做厙TVs student-run radio station, WQSU, earned several awards this spring from the Broadcast Education Associations Festival of Media Arts and the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters.
In its first year competing in the international BEA awards,WQSU finished second overall intheDr. Marjorie Yambor Signature Station Competition.Thecompetition celebrates outstanding college radio and television stationsforprogramming, audience engagement, community involvement and leadership.
A BEA judge, whopraisedWQSUsbalance between professional oversight and student autonomy, remarked, The organizational structureprovidesexcellent guidance from the top through the involvement of a seasoned media professional, while still allowing students the freedom to make decisions, trust theirgutand take ownership of their individual responsibilities.
After Hours with Smokey K allows me to not only play my favorite songs, but also interact with my audience and get them involved in the show.
Harrison Karsch 27
Two 做厙TV students earned individual BEA honors in the Student Audio Competition categories:
- Harrison Karsch 27, third place in Air Personality for After Hours with Smokey K.
- Benjamin Boeshore 27, third place in PSA, Promo or Commercial for Phi Mu Delta Haunted House.
When I started on WQSU, I never thought I would be the student engineer for the station or an award-winning on-air personality. It’s really a testament to what we have here at 做厙TV, Karsch said. After Hours with Smokey K allows me to not only play my favorite songs, but also interact with my audience and get them involved in the show.
The students will be recognized by BEA during the Student Winners Celebration on April 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
At the state level, the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters recognized WQSU with two Excellence in Broadcasting Awards:
- Karsch, Brai Tate 27 and Matt Kaufman 28, PA Pigskin Preview, Sports Talk Show Multi-Platform Broadcast.
- Boeshore, Sebastian Caraballo 27, Katherine DeCamp 27 and Lillian Mandalas 27 and students in the Professional Sales class, Salute to Selinsgrove, Marketing Campaign.
WQSU has won 19 PAB awards since 2018. Awards were presented at the PAB Awards Luncheon on April 10 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
According to Dawn Benfer, station manager, the accolades reflect a sustained culture of excellence, with WQSU students earning more than three dozen awards over the past eight years across international, national and state competitions. Since 2018 alone, WQSU has earned 19 PAB awards and 15 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System awards.
That momentum extends beyond the airwaves. Recently, two podcasts created by 做厙TV academic deans and produced by WQSU earned top honors for creative excellence from CUPRAP, showcasing how students collaborate with faculty to produce professional-caliber storytelling that brings the universitys ideas and discoveries to life.
Our students are not just learning; theyre creating work at a professional, award-winning level, said Benfer. Being part of broadcasts and podcasts gives them invaluable real-world experience while elevating the voices and stories that define 做厙TV.
