ֱ’s radio station, WJCU 88.7 FM, continues its long tradition of earning national recognition, winning first place in the Best DJ category at the 2024 College Broadcasters, Inc. (CBI) National Student Production Awards held in Seattle. The award-winning show, “808s and Mixtapes,” produced by students Zachary Sinutko '24, '25G, Emily Davala '24, '26G, and Jayden Beddingfield '25, earned this top spot, marking WJCU’s first time securing first-place honors at the CBI Awards and the 11th first place win in a national or international competition for WJCU since 2022.
The success of the “808s and Mixtapes” was complemented by “From the Bench,” a show produced by WJCU members Laken Kincaid'24,the 2024 NBC/ֱ “Meet the Press” Fellow, and Evan Richwalsky '24. "From the Bench" earned third place in both the Best Regularly Scheduled Entertainment Program and Best Promo categories.
These recent accolades build upon an impressive track record, with WJCU earning 54 national or international award nominations since 2022. Earlier this year, the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) also named WJCU the number-one college radio station in the country among schools with fewer than 10,000 students. A full list of awards can be found at .
“I couldn't be prouder of our students,” said Jasen Sokol, Director of WJCU 88.7 FM, and recipient of the College Media Association's Emerging Adviser Award in 2023. “They have worked incredibly hard to make their shows and WJCU the best they can be, and it's great to see their work being recognized on the national level.”
WJCU’s recent accomplishments reflect ֱ’s enduring commitment to creating hands-on, career-driven learning opportunities for its students. At a time when many small liberal arts colleges are facing unprecedented challenges, ֱ is building its national reputation and drawing students who seek to hone their skills in media, communication, journalism, public relations, and advertising. As part of the Tim Russert Department of Communication, named in honor of Meet the Press journalist and JCU alumnus Tim Russert ’72, WJCU radio station offers practical training in media production, broadcasting, and journalism, equipping students with real-world skills and industry knowledge.