By: Emily O’Connor
107.7 The Bronc is an all-student-run organization that is home to more than 40 student shows, multiple campus-wide student events and contests, and that provides music for all of our listeners all across campus and all around the world.
What makes a college radio station so great? Specifically, what makes The Bronc stand apart from other college radio stations and organizations? That would be our incredible student executive staff. The Bronc’s exec staff is comprised of 17 students, whom are selected by their peers, to uphold the utmost broadcast standards.
What Is A Student Exec Staff?
Our 107.7 exec staff is made up of Rider students who are leaders dedicated to shaping the sound of our award-winning radio stations for ultimate engaged learning experience.
Exec staff members have many different jobs, from overseeing radio station operations to hosting radio shows, live broadcasts, and sports broadcasts, plus daily news, entertainment and business features and updates. Some exec staff are responsible for branding and marketing the radio station and our sponsors by writing and producing underwriting announcements, station imaging, selecting and scheduling music, managing our website and social media accounts.
These roles are important to our radio station. They are the driving force behind our everyday business operation. At the end of the day, 107.7 The Bronc is here to better our your student broadcasters and teach us more about the radio industry, and media as a whole, while also gaining hard and soft skills in an amazing learning environment.
What Is The Importance Of Having A Student Exec Staff?
Our current Student General Manager, Nick Witkowski, puts it perfectly: “It is important to have a student executive staff, because a big student organization like this needs a leadership group who has the commitment and work ethic to accomplish the things that we do on a day-to-day basis. An exec staff teaches students how to work collaboratively and effectively and helps us to learn when and how to separate business from friendship. It also gives students a sense of newfound responsibility and integrity to the business they work in and always apply themselves and apply what they’ve learned to real-life situations. Overall, being on a student executive staff teaches more than what most people think. It helps prepare you for the real world post-graduation.”
What Is In It For Out Students?
Other than the title and fancy windbreaker you get to sport around, quite a bit. It’s all about the engaged learning experience; what our students, let alone the exec staff, get to participate in and learn about is unmatched. We are constantly learning and growing. 107.7 is 24/7/365 days a year (which is our students’ favorite saying), and we are using every day and experience to drive forward, not only our own success, but the overall success of the station. There are two other perks for our Exec members, one of which is our elections that are run at the beginning of the spring semester and allow all 107.7 staff members to have a vote in who should become the upcoming academic year’s executive board. The other is our training process, which takes about a month of the old exec training the new exec members, so they can grow and shape the station as their own.
Assistant General Manager, Rosalyn Tiangco, says, “By being on the exec staff, I’ve learned so much about professionalism and organization, as well as what it means to be a good leader at 107.7 The Bronc. It needs every person to be able to operate. Every single role is crucial and I love being able to help this incredible radio station run to the best of its ability!”
Being a part of the exec staff is something that first-year Rider students, who get involved at the radio station, strive for. They look forward to the opportunities it provides, and it motivates them to be the best that they can be.
“I can’t wait to work alongside all of the great people. What I’m most looking forward to as Sports Director is the ability to be even more involved in all the sports coverage that 107.7 The Bronc has to offer,” says first-time exec member Jordan Hirsh.
First-time exec member Ben Shinault believes, “Being on the executive staff here at 107.7 The Bronc is going to be huge for me and my plans after college. As a Journalism major, it’s going to strengthen my writing skills and also help me as a person.”