In an interview last year, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson talked about the team taking up the mantra early in the year about going to the Super Bowl of “Why not us?” So why am I talking football and Super Bowl on a KEOL blog? Simply put: “Why not KEOL?”

This little station has been on this campus for more than 40 years now. Yes, that’s probably older than some of your parents. There have been good times and bad times, but through it all, the station has endured. With a move imminent in the near future and interest in the station waning, KEOL is trying to build more student interest and involvement to keep the station stronger moving forward.

Management and staff have been more active this year than in recent times promoting the station through live events on campus such as the Halloween Open House and broadcasting the men’s and women’s home conference basketball games. The station has been more active in the community as well. While this is somewhat helpful in gaining listeners, it doesn’t always help gain on-air talent.

Many students, young and old alike, walk around campus on a daily basis with their earbuds pumping out whatever kind of music each person enjoys: between classes, during lunch, even during class (shame on you). This proves that one thing is certain at EOU: there is a wealth of music-loving students on campus. So…why not KEOL?

Why not become a DJ? I’m sure some of you have heard a new band or a song that touched you in some way and then you shared it with your friends, right? That is one of the things we do as DJs. My personal preference is classic rock, but we have people at KEOL who play all kinds of different musical genres; sometimes in the same show slot! House, country, jazz, indie, ‘90’s, funk, top 40, heavy metal, dubstep, oldies, rap, R&B, classical, hip-hop: you name it and someone is probably playing it at some time during the week. But there’s always room for more music and for more people to play that music.

Now is as good a time as any to join the volunteer DJ staff at KEOL, especially since a new pilot project will begin winter term. There has always been a class to take to become a DJ, or at the very least, a test to take to challenge the course. There’s nothing wrong with that; it has worked for many, many years. However, starting winter term, all DJ training will be done in-house. And while the in-house training accomplishes the same as the class in a slightly shorter time, it also has one more perk: there is no course fee involved.

While there will still likely be some sort of test to take, you can learn at your own speed rather than having to abide by a class schedule. There may be some assignments here and there, but the bulk of the training will take place inside the studio with other experienced DJ’s. The current DJ staff is usually very open to mentoring students interested in becoming a DJ, and we have some very good mentors to work with. So, why not KEOL?

Some people might say “I’m scared to be on the radio. What if I mess up?” Hey, we all do. My very first solo show I talked for almost a minute before I realized I hadn’t switched on the mic. Sure, I was embarrassed, but I just shook it off and moved on. As long as a DJ doesn’t make a mistake that can result in an FCC fine, it’s all good. Talking on the radio is just like talking on the phone except you don’t have the immediate feedback from someone else (which can be a good thing sometimes).

There is also the family feel of the DJs at KEOL. There have been times when a few people just happen to show up at the station to do nothing more than talk with each other. KEOL is a whole group of people who share a common bond: a love of music and a desire to share that passion with the world, and each other. So…why not KEOL?