On the Northern Vermont University – Lyndon campus, students spend their time in extracurriculars, hanging out with friends, or working on their own personal projects. In Whitelaw 612, Alek Wolfe does exactly that. This Lyndon freshman, enrolled in the Electronic Journalism Arts program, broadcasts from his room several times a week on Periscope, a streaming service app. On his account AlekWolfe, you can find The Mixdown on Mondays and Fridays, starting at 8:30PM EST, and WWE Breakdown every other Thursday, starting at 8:00PM EST. Alek also broadcasts on the campus radio station 91.5, The Impulse. On Sunday evenings, starting at 4:00PM EST, you can hear his new show: The Wolf Den.
Alek started The Mixdown on September 26, 2015 as a podcast. He would record and edit his show before putting it out to the public. It became his own personal project that he did in his spare time. On November 3, 2017, The Mixdown saw its 100th podcast special. As he continued to produce podcasts, Alek recognized his need for more. The Mixdown has grown and had reached a point where he no longer saw it fit to be a pre-recorded podcast. On December 4, The Mixdown went live for the first time.
Even now, a year later, The Mixdown is more than just a broadcasted show. It just keeps growing. When asked what made his show so special, over all the other podcasts, livestreams, and radio segments, Alek’s answer was simple: his listeners. He credits all of his success to the people who have helped him on this journey. From feedback about segments to song requests to guest co-hosts, The Mixdown was made by the community. Alek welcomes people to be on the air with him all the time and invites people to record voiceovers whenever they are free. He says that this is what gives The Mixdown the edge. “Every broadcast has its own sound. There has never been a broadcast that has sounded the same,” he told The Critic.
Not only that, but The Mixdown has started hosting live performances, as well. On special “Unplugged” broadcasts, Northern Vermont University students have sat in with Alek and performed covers and original music for the entire broadcast. Two fan-favorites include Autumn Chamberlain and Thomasina Glenn, whose music is now in the normal rotation of Alek’s show.
Aaron Wells, a co-host for Monday night The Mixdown broadcasts, also spoke to us, offering encouraging words about the show. He admitted that his favorite segment was “Small Acts of Kindness,” which is sponsored by the Live Like Ada Foundation. During this segment, Aaron and Alek will share kind things that they have done for people or that people have done for them, also encouraging listeners to write in their experiences over the past week. Wells says that the opportunity to share community news like this is very important.
When asked about what it’s like to work with Alek, a smile immediately overtook Wells’ face. He told us that he sees Alek going places and that he’s a pleasure to work with. “He’s a really good producer, an entertaining host, and he’s a very pleasant co-worker,” Wells told The Critic. Wells also mentioned that Alek cares for the content he produces for the public, saying that he communicates with and genuinely cares about his listeners
When asked who inspired him to take this career path, Alek was quick to answer: Ryan Seacrest. “The way he runs his radio show was just always so interesting and it made me want more and I listened in every time he was on air,” he said.
Alek hopes to continue to pursue this career. “I hope to continue the work with The Mixdown for the rest of my time here at NVU – Lyndon. If by the end of my senior year The Mixdown is strong… then who knows…” Although the future may be unclear, he has high hopes for the three-year-old show. In fact, Alek already has plans to expand The Mixdown in 2019. His goal is for The Mixdown to be two full hours instead of one and a half, the new start time being 8:00PM, like WWE Breakdown.
He is most excited for this weekend, which marks The Mixdown’s 200th broadcast. Alek has titled it “Mixdown Supershow 200,” which will go live at 7:00PM EST on his Periscope account, WWLR 91.5, and a class Instagram account, @sirarnoldrita. The Instagram live feed will also have video and show the behind-the-scenes work of everyone that will be part of the broadcast. Alek himself would also like to extend an invite to readers of The Critic to go down to the radio station and join the celebration.
“Mixdown Supershow 200” will be a three hour long broadcast featuring music, fun, and so much more. All of Alek’s current segments from his other shows will be featured as well as some new content. Voices from his first days on a podcast will also show up in the studio, as well as current co-hosts. The Supershow is scheduled to have generations of The Mixdown family, as well as unspoken surprises.
This entire experience with The Mixdown, Alek says, has helped him find his own style in broadcasting. His time on air has allowed him to develop his own voice, develop his style of operating and leadership skills, and find types of content that he works with the best. “I strongly believe that if I didn’t do The Mixdown or I never started it, I wouldn’t be doing anything in radio as much as I am,” Alek told us. He has also been able to make amazing connections within the broadcasting industry because of The Mixdown and has met some incredible people. In fact, these aren’t just business people, but his friends.
For more information, you can always contact Alek on his social media accounts, email, or join a broadcast. His twitter is @RadioAlek, his Periscope is AlekWolfe (@AlekWolfe), his Facebook is Alek Wolfe, his Instagram is @announcer444, and his email is announcer444@gmail.com. The Mixdown also has its own Facebook page. Alek loves hearing feedback and connecting with the community, so feel free to reach out to him and let him know you read this article on The Critic!