Gannon Station Receives Seven National Awards for College Radio

Ten Gannon students were recognized for excellence in college radio, named national winner in audio production, and national finalists in six other categories at the Intercollegiate Broadcast System’s (IBS) 78th annual media conference.

For the fourth consecutive year, 90.5 WERG, Gannon’s student-operated radio station, was honored as a top-five finalist for Best College Station with enrollment under 10,000 students.

WERG was named finalist among hundreds of college stations across the United States, and received the first place award for production work by station production manager, Lauren Sovisky. Sovisky was recognized for her work in sound effect usage for on-campus promotions.

The following awards were presented to WERG:

National Champions:

Best Use of Sound Effects: Lauren Sovisky (audio production)

National Finalists:

Best College Radio Station, University Under 10,000 Enrollment

Best Morning Show: Lauren Sovisky/Brian Bowersox (Sonic Sunrise)

Best Event Promo: Brian Bowersox (“Heathers: The Musical”)

Best Promotion Video: Prime Time Sports Guys (“No Sleep”)

Best On-Air Schedule: Molly Cooke

Best Training Manual: Chet LaPrice

Ten student DJs and WERG staff made up the student group representing Gannon University, including station general manager Molly Cooke, programming assistant Brian Bowersox, social media director Veronica Kowalski, promotions director Justin Karns, production director Lauren Sovisky, production assistant Nicolis Franz, Prime Time Sports Guys members Matt Fassnacht, Matt Newara and Will Gadson, news director Paige Groff and station operations manager Chet LaPrice.

The WERG staff spent their spring break weekend hosting and attending radio and television media broadcast panels and roundtables. Students engaged with the New York City atmosphere, and met with radio experts from iHeartMedia and DJs from NYC stations.

Freshman Nicolis Franz, digital media major, experienced his first IBS conference this year and noted it as “an experience of a lifetime. I never would have imagined being staff to an award winning college radio station. I have my new Gannon family here at WERG, and I’m so excited to see what else I’ll get to learn and experience in the coming years.”

90.5 WERG has been an IBS member station since 2004. In 2014, the station was awarded the prestigious Abraham & Borst Award for being named Best College Radio Station in the Nation. Gannon's radio station continued to receive national recognition in subsequent years, being a top five finalist for Best College Station again in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

A part of Gannon University's School of Communication and the Arts, 90.5 WERG follows a two-part mission: to provide service to the University and community in which the station is federally licensed to operate, and to provide Gannon University students with a unique learning laboratory for developing experience in station operations, interpersonal communication skills and media management.