While student media offers enormous amounts of information, only one medium offers music, sports, news and talk shows all-day, every day. Located in upstairs Moseley Center, Elon's radio station, WSOE, is a little-known alternative music and talk station available to all students.
WSOE can be heard at all hours on 89.3 FM or through online streaming. This student-run organization allows students and faculty to share their favorite music or host talk shows on subjects they are passionate about.
" I believe the purpose of WSOE is to give students a chance to share something they are passionate about with the Elon community," said Andrew Reuben, senior and music promotions director.
Reuben said WSOE plays an important role in the music community by coordinating ticket giveaways, maintaining relationships with music venues and promoting local artists.
CDs are put on rotation for DJs during their slots in the studio and this responsibility falls under senior Hunter Ertel. Many of the CDs are mailed in from record labels and distribution companies. As the music director, Ertel sorts through them and decides which ones DJs can chose from.
WSOE gives experiences to students interested in radio broadcast after graduation.
"We serve not only as a creative outlet, but an opportunity for students to explore a field most can't," said senior Alexa Johnson, general manager.
Johnson said some of her favorite shows to tune into are Hipstervention, a music show with Eva Hill, a current Pendulum staff member, and Steve Whitener and a talk show called Top 10 with Stephanie Militello and Liv Dubendorf.
"Both shows are manned by seniors who are hysterical and dedicated," Johnson said.
WSOE has other shows, ranging from politics and sports to literature talk shows. While this is standard for most college radio stations, WSOE is headed toward change.
Sophomore Sierra Ferrier will serve as general manager in the spring and is planning on altering the station in many ways. She said she plans to build a stronger relationship between executive staff and DJs.
"We're under the Media Board umbrella, but I feel like WSOE can have so much more potential to be recognizable on and off campus," she said.
Ferrier said she hopes WSOE will become more well-known on campus. To do this, she is planning on bringing local artists to the Fat Frogg, or outside on campus.
"I'd like to see the station be more of an informational resource and have a diversity in content," Ferrier said.
To accomplish all the goals for the spring semester, WSOE will need devoted DJs and staff. Anybody is eligible to join, and participating students can gain real-world experience in radio broadcast.
Prospective DJs will be trained their first semester and can do their own weekly radio show afterward. With this freedom, students can create their own musical content.
"There's not much in the power structure, people can just kind of come in and do what's interesting to them and get their friends to listen in," Ertel said. "It's pretty easy to get involved with and it is accessible."
New students are not an exception. Ertel said one of his favorite shows is an hour-long music show by freshman Michael Papich, called Bewildered Freshman. Papich said it was a little scary in the beginning because he was on his own, and he had never done radio before.
"But there's a bracing feeling of independence and danger," he said. "Plus, with your own show, I feel like it's a set time to voice your unfiltered opinion, whether through your words, or just by playing certain music."
Papich said it was easy to make friends with other students in WSOE because they all have similar interests and a passion for radio.
One of WSOE's stated goals is to promote local music. A couple songs from North Carolinian artists are played each hour. In addition, local shows are promoted through WSOE's blog.
"North Carolina has a pretty amazing music scene and we believe it is our duty to give local music the exposure it deserves," Reuben said.
DJs have interviewed these musicians on air, and had ticket giveaways for shows and festivals that showcase local talent.
"We're maybe not always the most serious people, but we are very sincere about what we do," Ertel said. "We like to give people an outlet to have their voice heard on campus, and at the same time keep Elon's campus an interesting place to be"