WWLR 91.5 The Impulse, Northern Vermont University – Lyndon’s campus radio station, has taken the summer to start organizing for the upcoming academic year. Due to the move to remote learning this past spring, the radio station was unable to smoothly transfer to a new Executive Board and complete training. Additionally, with the challenges surrounding returning to campus in a COVID-19 world, WWLR’s leading students have been swamped with hard decision making and vigorous discussions during the summer months.
Former General Manager for the station, Pete Cormier, has been volunteering on campus this summer to help physically prep WWLR for the new Executive Board. Cormier served as General Manager of the student-run station for over one and a half years. He told The Critic that he has been spending time uploading music, tuning, and “making sure [everything] is running.”
Cormier, known as “Corm” on air and to many of the radio station members, has also been meeting with the new Executive Board of the station weekly to train and work with them. The transition of student leadership was disrupted when students were asked to return to their homes amid the COVID-19 pandemic. While some students remained on campus and continued to broadcast on the airwaves, WWLR was thrown through a loop.
According to the new Executive Board, Cormier has been a huge help in the transition. The newly appointed Program Director, Alek Wolfe, said that Cormier is an “open source of information,” and new General Manager Curtis Bates gratefully admitted that “[WWLR is] not going to be [left] in the dark.” Accompanied by News and Weather Director Vanessa Symonick, the group has been discussing their roles as student leaders in the club and on campus, COVID-19 safety concerns, and future plans for the radio station. The group is also looking to fill vacant Executive Board positions, including Social Media Director, Music Director, Business Director, and Sports Director. Soon, they will be looking to set up a meeting with Club Advisor Meaghan Meachem to discuss policies and ideas in more depth.
Bates, a third-year student studying Music Business & Industry, expressed excitement to follow in Cormier’s footsteps as General Manager of WWLR. He is “excited to learn new things and apply my knowledge to the radio station.” He, Wolfe, and Symonick are also looking forward to enlisting new club members, welcoming back their returning members, host events, and expanding the WWLR name this upcoming year. Bates explicitly stated that his goals for the station were to build more community connections, work on fundraising, and building a stronger relationship with MEISA, a music-oriented club on campus.
Program Director Alek Wolfe is a third year student studying Electronic Journalism Arts, and he admitted that this will be an “interesting” year for WWLR. Like Bates, Wolfe is also keen on expanding WWLR into the local community, especially as local businesses such as The White Market and the Miss. Lyndonville Diner play WWLR 91.5 during operating hours.
Wolfe also told The Critic that initially he was nervous about the upcoming year for WWLR, as the club has risen from the ashes of its past in recent years. However, he has complete faith in the club members and the Executive Board, recognizing their dedication and commitment to keep WWLR on the map. To attest to their efforts, WWLR was recognized for the NVU-Lyndon Club Community Service Award for the 2019-2020 academic year.
News and Weather Director Vanessa Symonick will be beginning her third year at NVU-Lyndon this fall, pursuing degrees in both Atmospheric Sciences and Electronic Journalism Arts. She told The Critic that there is a lot of work ahead of her this year, mainly referring to the work of organizing daily news stories and weather forecasts. Symonick specifically is looking forward to building a working relationship with News 7 and broadcasting campus events more openly into the community.
All three Executive Board members look forward to returning to campus this fall and welcoming the community back as well. As far as WWLR goes, Bates said, “It’s a station for all students of all majors. I’m hoping to make it a fun and inviting environment.” Symonick and Wolfe echoed Bates’ thoughts, ready to bring new and returning club members into the studio once again.
Feature Photo by Alexandra Huff || Former WWLR member Jacob Lunnie (left) and former Sports Director Colton Lafayette (right) set up for the NVU-Lyndon 2019 Involvement Fair.