This week wrapped up WUSC's bi-annual Fundraiser. Each semester, we endeavor to raise half of the money necessary to pay our $14,000 licensing fees. We do this through donations, fundraiser events, and underwriting. As Station Manager and on behalf of everyone at WUSC, I want to express a hearty thank you for all of the calls, letters, and online visits we've received in the past week. Our events saw huge turn outs, and Fundraiser Week proved to be a great way to welcome our newest recruits to the station. Thank you to everyone who contributed their time, money, and support to our humble college radio this week.
As many of you probably heard throughout the week, WUSC is more than just a platform for broadcasting great music. We bring students, faculty, and alumni together. We conduct interviews, cover special topics, and bring you the news. This semester has seen the greatest changes in WUSC, along with some of the most exciting additions. With a staff change halfway through the year, this semester has proved challenging. We lost our beloved Director of Student Media, Scott Lindenberg, in September to the Treasury Department. Our devoted graduate assistant Rachael also moved on once her studies came to an end in December. With a reduced staff, our executive body has had to adapt to new roles, take on fresh duties, and work harder than ever. The addition of 25 new faces to our body this semester helped counter these losses, and help make our jobs that much more fun. We trained the newest DJs in February, and were happy to welcome them to the fold this past week.
Throughout Fundraiser Week, our old and new DJs alike brought you their favorite "Spring Break Mixtapes." As you could probably tell, each DJ brought a different spin on this theme, and exemplified the diversity of tastes we're proud to represent. Campus radio may be a mixed bag, with jostling music genres and personalities, but it's a community nonetheless. I am proud to be at the head of WUSC, and am so pleased to recognize how much the station means to not only those who work for it, but to the listeners as well.
The steps we've taken to reach our $14,000 goal have been great indeed thanks to your help, but we still have a long way to go. We've raised a little more than half of our total, and with only two months left in the semester, it will be a feat to meet the final figure. If you have not donated yet, please consider doing so, either online or by mail. You can learn more about how to donate and the steps involved on our donation page. If you have donated, I encourage you to share this letter and promote the work that WUSC currently does and hopes to continue doing for many years to come. If you operate a Columbia-area business and have not spoken with our Public Affairs office about an underwriting contract, they can be reached at wuscpad@sdc.edu and would be happy to set up an arrangement.
We rely on our community to support us and keep us thriving, and your help does more than just keep us on the air. WUSC was my first true home at the University of South Carolina. My show, Dress Up, has been a wonderful outlet for my passion and musical interests. The same can surely be said for any DJ on WUSC, and without you, our home in campus radio is lost. To those of you who have stuck by us from the beginning, we cherish your listenership and support. And to those of you who are future donors, partners, or listeners, I hope you come to see what makes us so special.
Thank you for reading, sharing, and donating.
Humbly yours,
Ari Robbins
WUSC Station Manager and DJ Paper Doll
