Dear KPSU Radio Community, members of the past and the present,
I love you. When I was 11, I was involved in the Talented and Gifted program at my elementary school due to my high achievement in math, reading, and science. Along with a friend of mine, I attended a camp at Oregon State University for “kids like me,” at which we essentially enrolled in different courses, which we’d attend every day for two weeks. I decided to give radio a try, and my top 40, Eminem lovin’ self was thrown in with nine or so other kids, from ages 10 to 13. I can’t remember why I decided to do it, but all that matters now is that I did. I remember the exhilarating feeling that made over me, the rush of adrenaline which accompanied my first sentence spoken on air. It was likely a Public Service Announcement about the harmful effects of smoking or something, but that’s really irrelevant. After those weeks of camp, my new love for radio burrowed into my soul, not really knowing when it’d have the chance to emerge again.
Cue junior, maybe senior year of high school. When looking at colleges, two things were important to me. Well, maybe three. The school had to be in a big city. It also needed a study abroad program. The third necessity? A radio station. In high school I geeked out over the similar taste to mine DJ’s at McMinnville’s Linfield College seemed to have, and longed to be part of such a community.
I finally had my chance when I moved into the dorms at PSU during Fall of 2009 and attended a DJ orientation. I remember walking in, not necessarily feeling welcome, but sitting down on the couch with a grin, despite my newbie awkwardness. I was with a new friend of mine from the dorms, and a handful of others trickled in as the minute hand approached and then surpassed the 12. I was given a training checklist, with a list of people I needed to talk to, a looming ‘demo’ I was going to have to create, and the daunting task of finding two DJ’s to apprentice with. This all seemed rather terrifying, yet exciting all the same. I got through the training as quickly as possible, settling soon after into a time slot and a name, Haircut Meganomics. My heart pounded all the way through my first hour on the air, as I’m sure yours did, fellow DJ’s.
Throughout my turbulent first year away from home, my radio show and my place in the KPSU community was sometimes the highlight of my week. I drifted in and out of social oblivion, having a hard time making friends who’d stick. My radio show was always there. I could always count on plopping on the couch at 2 p.m. on Wednesdays, playing whatever music I wanted, and venting awkwardly into a microphone, not caring who was listening. Without you, KPSU, I would have dropped out of school that first year. February of that crazy freshman year, I did something crazy, considering I was 18 and the rest of the paid staff were 21 or older. I applied to be the assistant music director. And I was offered the job. Suddenly I was one of three women among the 10 staff members, and by far the youngest. I reviewed music, received dozens of emails per day from bands and promoters, and opened a pile of envelopes addressed to the station, filled with discs of mysterious tunes, some much better than others. I made friends with the rest of the staff, at least as much as I could without being able to go out to bars with them after work. Working at KPSU became my life, a life I loved, and was proud of. Now I’m merely a DJ, spending 90 minutes there a week, following a year abroad. But KPSU is still and always will be an important place to me. A place where people love radio, and music, and talking about it and creating it. Where people are enthusiastic and welcoming and passionate and supportive. Without being a part of this community, my freshman year would have been hell. And my current life would be a lot less rich.
I see a bright future for you, with enough money raised to acquire a city-wide FM signal in the next year. The thought of it makes me want to stay at PSU forever, although I'm sure I'll have moved away from Portland. Best of luck, and I'll be back to finish often!
Thank you, KPSU!
-Megan Stahl aka Meganomics!
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