn State’s student-run radio began—AccuWeather, the All-Sports Museum, and the WKPS studio, now located in the HUB. Discussions, dinner, and dancing also highlighted the weekend.

At the reunion dinner, keynote speakers Ellen McDonnell ’76, executive producer of National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition,” and Al Resnik ’76, a consulting engineer with Carl T. Jones Corporation in Springfield, Va., shared their experiences at WDFM and its influence on their careers.

The reunion provided alumni an opportunity to lay the groundwork for the possible formation of a new Student Radio Alumni Interest Group. Since December 1953, more than 1,500 Penn State students have been involved with student radio at Penn State. The new AIG would provide graduates of Penn State radio an opportunity to maintain contact with Penn State, the student radio station, and other student radio alumni. Members of the AIG would serve as a networking resource and as mentors for current students who are involved in student radio.

An open meeting during the reunion drew 70 people and created four areas of focus for the proposed AIG:

1. Creating a comprehensive history of student radio at Penn State.
2. Serving as an advocate for student radio at Penn State.
3. Advising the staff of the current student radio station.
4. Providing opportunity for social interaction among student radio alumni.