Professor McKim
“We have a growing number of employees at Bryan Broadcasting who are graduates of the radio program here at Texas A&M,” Young points out. “The education they’re receiving from Billy’s classes is incredible – I wish I would have had that type of training when I entered the industry.”
Ali Ellul, a junior ag communications and journalism major, says she enrolled in the introductory radio course because she’s interested in pursuing a career in broadcasting. “It may not necessarily be radio I pursue, but there’s something to be said for starting in radio as a foundation,” she notes.
Her group’s final project resulted in a conceptual radio station called WJAM-FM 100.1, a station with an urban format, playing a variety of rap and hip-hop music, based in Indianapolis, Indiana.
To expand their horizons beyond Texas, McKim doesn’t allow these fictional stations to be in the Lone Star State and Ellul said she appreciated that. “I’ve learned so much about different cities in the United States than I ever thought I would,” she explains. “And learning about all that goes into operating a radio station has been really fascinating; it’s so much more complicated than the average person probably thinks it is.”
In addition to learning valuable skills on campus, the radio students are given opportunities to attend industry conferences around the country, including the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, the National Association of Broadcasters convention in Las Vegas and the Texas Association of Broadcasters convention in Austin. “Getting students involved in professional organizations has provided them with invaluable professional development and networking opportunities,” notes McKim, adding such opportunities have even led to a few job offers.
In all, 11 groups presented their final projects this semester to the largest panel of experts so far. McKim says he hopes to see the program continue to grow. “I’m working to expand our current model to include a music scheduling certificate program,” he explains. “I also plan to offer this program to professionals working in the radio industry who want to earn the certificate. We would be the first university program in the country to offer such a program.”
Watching his students move from radio novices to broadcasting professionals is what McKim says is most rewarding about his job. “I usually meet them during their sophomore year. Seeing them grow into confident, skilled professionals is an amazing process to watch.”
For more information about the radio program, visit ALEC online.
Read more about the Fusion radio station here.