I Came to St. John’s for Nursing and Found a Creative Community at WSJU Radio

Art and music have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. My mom loves to tell the story of playing Madonna's True Blue through MP3 headphones while I was still in her stomach. Music has followed me ever since, and it's always given me a way to connect with the world and the people in it.

When I came to St. John's University as a Nursing major, I didn't expect radio would become such an important part of my college experience. But I soon discovered WSJU Radio, where students host their own shows and share what matters most to them with an audience.  

Looking back, it was the beginning of everything that followed.

Finding My Creative Voice

My ongoing radio show, hisquietradio, which I debuted during my first year of college, was where I first learned just how freely I could let my mind run in a space beyond visual art. From the branding and playlisting to the aesthetics and personal media I created for it, it became one of the most creatively fulfilling experiences I've ever had.

Each week, I'd head to Room 424E in Marillac Hall. I couldn't help but see the station as another blank canvas — one just begging for some life and color. But I was only a member; I did not believe I had any influence over what the station could become. Still, I couldn't shake the feeling that WSJU Radio had untapped potential.

On the final episode of hisquietradio for sophomore year, the former President and Music Director of WSJU Radio stopped by with a surprise: they invited me to join the Executive Board as Music Director beginning in Fall 2025.

Rebuilding WSJU Radio

When I stepped into the role that fall, I was ambitious, excited, and ready, but there wasn't much of a playbook to follow. The station wasn't the community it had once been during the glory days of college radio in the '90s and early 2000s. Instead, it had become a quiet third space on campus, a place where students came in for their hour-long shows and left until the next week.

I didn't really know what I was doing, but that's when I realized I didn't need to. Instead of following what had always been, I started imagining what WSJU Radio could become, and that's when the idea of rebranding the station took shape.

I remember sifting through the Music Director emails when I came across an invitation from a representative at Bowery Presents, a leading New York City independent concert promoter, inviting us to a show at Terminal 5, a venue I'd been going to for years.  

A free show at a well-respected venue, for an artist with millions of listeners? I remember thinking: Are they talking to the right people? Then I realized it didn't matter if they were. I was going to make sure we became the right people.

That fall was mentally taxing. I was dealing with a lot of personal stress both in and outside of school. Hisquietradio wasn't where I wanted it to be, and honestly, neither was I. It was a difficult season, but it also became the moment I started looking ahead.  

During winter break, I got to work. As Music Director, I wanted to give the station something it had lost: a brand identity. I taught myself how to build a website in less than a week, filled notebooks with ideas, built playlists, and worked on giving the station an official look, all with plenty of caffeine and support from friends and family. Coming back in the new year, I didn't realize just how much was at my disposal. We have incredible faculty and IT staff who guided me through many of the changes I wanted to implement at WSJU Radio.

We also welcomed a new student to our Executive Board: Stephanie “Steph” Macieko. I can tell you now, she’ll be WSJU’s president one day. I don't think I could have done any of this without her. Together, we built a network of artists, companies, executives, and students, and patented our now-signature Instagram slideshows spotlighting emerging artists.

I inherited the Instagram account with roughly 1,200 followers, but the presence had gone largely inactive. We were essentially shaking the dust off an account that had been quiet for years. Success came in trickles at first. Most posts averaged around 10 likes and 200 views. After launching our TikTok, two videos unexpectedly surpassed 100,000 views. It was exciting, but the momentum was short-lived.

Ironically, things really took off after the semester ended. By June, we'd reached more than 1.1 million impressions, and our inbox flooded with collaboration requests. When I read a comment from someone saying they look forward to our posts every week, I finally thought, “okay, we might actually be onto something.”

What I’ve Learned Along the Way

One thing you'll never be fully prepared for—whether you're leading a student organization or working as part of a team—is the moment when something you’ve been building suddenly becomes real.

At the height of everything happening with WSJU, I was also working 12.5-hour shifts as a Nurse Extern in a Surgical Intensive Care Unit, a nonstop stretch of balancing nursing, leadership, and creativity. I was exhausted, but I couldn’t have been happier. People believed in what we were building, and I wasn’t going to let them down.

More than anything, I’m proud that WSJU has once again become meaningful for students. Today, our members can attend concerts on media passes, interview emerging artists, contribute to our growing media presence, and be part of a community that creates new opportunities.  

We’ve redesigned our studio, built relationships throughout the music industry, and created experiences I hope to inspire other students to get involved. It all feels as though we’ve finally put all the puzzle pieces together; I am just waiting to see what that final picture looks like. I know it’s going to be great.

This experience taught me not to give up, but also that everything takes time. In a culture driven by hyper-influencing and overnight success stories, it’s easy to get discouraged when something you’ve poured your heart into doesn’t offer instant gratification. But that doesn’t mean you stop. I've learned to trust my creativity, believe in my visions, and recognize that having the right team beside you is just as important as having the drive to keep going. Without my team, none of this would have been possible. Keon Douglas, Stephanie Macieko, Isabella Patterson, and Karla Montero, this wouldn’t have been possible without you all,  

My Advice for Students Who Want to Make an Impact

My advice is simple: Create a plan, stick with it, be patient, and let the rest unfold. If you care deeply about something, stay consistent and don’t lose sight of why you started. When you lose your way, ask yourself, “Why did I want to make a difference in the first place?”  

The opportunities that shape your college experience the most are the ones you never expected.