WCUA is Back and Better Than Ever

Courtesy of KZSC

By Thomas Curry

Three years after its hiatus, WCUA—a student-run radio station at Catholic University that hosts a wide range of talk shows, playlists, and podcasts—has returned to campus with a plethora of talk shows, music stations and a variety of events and programs that have made its presence on campus known this past semester.

Station Manager William Tishuk has managed to draw a crowd of 168 WCUA members and won the station the Media Student Organization of the Year Award in 2019, hoping to continue the tradition and bring more accolades to the radio station. 

WCUA carries with it a history of being one of the longest-running sources of communication on campus. After the university’s Electrical Engineering Department successfully built a working radio transmitter in 1921, the university obtained a broadcasting license two years later until it expired in 1924. In 1948, two students built a working transmitter that acted as a “micro” station that reached students at Gibbons Hall, many of whom gave the station the name WGIB.

Interest in a campus-wide station grew, and in 1958 the student council sponsored the funding for WCUA. However, the station quickly dissolved due to delays from regular broadcasting and technical difficulties. After returning on air in 1972 in St. John’s Hall, the station moved to various locations: a newly built studio at University Center West, a studio shared with the percussion department in Ward Hall, and a shared office with the Tower in the Pryzbyla Center.

In January 2015, WCUA became defunct temporarily due to the station’s decreasing popularity and issues with “faculty licensing.” However, by 2016, then-Station Manager Joe D’Antonio was able to resurrect the station through advertising and interest meetings, although the station still remains unlicensed to broadcast at their designated frequency.

This doesn’t stop the station from creating the presence it has on campus today, however. Station Manager William Tishuk took over during the Fall 2018 semester and has since been responsible for building a larger audience of listeners for the DJ’s and hosts on the station. 

Tishuk developed a strong interest in music and broadcasting prior to coming to Catholic, inspired by his father who was a DJ when he went to college. Once at Catholic, he met a resident assistant in his building who introduced him to the radio station.

“Upon arriving on campus I attended the annual fall festival and found the radio station,” Tishuk said. “I met Chris Doyle, the station manager at the time, and later signed up for a show. I found having a radio show was incredibly enjoyable.”

Members of WCUA have thought of clever and new ways to get out of the studio and directly reach out the the CUA community, as evidenced by their weekly Totally Tuesday’s program.

“Assistant Station Manager Max Dreitlein, suggested [Totally Tuesday’s] this past year. It has been a huge success,” Tishuk said. “WCUA will continue Totally Tuesday’s for the next two weeks [of the semester].”

Sports broadcasting has attracted a number of listeners for WCUA, with one of the most popular shows being sophomore Paul Smith’s show, Titletown Radio, a talk show revolving around Boston sports teams.

Smith, who began working with the radio station as a freshman, believes that WCUA has given him an opportunity to branch out of his comfort zone and do something he is truly passionate about.

“Growing up, I always hated public speaking. I still do to some extent,” Smith explained. “But if there is a way to grow out of your shell and talk to others, it’s best to start with something that you know and love.”

On the other hand, junior Maura MacDonald loves the sense of community that working with the radio station provides.

“You can tell everyone is super passionate about the club, and that really makes all the hard work worthwhile,” MacDonald said. “I think that WCUA can provide another level of community and connection to CUA as a whole.”

WCUA also makes their presence known by participating in events such as Halloween on Campus, and hopes to continue doing more on campus next semester by planning trivia nights at Murphy’s Bar and Grill. Tishuk plans to utilize these ideas and more to help the organization further expand and strengthen to keep the organization alive and well.

“As we grow and add more types of shows and voices to our schedule, I really think there’s something for everyone on the radio,” MacDonald explained. “I always encourage everyone to listen to our station, even if they’re not listening to my show specifically.” 

Tune into WCUA Radio at wcua.caster.fm each week for a variety of talk shows and music.