By Lara Gates
The University of Wisconsin–Green Bay (UW-Green Bay) celebrates its student-run radio station, Radio GBX, for receiving nine Wisconsin Broadcasters’ Association (WBA) Student Awards.
After winning seven WBA Student Awards last year, Radio GBX returned to the award ceremony at Lambeau Field on Saturday, Feb. 22, to collect nine more awards for the 2024 session, with students placing from first, second, and third place.
According to a post made on the station’s Instagram page, Radio GBX swept the Radio Imaging category, with first place going to John Raider, second to Joseph Antilla, and third to Kaylee Zimonick.
Other categories GBX won include:
- Air Check: First place — Raider; second place — Zimonick
- Episodic Entertainment Program: Second place — Antilla
- Promo: Second place: Zimonick for the station’s Bay Area Break Down segment
- PSA radio: Second place — Zimonick for Believe you can Rise (Cree Que Puedes Elevarte)
- Social media: First place – Jocelin Ramos, Raider, Antilla, and the Radio GBX executive board.
Students holding their awards at the Lambeau Field Forum on Saturday, Feb. 22. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Carr, Taken by Camera Kisses Photography)
The nomination process is straightforward. Bryan Carr, a communication professor and faculty adviser for Radio GBX, said, “We [the communication department] encourage students to submit their best work in a variety of categories set forth by the WBA and then select the best ones for submission.”
Radio GBX’s music director, Joseph Antilla, added, “…we pick what category we want to submit our work into, and then we just wait and see what happens.”
UW-Green Bay’s return to radio, now delivered through an online streaming platform, does not affect the station’s eligibility for award nominations despite competitors having the advantage of licensing. “The WBA Student Awards are the highest honors student broadcasters in the state of Wisconsin can receive, and this clearly illustrates the quality and talent of our students. We are able to go toe-to-toe with some of the biggest programs and universities in the state and win,” Carr said.
These awards are significant to the University as well as the students who receive them, as they enhance the campus’s reputation in broadcast radio and open many opportunities for the winners. “Being awarded for the work that I have done shows my initiative and passion for working with audio,” Antilla said. Being awarded also acknowledges dedication to using knowledge gained from the classroom in a professional setting.
For the future of the recipients, these awards will help them stand out in the job market after graduation. “Given that the WBA Student Forum can be competitive in some of the submission categories, winning an award shows them your hard work, and that can make the professionals turn an eye to you if radio/broadcasting is a field you want to get into,” Antilla added.
Radio GBX students at Lambeau Field on Saturday, Feb. 22. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Carr, Taken by Camera Kisses Photography)
In terms of advice for future communication students interested in submitting their work to the WBAs or pursuing a future in radio, Antilla said, “Continuous improvement. Always take the feedback given and keep working hard to sharpen your skills. I would also say to always be on the lookout for networking opportunities. If the realm of radio is something you might want to explore further, having some type of connection before you graduate is really helpful.”
Looking ahead to the future of the station, Carr expresses optimism, saying, “Every day the Radio GBX team, from the executive board to the on-air DJs, builds a foundation of excellence that will last for years to come. Good radio doesn’t need an FCC license, but hopefully this will strengthen our case to expand into that area eventually.”
With new talent joining the station, there is also the chance to beat this year’s record at the WBA Student Awards.