By Macy Hayes ’25
You know when you are hanging out with your friends, and you are having the most hysterical conversation ever, and then someone says it?
“We should start a podcast.”
And when you hear those words, doesn’t it just sound like the best idea ever? We’ve all been there. But what about taking it to the next level? What if you made the actual podcast? Well, here at Pace University, you can!
There’s a club on campus called WPUB (you may have seen some of their flyers posted around campus). WPUB aims to promote students’ self-expression via media, encouraging them to use radio shows for anything they want, really. I had the opportunity to talk with some honors students who run their own radio show with WPUB to learn more about the process.
The first person I interviewed was Ryan Murray. She is a junior studying Communication and Media Studies with a double minor in Business and Peace and Justice Studies. Her radio show, The Record with Ryan, just began its second season in September. On her show, she plays “old, new, but always good music” across a variety of different genres.
I asked Ryan about what inspired her show. “It was something I already do and enjoy in my free time… sharing and listening to music. Good music should be shared.” Since beginning her show with WPUB, Ryan has been motivated to look into broadcasting as a career. She mentioned, “It has actually helped me in terms of getting better at using social media for marketing and branding. I’ve become more organized with making content calendars and planning ahead.”
Additionally, I asked Murray about the process of getting her radio show through WPUB. She explained her experience and what was easier and harder than she expected. According to Murray, the hardest part of getting a radio show is getting a time slot. “The show schedule gets done every semester, and it goes by seniority of membership with the club. The longer you have been doing it, the closer you are to getting your first pick. You might not get your pick of the time slots.” She then went on to express how worth it was. She enjoys sharing her love of music with her listeners, and if you are interested, you should go for it!
The Record With Ryan is on the air Tuesdays at 3 p.m., tune in every week to see what Ryan is listening to! Make sure to follow The Record with Ryan on Instagram @therecordwithry and Spotify at The Record with Ry. She has a special episode coming soon featuring audience recommendations, so be sure to stay updated to send her your recs!
My second interview was with another honors student, the wonderful and talented Sophia Traub. Sophia is a senior studying Film and Screen Studies with a double minor in History and Literature. She hosts bookends, a show that keeps it simple for an hour, just relaxing and listening to good tunes. Although she plays all kinds of different music, if you tune into bookends, you’ll most likely hear either indie rock or 80s new wave.
This is Sophia’s second semester hosting her show, inspired to start one after she was a guest on one of her best friends’ shows. She enjoyed it and went on to pursue one of her own. She explained that her radio show differs from others because it isn’t about the commentary, guests, or interviews. “It’s meant to be chill and set aside time to really listen to new music [and] good music. I use it to relax and center myself and hopefully for others.”
Sophia expressed, “My show is just for fun; it’s an extracurricular where I don’t need to do anything crazy. I can just listen. I like sharing music with someone, and they like the song, then add it to their playlist. It creates a connection. It builds a community.”
She said the process of getting a radio slot was surprisingly easy. She shared, “At the beginning of every semester, their Instagram posts at Google Forms asking, who you are, what do you want to do?” She explained that you select any times that work for you, and since sometimes you don’t get your top choice, “You have to jump on it!” However, she mentioned that this shouldn’t discourage you from hosting a show yourself.
Be sure to tune in to Sophia’s show bookends on Tuesday at 12 p.m. She is hosting a scary show on Halloween featuring some Goth and spooky sounds. Follow her social for updates @sophapilla.honey.
Lastly, I got the chance to talk with Ashvin Kapor of The Ashvin Show. Ashvin is a senior honors student who studies Arts and Entertainment Management. Ashvin has been doing this from the beginning of his journey at Pace, it’s been a lifelong dream of his. “When I was a freshman, I hadn’t done anything yet because of COVID. I heard you could get a radio [show] at Pace and just do stuff. Having a show was always an idea in my head. Then, in December 2021, I was a part of a Secret Santa, and I was gifted a cartoon logo of me for The Ashvin Show. Then, that was it. I knew I had to be the most creative and most annoying radio show on campus and in the world.”
He’s been hosting The Ashvin Show for six semesters. His show is a lot different from most other shows at Pace. It’s a variety comedy show where Ashvin creates games such as “Who Said What?” where Ashvin reads a quote, and the guests guess who said it! Some examples included “Taylor Swift or Travis Scott” and “Lin-Manuel Miranda or the Queen of England.” Ashvin stated, “No two Ashvin shows are alike, so how could the Ashvin show be like any other show?” The comedy radio show is filled with bits and sketches throughout, with an occasional song feature between.
When asked about the journey his show has taken, Ashvin spoke on some of its difficulties. “So I started during COVID, so it was different, and it wasn’t as popular. In 2022-2023, there was an influx of interest.” However, he also said, “Not to be discouraged; you are the only thing in your way.”
Tune in every Wednesday at 8 p.m. to The Ashvin Show. Follow the show’s Instagram to stay updated on all the upcoming events, @theashvinshow. Some events are the anticipated “Ashvin Live Live for the Holiday” on December 8th at 7 p.m. in the Student Center East. It is a holiday spectacular with free merch and food!
After hearing all those inspirational words, it’s hard not to want to start one yourself! If you are interested in hosting your own radio show, don’t be shy! Make that podcast with your friends! Do it! For more information, you can check out https://wpub.live/ and their Instagram @wpubradio to start your own radio show.