By: Lathan Gil

Zach Jones ‘25, is making history at 107.7 The Bronc. He has created our first-ever video podcast, called Alumni in Action. The first episode drops Sunday, September 7 at 8 a.m. You can either go to The Bronc’s YouTube Channel to watch, listen on-air on 107.7 The Bronc or go on http://1077thebronc.com/AlumniInAction to listen to the podcast on your favorite platform

For Zach, this was a great way to way to cap off his college career and create his legacy at 107.7 The Bronc while completing an independent study requirement, so he went to 107.7 The Bronc general manager,  John Mozes with an idea. “John really said he wanted to do it. And this is technically an independent study, so I needed another class, so I needed something with a heavy workload to get the credits. John and I talked and we decided to do something with the alumni.”

Bringing Back Alumni

Even though he’s a recent Rider alumni, this project has Zach feeling like he’s still in college, “ I feel like it hasn’t hit yet; that they [and I] are on the same plane. I did my first interview and I saw the person sitting across the studio from me as an adult and me as a student, but I think eventually it will change.”

As the title of the video podcast suggests Alumni in Action is about the alumni of 107.7 The Bronc! Zach’s first interview is with Rob Brown ‘22!
Rob Brown created his own legacy through an independent study at the radio station with Wake Up Rider;  107.7 The Bronc’s hit morning show, weekdays from 8 to 10 a.m.  A Communications major with a concentration in Radio & Podcasting, Rob held several positions at 107.7 The Bronc. He was WRRC’s Promotions Director his sophomore year; Production Director during his junior and senior years.

The interview with Rob Brown for this new podcast fell into Zach Jones’ lap. “John Mozes came to me and asked me if I wanted to interview him. I agreed, because I feel like him being the creator of Wake Up Rider is a very crucial thing. That show is the biggest show at the station, and I feel the most popular and most marketed. I feel it was only right that the creator of our most popular show should come and see how much impact the show had.” 

For Rob Brown, saying “yes” to this project was a chance to give back to the station that has given him, so much. “I thought it would be fun. There are always new ideas coming out of The Bronc, and I really love going back and seeing what’s going on. I miss what we do. John has been wanting to do something with cameras, so when I found out they were doing this I was over the moon.”

Creating The First Video Podcast

Zach Jones is not a stranger to radio. He majored in Radio & Podcasting with a minor in Sports Media and was heavily involved at The Bronc. He hosted the first men’s basketball pre-game show live on 107.7 The Bronc and live in the SRC Atrium called The Hype. He also was one of the student sports anchors on The Best Damn Sports Report on WRRC and The Overtime on our sister station WRRC2 two days a week. 

However, he still had to learn some new things for this new visual podcast. “A lot of things were new to me. I had to learn how to set-up the cameras, and then I had to learn how to make lower thirds and title screens … I had great help from our Chief Engineer Owen McCarron ‘26 and our Social Media Director Emily O’Connor ‘26. 
Zach Jones is ready with what is to come with The Bronc’s new video podcast. “It makes me excited it’s the first video podcast. I don’t feel any pressure. I’m really excited for what’s to come.”

How About A Little Preview

In the first episode of Alumni in Action, Zach Jones asks Rob Brown about his time at Rider and what he’s doing now. I personally got a little sneak peek into Rob Brown’s career and it is very similar to his time at Rider, “I work at a radio station. New Jersey 101.5, I am a producer there. I used to listen to 101.5, so going there now is like a full circle moment.” In fact, Rob is the lead producer for Deminski and Moore, weekdays 2 to 7 p.m.

To see and hear more, you will have to watch and listen to the podcast!

What Does Zach Hope to Gain?

With this being Zach’s final act at 107.7 The Bronc, I asked him during this interview what he hopes to gain from this experience for his career. His answer really spoke towards the future of his own career. “I hope to gain knowledge. I would be gaining a lot from imaging, writing promos, [designing] digital ads, and seeing how that runs. And also, I get to gain knowledge from alumni. The people who have seen the world, and what they did to land them a career post-Rider. Because in this world today that is hard.”

Finally, Zach Jones has some advice for his own freshman self, which could apply to any other freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or even seniors reading this. It is very short and simple. “Don’t ever say no. Take every opportunity. Don’t say no to anything in college.”

By: Lathan Gil

2024-2025 was one of the most successful years in 107.7 The Bronc’s history! And, it was no coincidence that our Radiothon was one of the most successful events we’ve ever had. With your help we raised more than $55,000 to invest into the radio station, so we decided to use some of that funding to upgrade our equipment!

One of the first things we wanted to improve was The Bronc’s DJ equipment. Student General Manager, Rosalyn Tiangco ‘26 had an approach of not judging the book by its cover. “There was nothing really wrong with it, but because we used it for so long with all of our events, it got natural wear and tear. And we want to be the best radio station we can be, so we wanted to make sure we have the best equipment to make us sound the best.”

Our resident DJ and Promotions Director, Jaden Foreman ‘27 is the person who uses this equipment the most. He however, has a different outlook on the need for new equipment. “It’s about reliability. The old equipment was heavy, a bit much to lug around, and it was limited and damaged. There were signs for us to upgrade.”

What’s New?

107.7 The Bronc was able to acquire a brand new 600-watt, seven channel portable Fender sound system complete with lighter speakers, two wireless microphones, plus two wired microphones, and microphone stands!

This new DJ set-up will be used on and off-campus for Open Houses, Admitted Students Days, Scream Screen, The Eggscellent Egghunt, at both indoor and outdoor events. 

Jaden Foreman describes the new setup as “a mini concert in a way.”

The Selection Process

The new upgraded items were hand selected by General Manager John Mozes. “I reached out to John about getting new stands, because the old ones had to be replaced” For Jaden Foreman it’s also about the little things, “I also reached out to him saying we needed new cable ties. But John was the one who picked out the new Fender system. He sent it to me. I thought it looked really good, and then when we got it, it was like a piece of cake!” 

What Goes Into an Event?

The process from inception to execution on paper really seems kind of simple the way Jaden Foreman explains it, “First a student organization or campus department fills out a DJ request form. When we get the form, we get the date, location, and everything they want. We put it in our calendar, then we reach out to the person and confirm the information. Then we put together a team, its usually me and two to three other people. We show up two hours earlier, so we can troubleshoot and test stuff to make sure it works. Then we do the event. We play music, take requests, and when it’s done we break it down and bring it back to the station, then wait for the next one.”

What Goes Into the Job?

On paper, DJ-ing may seem easy right? … WRONG! A lot of knowledge is actually needed in order to be a great and versatile DJ. “I have an understanding of music. The DJ turntables are a musical instrument. You don’t need to know EVERYTHING about music, but you need to know how it works. You need to know how to count it, what keys things are in, how to come in on a certain beat. Dj-ing is really about knowing music.” 

On top of music, you also need immense stage presence. The audience has to be captivated by your performance with how you interact with them. If you don’t have the audience you don’t have a show.

For Jaden, his upbringing instilled the love for music in him. “I was raised all around music! When I started DJ-ing, it was my father who actually introduced me to it. He was Dj-ing then eventually [he] let me have a turn. Then over a few months I gained an understanding of how the system works.” 

At the end of the day, the two things he cites that are needed to DJ are;

Music History

Basic Music Theory

Events on Events on Events

In a little light-hearted moment, I asked Jaden what his favorite events to DJ were. And to my surprise, they were the biggest events that 107.7 The Bronc does every year! “It’s so hard to just say one! I think every event we do is very fun. Scream Screen was a lot of fun, because we had a LOT of Halloween music, The Egg Hunt was fun too, because the weather was great, it was outside, and everybody was just on the field and it was fun to see. Everyone came out for those!”

See us using the new equipment at Welcome Week and during your favorite Rider University event this academic year.

By: Lathan Gil

Diana Gebbia graduated Rider University in 2014, with a Radio, Television, and Film degree. While she was at Rider, Diana wasted no time getting involved at 107.7 The Bronc during her freshman year. “My two friends had a radio show, and they asked me if I would like to do a show with them. So, we set it up and it was called Lady Time, and it was on Friday nights. We would pick themes each week and play songs based off that.”

It was through her one-hour Friday night show with, that would sell Diana on doing more at The Bronc than just Lady Time! “I went on to have a show every year after that. I eventually became News Director my junior year, then in my senior year I did a show at Killarney’s Public House called The Friday Night VIP After Party, where I would go around the bar and ask people if they want to play games. And that really made me fall in love with talking to people and doing radio!”

Luckily, Diana was lucky enough to score an internship at New Jersey 101.5, the #1 radio station in New Jersey. “They hired me to do promotions work, then I got an official job with them as soon as I graduated. The morning show producer was leaving and the Monday after I graduated they asked me to do the job!” That Internship was the starting pointing to her future.

What Is She Doing Now?

Although Diana’s career began on-air in radio, now most of her work is behind the scenes. “I was on the air for 10 years, but now I’m doing regional account management, I also worked in the traffic department for eight years with Townsquare Media, where I’ve been since I graduated.”

Diana has done just about everything one person can in media from writing  TV and movie reviews for Scribe Magazine to social media, “I would do reality TV updates, I did a virtual talk show called the FNL Network Talk Show.” In fact, Diana also hosted the hit podcast Bleav in Bravo Besties with Bleav Podcast Network and more.

Did you know Diana DJ’d weeknights from 7 p.m. to midnight on 92.7 WOBM-FM in Ocean County, NJ?

And now, she’s doing something completely unexpected! She’s training to become a professional wrestler! “Now I’m in pro-wrestling school. I want to be a manager, but I also really want to do wrestling. It makes my mom really nervous!” Her time at 107.7 The Bronc is having an impact on this new career choice and endeavor, “My microphone skills from 107.7 The Bronc really helps in this new world, because you have to be able to be witty on the mic and improv whenever they need you.”

Very Unique Career With That Degree She Earned

Yes. You heard that correctly. Diana earned a degree in Radio, TV & Film, moved to LA in 2019, has worked in entertainment for 10 years, and now she does regional account management AND is a wrestler! Very Impressive. 

However, Diana does say she still uses everything she learned at Rider University every day. “It’s helpful to know the ins and outs of formatting shows, how people sell a sponsorship. I can tell them what to fix, and also my on-air experience helped me with doing clocks and how to make the station flow. My major really did help me with all of that.”

107.7 The Bronc As A Profession

Diana believes that her time at The Bronc really helped her transition into both her adult and professional life. She agrees with her fellow 107.7 The Bronc alumni, “John Mozes really runs that station like it’s an actual professional radio station. Its real world. It’s not much different than when I walked into 101.5. It was just different software and a different office. Having John instill that in us; giving us a routine and different departments, I was VERY prepared.”

If there are any key differences, the only one that Diana found noticeable was very interesting. “The music. At 107.7 The Bronc you could pick your own songs, somewhere else, it’s all picked by a music director, so unfortunately you can’t pick and play what you want. Other than that, it’s just the size of the station and the software.”

Some Happy Faces Diana Got To Meet

Working in the entertainment field, you are going to meet some well-known people. So, I asked Diana, “who were the three nicest celebrities you met?” And this list was actually very unique and different from what was expected. “The first one off the top of my head is Tia Mowry. We had a whole conversation about wellness, because we were at an event for her vitamin line, and how wellness isn’t available to everyone, but it should be, and she was trying to market it to make it available for everyone. Becca Tilley who was on The Bachelor was very nice. We spoke for a little bit. She does a podcast and I told her I loved it and it was so nice! Oh, and also she smells very nice! The last one is hard … I met Hailey Duff at that same red carpet, she was very sweet. Those are probably the three nicest I’ve met.”

Fun fact: Diana met Demi Lovato in a bathroom after seeing The Barbie Movie!

What To Take From 107.7 The Bronc

At the end of the day, Diana remembers this moment the most from her time at The Bronc, “The Friday night show at Killarney’s is very special to me. It was so much fun. I even had a show there that just so happened to fall on my 21st birthday, it was so much fun.”

And to the current students at 107.7 The Bronc, Diana has some very wise words, “What you put into it is what you are going to get from it. Taking time to work in the studio, or to ask to do a commercial or to do work, don’t waste time. Do it. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. Speak up for yourself.”

Diana really loves what she does, and she says that without 107.7 The Bronc, she would not be able to be where she is. Just make sure to keep working hard and you will achieve everything you put your mind to.

By: Lathan Gil

The 2024-2025 academic year was filled with every and event you could think of; from Scream Screen to Rider Student Top Chef; The Eggscellent Egg Hunt to Cruisin’ From Commencement.

New Event for a New Year

Sprinkled among our many successful campus traditions, were some new events the station had never been done before, including Club Pub and our first-ever Radiothon.

The motion to start The Radiothon was led by Communication Studies major Nick Witkowski ‘25 and Arts, Entertainment and Industries Management and Film and TV major Emily O’ Conner ‘26. General Manager John Mozes was reluctant at first, “Emily, Nick and others have been asking me for years to hold a radiothon and, of course, I said ‘No’ at first, because all I’m thinking about is ‘How are we going to fit it in to our schedule? But this year I thought we had a good leadership team. We had the perfect group of students to lead it. All the stars aligned.”

On top of having the right people, John Mozes also felt the station’s experience would play a big factor. “Because we do events like Scream Screen and The Eggscellent Egg Hunt so well, that’s why we can add an event like the Radiothon to our repertoire. Because we have the experience.”

It all paid off, literally. Over the span of 74 hours, 107.7 The Bronc raised almost $56,000!

Milestones & Traditions

107.7 The Bronc’s Scream Screen is an event that is reaching a milestone in the upcoming ‘25 – ‘26 academic year. This drive-in movie and trunk-or-treat experience is turning 10 years old, so this year we are giving it a sense of nostalgia! All of the 13 film options students will have the opportunity to vote for, on one of the biggest inflatable movie screens on the East Coast, will be movies from the past 10 years. One movie from each year Scream Screen has been in existence, from 2016 up to 2025, along with three additional movies from the past decade.

In an attempt to achieve this 10-year milestone, one would think that every year we would want to outdo ourselves. But at 107.7 The Bronc John Mozes’ approach is a little different. “We don’t try to outdo our own events, but we do tweak our events. We try to add more food trucks, or add more games. In fact, in 2024 we added a maze to Scream Screen! We always try to find ways to enhance our events to make it more inclusive, engaging, and something more for people.”

Adding onto an event and making it a little bit more unique increases it’s lifespan, but also maintains the essence of these events that we love as a community. “It is the tradition that Rider community looks forward to and talks about.”

That’s Why We Upped The Ante!

For The Eggscellent Egg Hunt, we decided to tweak some new things to give it something new for new students and returning ones who are used to the past. For this Egg Hunt we added prizes like a 2.5 Diamond Pendant from Peroni’s Hidden Treasures and a cruise to The Bahamas courtesy of Josh Harry Travel.

Along with that, for a BIG tradition, Cruisin’ From Commencement, because it was the 10th anniversary, we decided to be special with the prizes. Of course the main prize was the 2025 Toyota, but the second place winner was able to win a Cruise courtesy of Josh Harry Travel, and the third place winner won $1,000 dollars from Fulton Bank.

Planning in Advance

Planning for every event takes place a LOT OF TIME in advance. Just ask John Mozes, “The day after Scream Screen we already schedule the date, book the screen and start getting ready for the next year. The day after The Eggscellent Egg Hunt is the same thing. We make sure we have at least the dates and times along with locations planned out.” 

How to Describe The Bronc’s Events

While interviewing John Mozes he had the great idea to play word association. Where I name an event the radio station does and he says a word/sentence to describe it. And what he had to say really gave a lot of insight into how these events go. 

Midnight Breakfast = Wish I thought of that idea!

Morning Bagel Run = Took Wake Up Rider to the next level!

Our Blood Drives = Wish more students donated blood!

Cruisin’ From Commencement = Most rewarding contest.

New Student Orientations = Chance to show what The Bronc can do for you!

The Eggscellent Egg Hunt = Chaos!!!!

Scream Screen = Our most unexpected success!

The Radiothon = Past met the present to create the future.

And lastly … CLUB PUB = Getting students to think they can have fun on campus on a Thursday night!

By: Lathan Gil

Literally a ‘jack of all trades’, this 107.7 The Bronc alum has a LOT of successful tricks under his sleeve since graduating Rider University. Anthony Collesano ‘21 majored in Communications, Films, TV & Radio, and minored in Sports & Business, Radio & Podcasting and now he is one of New Jersey Ad Club’s 2025 Marketing Mavericks!

Anthony’s Time At 107.7 The Bronc

Anthony began his storied career  at The Bronc during his freshman year hosting his very own student show! It was called Sports Fever with three of his Rider friends: Noah Gugliotta ‘21, Dom DeRosa ’21 and Shawn Johnson ‘22. As time went on Anthony began producing a sponsored  show (which isn’t on the air anymore) called “Your Career is Calling!” In the Fall of 2019, general manager, John Mozes asked him to become The Bronc’s Sports Director.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and classes, clubs and orgs all went remote, elections for Executive Staff positions at 107.7 The Bronc were taking place. Unbeknownst to Anthony, somebody wrote his name down for Chief Student Engineer … and he WON IT! Collesano would go on to say that this moment was, “the biggest blessing in disguise.”

As the Chief Student Engineer, Anthony trained all new students and was an integral part of building The Bronc’s new, state of the art studios, “I was at the station a lot making sure everything was running, because it was all new stuff. From training students to fixing hiccups with tech.”

So, What Is This Maverick Up To Now?

After graduating in 2021, Anthony began his career at Public Media Engineering, the company who helped build The Bronc’s new, state-of-the-art studios.  But he has since found his true passion, as the Marketing and Business Development Coordinator for the law firm Norris Mclaughlin in Bridgewater, NJ. He both markets and brands the law firm, as well as produce Norris McLaughlin’s podcasts.
Anthony believes his training at The Bronc helped prepare him for what he’s doing today, “Not only the technical skills, but the people skills REALLY help! Using Adobe Audition really helped, but also the client interaction. I was interacting with sponsors at 107.7 The Bronc, and here I have to do the same thing.

He also learned the art of adapting “You can’t treat one person the same as another. You have to learn to adapt to other peoples’ needs.” 

Anthony’s ability to adapt certainly paid off. On Wednesday, June 18 at the NJ Hall of Fame at the American Dream Mall Anthony was one of 12 marketers inducted into NJ Ad Club’s very exclusive Marketing Mavericks circle of advertising professionals, “Receiving this award made me realize I’m truly making a difference. It gave me a moment to reflect on everything I’ve accomplished throughout my young professional career. Not many people can say they’ve helped build a station from the ground up, produced shows for ESPN, or turned a podcast program into something from nothing.”

Anthony’s Favorite 107.7 The Bronc Event Is…

Anthony loved his time at The Bronc so much that he named three things that he really enjoyed! The first was when Ned’s Classified star Devon Werkheiser performed at The Bronc in 2020. “I spearheaded the whole thing. He was scheduled to do a presentation for students, it was going be so big. I was so proud, but then COVID happened and ruined everything. To make-up for it Devon livestreamed on The Broncs Instagram instead; sang a few songs and interacted with us on live! It was very nice seeing that from someone I looked up to.” 

The next thing was producing a show with Joe Wiz on ESPN 97.3 in New York, because of how much fun it was, and the real-world experience he received. He said it was truly one of his highlights from his time at The Bronc!

The final thing was seeing the new studio being built, “To see it go from nothing and seeing it grow and installing all the equipment. All the late nights, all the stress, it was all worth it. I was so grateful to be a part of something so great.”

His Biggest Takeaway

From all of the station event and weekly meetings to the contracts and sponsors, Anthony’s biggest takeaway from 107.7 The Bronc was … ADOBE AUDITION! “I use it to edit all of Norris McLaughlin’s podcasts and any audio stuff at the firm. I’m the one using it every day. So that is the one thing I really took from The Bronc.”

From sports, to technology, to being on The Bronc’s student executive staff, Anthony has surely done a LOT at The Bronc. He is among the many people whose careers have been built on the foundation of their time at the radio station. He doesn’t regret one decision, and he wishes for everybody else working at 107.7 The Bronc to reach for the stars and to have fun with what they do! 

By: Lathan Gil

The alumni at 107.7 The Bronc can be found far and wide around the world. One of these alums, Kory Koch ‘20 has used the many skills he learned at The Bronc at his current position at the New Jersey’s premiere radio station, NJ 101.5! And he has WRRC-FM for his success, “John Mozes structures the radio station like it’s real life. Copy and Paste … he really prepares you for the real world.”

What He Did While At Rider

At Rider University, Kory majored in Popular Music Studies (now Music Production) and minored in Radio, TV & Film.

Kory found his passion at The Bronc. He was one of the station Program Directors. He also worked on the promotions team, hosted two on-air shows, and produced some of The Bronc’s sponsored shows.

    

Why He Got Involved?

“It was always something I wanted to do.” As someone who said he always wanted to dive into the world of radio, and someone who’s brother also participated at his colleges radio station, joining Rider’s radio station seemed inevitable. “Rider was somewhere where the radio station was baked in.”

Working in the Radio World

While at Rider, Kory Koch picked up an internship. It actually is the place where he currently works at now, WKXW-FM. Better known as New Jersey 101.5! “When I started looking for internships, I wanted to work somewhere close to home in the summer, and they said they would love to have me work on their promotions team! And they haven’t gotten rid of me! I’m working to the top!”

He currently works for Townsquare Media in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, including: New Jersey 101.5, 94.5 PST, 105.7 The Hawk, 92.7 WOBM, and 94.3 The Point. He does promotions for all the radio stations he works at. He is on the air in small capacity for 105.7 The Hawk and 94.3 The Point. He ALSO produces The Steve Trevelise Show, Monday through Thursday, 7 to 11 p.m. on NJ  101.5.

Kory’s Biggest Takeaway

“Radio is a real easy way to make friends. Whether you are hanging around that space or you’re listening to your friends on-air. You’re listening to people’s stories and what they are all about. You learn so much.” Kory Koch is very grateful for his time at 107.7 The Bronc. He identified station events and campus traditions like Scream Screen and The Eggscellent Egg Hunt as some of his favorite moments from working at The Bronc. They molded his future and gave him the motivation and the drive to do what he loved. And he got all of this, just from working at Rider University’s 107.7 The Bronc.

By: Lathan Gil

On Saturday, May 17 graduating seniors took the stage at the CURE Insurance Arena to receive their degrees, but on Friday, May 16, 107.7 The Bronc held its 10th annual Cruisin’ From Commencement contest! This year’s top three prizes were: $1,000, a Royal Caribbean cruise, and a 2025 Toyota! The winners of Cruisin’ 25 were Janaya Ross, CM Colleton, and Margherita Pizzi!

Janaya Jumping For Joy!

Janaya Ross was transformed by her experience at Rider University. “When I first stepped onto campus, I was filled with a mix of excitement and uncertainty, eager to learn, but unsure of what the future would hold. This community pushed me to grow, where I learned not only from textbooks but from the people around me, and the friends I have made here that will last a lifetime.”

And guess what? Janaya WON! As this year’s third place winner, the $1,000 donated by Fulton Bank is going to good use and exactly how she wants to use it; towards her legal education. Janaya wants to invest the prize she won into her future, “I chose to participate in the contest, so I could win the $1,000, which I could use to contribute to the CLEO Law Program.”

    

Her first task after Rider is to perform a selfless act, and give back to kids who want to achieve big dreams. “It provides invaluable opportunities for students pursuing a career in law, particularly for those from underrepresented communities. CLEO not only helps with financial support, but also mentorship and guidance.”

CM Colleton Will Be Setting Sail!

CM Colleton’s four years at Rider were all about community. “The people and programs shaped my education and future.” CM has a strong passion for filmmaking and the programs that Rider has to offer, from studying abroad in London to interning in LA, Rider University has helped build their career path.

One of the big motivators for Colleton’s participation in Cruisin’ From Commencement was watching the contest the past four years and thinking about how much fun it would be to enter! Their background in film certainly helped CM produce a great video, but the sentimental aspect of creating this video made it all the more special. “I made this not only for the contest, but for myself to have as a memory of my college experience.”

CM is going to be cruisin’ to The Bahamas all thanks to Josh Harry Travel! For someone who has never been on a cruise, “This will be a great experience as I love to explore out of my comfort zone.” As a gift to their mother, they both will be going, hopefully on her birthday.”

Now, at the end of their road, “Rider gave me motivation, Rider taught me to work my goals, and I will get to where I need to as long as I stay motivated.”

Margherita’s Movin’ On In A New Car!

Margherita’s four years at Rider were definitely something people can relate to, “It has been a mix of challenges, growth and beautiful memories.” An international student with great ambitions, Pizzi has now graduated from Rider University; an achievement that some people only dream about!

Margherita decided to participate in 107.7 The Bronc’s Cruisin’ 25, “because I wanted to create something that would stay with me forever. A video that tells my story, that I can look back at years from now and remember!”

Now she’s behind the wheel of this year’s top prize, a 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross L all-wheel drive SUV from our long-term partners: Team Toyota of Princeton. Margherita finds her new wheels  very useful, especially since she just received her first job offer,  as a physical therapy aide. Margherita will be driving her Corolla Cross L to and from work for the next two years.

Rider provided Margherita the tools that will last her a lifetime. “Friends, mentors, and the strength to believe I can do something bigger.”

What Advice Do These Three Winner Have For The Class of 2026?

Well, the Top 3 winners of The Bronc’s 10th annual Cruisin’ From Commencement contest definitely have a few inspiring words to offer the Class of 2026. For Janaya Ross it’s, “Take time to reflect on what you’ve learned, and don’t rush.” CM Colleton suggests  a sense of relatability “You have the same worries as I did, and still do. Just continue on the path and you will control your future.” While Margherita may have the most practical advice, “Just take it all in. Say yes to things. Make connections.”

Congratulations to the winners, the Cruisin’ 25 Top 10 and all of the Rider students who chose to participate in this year’s contest and a job well done! Good luck to Rider University’s entire Class of  2025!

And good luck to the this summer’s rising seniors. Make sure you save every picture, post and video, so you can participate in 107.7 The Bronc’s Cruisin’ From Commencement next academic year to possibly win a new car from Team Toyota Princeton.

By: Lathan Gil

Every summer at 107.7 The Bronc, we create a playlist to keep listeners engaged with content until the beginning of the new academic year. These promotions are thought up by the program directors at the radio station.

Our summer programming started 10 years ago with “107 Days of Summer” which played the greatest hits of summers past and present.  As the year’s changed, so did our approach with more music-themed summers like Caribbean Summer, Psychedelic Summer and Summer House Party on The Bronc; and Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame Summer, Surf Rock Summer and Ska Summer on 107.7 The Bronc Retro.

This summer we’re going a little bit country and a little bit rock-n-roll with Summer Rodeo and Garage Grunge summer. All of our summer music promotions happen from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day weekend. This year from May 23 to September 1.

    

Why Summer Rodeo & Garage Grunge?

Program Director, Cassie Vaz ‘26 handpicked these genres. “I chose country music,  because it is my favorite genre! There are also a lot of new, up and coming artists who are so talented that The Bronc could help feature”

One of the new Music Directors, Bella Soto ‘27 sees the abundance of new country music as a big motivator to broadcast a genre like Summer Rodeo, “We knew that there were going to be a lot of country albums coming out this spring and summer, so we wanted to showcase all of the new country music coming out!”

You can define grunge as “a style of rock music that has a lot of guitar and lazy vocal delivery”, but the programming team has a different view for why they chose to showcase grunge this summer in WRRC2. For Cassie it was aas simple as this, “With Grunge, we are leaning towards that 80s and 90s feel. We have the library already, so we will definitely be able to feature it more extensively on the Retro station.”

A Recent Rise In Country Music

It would seem that after the release of Cowboy Carter by Beyoncé, a lot of new and current artists have been tackling country music. However, Cassie believes the rise of country started long before Beyoncé’s trendsetting album, “I don’t believe that album was country, I believe it was Beyoncés version of the genre- which is okay. But I believe country with the current artists that are out has been a mixture of country with pop, and that has been resonating more with audiences and that’s what’s getting more audiences of pop to pay attention to country.”

What Is Popular Right Now?

When asked what songs and country artists will be played as part of 107.7 The Bronc’s Summer Rodeo , Bella Soto had a laundry list of some old and newer music, “Carrie Underwood, Chris Stapleton, Keith Urban, Luke Combs, Meghan Maroney, Morgan Wallen.”

“We have over 200 songs, and that doesn’t even include big hits from people like Dolly Parton”, Vaz added.

Changing the station The Bronc Retro and the Grunge genre, we have a lot of classic hits from the 90s, which include Aneurysm by Nirvana, Man In The Box from Alice In Chains and Smashing Pumpkins Today.“ Nirvana is easily one of the most, if not the most, popular grunge back of all-time. According to Soto, “Their work is timeless and will never get old.” The impact of Grunge bands and artists on the music world is transcendant.

Why On THESE Stations?

The selection of country and grunge on WRRC-FM and WRRC2 was inevitable. “There have been a lot of modern country artists that have really been popping off.” added Soto. With artists like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter dipping their toes into the country genre, it is spreading across America like wildfire, so having these artists showcased on the #9 College Radio Station in the nation, was going to happen at some point.

Grunge had a very big impact on the music industry from the 1980s to the 2000s, and for fans of the Retro station, you’re going to feel the same vibe you originally felt when these songs first came out.

The Takeaway

Whether you are a fan of the classic hits or prefer the biggest hits and best variety 107.7 The Bronc and 107.7 The Bronc Retro has everything to satisfy your diverse musical tastes! Get ready for the Summer Rodeo and Garage Grunge Summer all summer long from May 23 to September 1 exclusively on WRRC-FM and WRRC2.

By: Lathan Gil

107.7 The Bronc has two new student shows and they are on “track” to take you through music history; from the Beatles all the way to the Top 20 hits featured on this week’s the Billboard Hot 100!

The Music of Today!

20Track Takeover is all about today’s hits. Hosted by The Bronc’s student program director Cassie Vaz ’26, 20Track Takeover is live every Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. and it’s become Cassie’s passion, “20Track Takeover is a show comprised of the Top 20 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, we countdown from #20 to #1 every week, discussing the trends week-by-week as well as the artists and songs themselves.”

From R&B to country, this show is definitely for music fans who love pop music. In fact, 20Track Takeover is something that the programming team has wanted to do for its college demo, and that they can really get into, for quite a while, “A lot of the songs are newer and widely known, so you can tune in and sing along to almost anything that comes on.”


    

Cassie thinks this is a show that’s easy to enjoy, “I hope people will listen for the music, if you like pop– or anything that’s typically trending you’ll love this show, as well as learning new things about the artists behind each song and how well the music performs on the charts.” 

Some of the artists Cassie will be featuring this week on 20 Track Takeover will include: Kendrick Lamar, Morgan Wallen, and Gracie Abrams.

Learn everything you always wanted to know about today’s new and popular artists on the chart, so you can just relax and take back your Friday nights! 

Watch for 20Track Takeover’s new day and time coming this summer

Let’s Take It Back in Time!

Breakfast with The Beatles, hosted by Co-Production Director, Alli Burton ‘26, is exactly what the title says it is. It is early in the morning, every Friday at 8 a.m. and its full of Beatles love, music, info, and vibes!

Alli’s love for The Beatles goes all the way back to her childhood! “I’ve been a fan of them ever since I can remember. My dad is a big influence on how I listened to them, how I’ve learned from their music, so I totally get the hype of Beatlemania, because if I was a teenage girl in the 60’s, I don’t not blame them whatsoever on being obsessed!” Alli hosts Breakfast With The Beatles to express her love for the band and to explain the insightful lore and fundamentals behind the group!

This show is the second student live show on The Bronc Retro. Alli has the creativity and the skill set to create her own brand, she adds her own sound effects, and she can include audio from video clips, including interviews and fan engagement.

She considers the opportunity to host Breakfast With The Beatles a very high honor. If someone who likes the 60s British Invasion and is up at 8 a.m. on Fridays they can “expect a fun, energetic, and very interesting show. I have a lot of energy as is, and to blast my favorite band is very fun for me.”

Alli’s first task with Breakfast With The Beatles is to feature ever Beatles albums in order of release. When asked about the future of the show, she makes a very interesting statement. “I’m starting to have different themes of each show. I will be adding more stuff as I continue, because this is something that’s still progressing.”

Why Should You Listen?

If you love music, whether you enjoy the classic hits or are into what’s hot on the Billboard chart, you will love these two new shows. They are the perfect complement to programs like Wake Up Rider on 107.7 The Bronc and Riding Retro on 107.7 The Bronc Retro.

The 20 Track Takeover is an ever-changing musical experience, depending on what songs are currently topping the charts, while Breakfast with The Beatles is a high energy start to a bright morning. Make sure to listen to 20 Track Takeover every Friday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. and Breakfast with The Beatles every Friday at 8 a.m.

By: Lathan Gil

The baseball season at Lawrence High School is swinging into full effect, and our 107.7 The Bronc Retro broadcast team: are stepping up to the plate. 

Former Sports Director, Matt Brown ‘25 has assembled another great team to cover this year’s Lawrence High School, Cardinals home and road games, including new Sports Director, Lindsay Scarola ‘27. Lindsay was a member of The Bronc’s Intercollegiate Broadcasting Systems Media Award-nominated broadcast team last season, and watching the Cardinals use the experience they developed last year and apply those lessons on the field in 2025, “What I am looking forward to this season is seeing how much the team has grown from last year because they lost two players. They are doing well so far and it’s been so good to see.”

Changes To The Sports Team!
    

Joining veteran play-by-play broadcaster Trey Wright and Lindsay on the mic this season is CJ Jackson ‘28, who was recruited to the baseball broadcast team as a freshman and after having a student show at 107.7 The Bronc. “My first semester I did a student show, and when they started seeing potential, they offered me the opportunity to do more. I thought it was a bit intimidating.”

CJ Jackson is one The Bronc Retro’s two, color commentators for Cardinals baseball and also creates the social media content for every LHS broadcast. When asked what he is looking forward to this season, CJ’s passion for the game took totally over. “I just love the sport. I don’t care who is playing or what level it is. It’s what I live for, I can’t get enough of it [baseball]. It’s awesome.”

After adding CJ as a new member to the team, Trey and Lindsay had to say goodbye to their graduating partner Matt Brown, “Although we wanted to do the broadcasts with Matt again, he made the decision to bring in somebody new, and I think he made the right decision. I think CJ was a great choice. He has so much confidence and he does great with his color commentary. Knowing I was in the same position last year, I understand how he could feel nervous in the beginning, so knowing that, I could help him more.” 

What Happens Before, During and After Every Game.

There’s a lot of planning that goes into broadcasting baseball on The Bronc Retro from coordinating the live broadcast with the athletic directors from each school to interviewing the head coach of LHS Baseball, Jim Maher, to prepping player facts and game stats.

The baseball broadcast itself consists of a play-by-play announcer (Trey Wright) and for our broadcasts not just one, but color commentators (Lindsay Scarola and CJ Jackson). As the play-by-play announcer calls the game as he sees, describing every pitch, at-bat and spectacular or not so spectacular play on the field; while the color commentators fill in the blanks offering analysis after every play.

The baseball broadcast itself consists of a play-by-play announcer (Trey Wright) and for our broadcasts not just one, but color commentators (Lindsay Scarola and CJ Jackson). As the play-by-play announcer calls the game as he sees, describing every pitch, at-bat and spectacular or not so spectacular play on the field; while the color commentators fill in the blanks offering analysis after every play.

For Jackson broadcasting baseball is actually really fun, even with all the stress it can induce, “You always have to know what’s going on and you always have ta be on your feet with what you say and how you say it. And making sure even people who don’t know sports, knows what’s happening.”

What to Expect This Season

“I am super impressed with the team. They are 7 – 2 right now, the fact they play competitive baseball and they aren’t getting killed every game makes it so much fun to watch.” CJ Jackson had to say about the current team and what to expect from them.

Lindsay Scarola is also expecting great things! “I expect them to go far! Last year they made it to the CVC finals and we got to broadcast at Arm & Hammer Park in Trenton. They fight really hard, so I expect them to go far again.”

On top of broadcasting Lawrence High School baseball, the sports team at 107.7 The Bronc Retro also airs Lawrence High School and Rancocas Valley Regional High School football in the fall and Rider men’s and women’s basketball in the winter. All on WRRC2

You can listen to Lawrence High School baseball online at 1077thebronc.com as well as our free Apple, Google Play, Amazon Alexa, and Audacy WRRC2 apps and skills. To listen to past games go to 1077TheBronc.com/LHSBaseball. We have every game up and ready for you to download.