WSHC 89.7 FM, Shepherd University’s student-run radio station, hosted its first Radiothon on Feb. 11, bringing music and entertainment to listeners in the Eastern Panhandle and beyond.
Securing more than $500 in donations, students and faculty broadcasted live for 18 hours, beginning at 9 a.m. on Feb. 11. Programming included Club Carter’s “The Dark Room,” “The Wizarding Hour Crossovers” and a two-hour special of “Middle Age Mania,” hosted by Matthew Kushin, Ph.D., professor of communication and new media.
Funds raised will directly impact student programming, including offsetting the cost of a new operating board for the primary broadcasting studio.
“Right now, our greatest need is modernization. We are using the same board we started the program with in 1974,” said Jenna Taylor-Tennant, chief operating officer for WSHC.
Planning for the Radiothon began during the fall 2025 semester as a collaborative effort between Taylor-Tennant and students.
Events like the Radiothon teach students more than just operating equipment. It equips them skills transferrable to future careers, such as content creation, time management and planning, according to Taylor-Tennant.
Aubrey Harris, a student radio and television specialist with WSHC, was present for the Radiothon’s full duration. She became involved with the station in the spring of 2025 after enrolling in COMM 326: Radio Practicum.
“WSHC has helped prepare me for the media industry by giving me hands-on experience in broadcasting, from planning my shows and picking music, to managing live timing and talking on air,” Harris said.
Taylor-Tennant, a recent Shepherd alumna of the communication and new media program, has seen the station evolve over the years, saying the changes have been drastic.
“It went from being one student overseeing student shows, sitting under fluorescent lights alone, to being a cool hangout spot for students in between classes,” Taylor-Tennant added. “The room has come alive with the sounds of laughter, talk and memories being made.”
Several of those memories were made during the Radiothon. Taylor-Tennant revived her show, “The Lunch Special,” for the first time since graduation, marking a special moment for her.
Harris shared that it was a fun time, too, despite the long hours. “Just seeing all of us radio people, all together from different friend groups, all together for the love of radio, it was very sweet.”
Broadcasting now for more than 50 years, WSHC has deep roots in the campus.
Taylor-Tennant said, however, she’d like to see the station grow its community presence. “We’re a campus necessity, but we want to become a town staple as well.”
Continued support from the campus community helps bring this vision to life.
For those interested in supporting WSHC’s efforts, donations can be made through the Shepherd University Foundation’s electronic gift form and specifying “WSHC” in the comments section.
While the first Radiothon recently concluded, Taylor-Tennant shared that some students have already initiated planning for a second event, along with a potential spring puppy playdate.
“This is everything to me. This station is my baby, and I understand that soon it will be ready to fully stand on its own without me. That day will be my proudest . . . love means letting it grow,” Taylor-Tennant said.
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