People, culture and taking advantage of every opportunity: WJCU 88.7 FM General Manager Jasen Sokol believes these characteristics helped WJCU win Station of the Year from the International Student Broadcasting Championship. This accolade comes amongst a slew of over 70 national and international awards that the station has received since 2022.
ISBC was founded in 2023 and aims to connect students with professionals across the industry and globe. According to the ISBC website, “competition participants receive invaluable support, exposure and opportunities to connect with potential employers on a global scale.”
“ISBC is only two years old. This is the second time that they’ve done this so there were some questions when they first came out,” Sokol told The Carroll News. “We [WJCU and other college stations] had a conversation at one of the college radio conventions asking ‘are we going to do this?’ The general consensus was yes, this looks like a tremendous opportunity to compete and see how we stack up against people from other countries.”
Sports Director Bobby Gerome ’25 has been involved with the station since his first year at John Carroll, working as a color commentator for JCU sports broadcasting before transitioning to play-by-play commentary. Gerome credits the skills he obtained working for WJCU with helping him secure his post-graduate employment.
“WJCU is the reason I got that job. I have learned how to manage a department. I have learned how to facilitate and be a mentor as well as also being a learner. A lot of skills are going to translate to a lot of parts of my life” said Gerome.
The culture at WJCU gives students an opportunity to engage with peers that they would not have had. It all circles back to the people operating the board. “You got to have great people and we do,” said Sokol. “You come in here as a freshman and you find your people. It can really help give you that sense of belonging that we talk a lot about on this campus.”
“I think the reason we have so much success over at this radio station is because so many people you would never think hang out with each other outside of school are really good friends. I think the social aspect of [the station] is one of the things I’ll never forget about John Carroll.” said Gerome.
Student Director of Promotions Mackenzie Jackson ’25 said, “I feel that what contributes to WJCU’s tight-knit community is the fact that we will strike up a conversation with anyone in the station. I know that I will always find someone at the station and I can always talk with them.”
The Station of the Year accolade is a direct result of the multiple students and community members that ban together to ensure that the airwaves of 88.7 are always occupied with new music and, more importantly, new voices.
