I enrolled at UMSL in August of 1975 after my four-year enlistment in the Navy. I didn't declare my major until I discovered the KWMU Student Staff early in the Spring of 1976.
I don't remember how I became aware of the program, but I know I met Gary Burns who introduced me to the Student Staff management, Terry Cavin, Harry Steen and Scott Buer. Other members I remember being on the staff at that time were Keith Bridwell, Grant Richter, Lynn Herbacek, Sheila Cannon and a few others. Sometime soon after getting involved with the weekend broadcasts I started as an apprentice to Barry Hufker, eventually working with Cactus Charlie Menees and on Creative Aging and recording classical music programs. Sometime later that year I started working with Mike Olds and Patrick Murphy in the news department.
I was appointed Student Staff General Manager in the fall of 1976. Some of the key players on my watch were the late Mark McDonough, Bill Bunkers, Tom Pierce, Jack Croghan, Steve Pohlman, Mike Clausen, Sarah Wortman, Tony Bell, Laurie Van Der Tuin, Greg Lamb, Greg Branson, Joel Bennet, and Chris Smith.
Highlights for me include:
- doing interviews, especially at Mississippi River Festival with Tom Pierce
- the cool Fusion91 logo somebody designed - cool T-shirts!
- the jazz concert broadcast at JC Penny Auditorium
- music on Fridays at Bugg Lake
- going to National Association of Collegiate Broadcasters in Washington, DC with Bunkers, Croghan and Bell
- sharing the Airport Road house with roommates Pierce, Pohlman and Clausen
- Student Staff parties at that house
- much more to share later
