What WVCW Is and How It Impacted Me As a Professional

The major elements in my personal life are fashion, sports, family, and music. I have introduced all of those elements except music. Music has always been something constant in my life, and if I am on my own, music is always on. it has always been important for my artistic inspiration, but it has connected me to every element of myself in some way or another. I have always had an affinity for sharing the music I like and talking about why I like it. Because of this, I always knew it was important for me to find some way to be involved in it throughout my life. College offered me the perfect space for this in WVCW, which is the long-standing college radio station for VCU.

After spending a year as just a DJ hosting a weekly radio show, I took over as a member of the executive staff as the first training director of WVCW. I was tasked with creating the training standards for the station and had to develop methods to make the training and rules stick with any and all individuals who came to the station. Because of my role, I also became the first interaction with the station for most new DJs who came in. Over the 1 1/2 years I have been in the role, I have trained over 80+ new DJs that have since created and successfully managed their own personal show.

I have to teach every step of the process, from how you manage your volume and run the station itself to how to create an effective show theme and select appropriate and themed music for a weekly show. I grew an understanding of every aspect of the station, even those I did not work with, so I could properly inform and teach all newcomers of every opportunity and how they work. I also had to learn how to effectively represent the station in a way that made all feel welcome and wanted to be there, creating a kind and present personality to make new DJs feel comfortable and that they can succeed.

All of these factors have impacted who I am as a professional. I now understand how to work with and teach all kinds of diverse and different people in a way that enables the most success from those I interact with. Any position in college would teach this to someone who wants to see success, but because of being in the uniquely diverse world of VCU, as well as the more diverse segment of people who are often in the arts. Because of all these things and my passion for the station, I approached this task very intently and sought to perform my best in every job I was tasked with.

Another important thing this position taught me is the importance of understanding every aspect of a professional environment. If you understand how and why things work or are important outside of your position, you work harder to make others work easier, but also know why someone is important to the company, allowing you to see them as vital and work better with those around you. Understanding the environment you work in makes you work better, and those around you work better with you as well.