Students and staff celebrating World College Radio Day in 2023.
As you walk by Moudy South, the sounds of music and laughter fill the air. Inside, the on-air booth is manned by students, while production studios pulse with diverse music. Since the building opened in 1982, KTCU, the university’s radio station, has transformed this space into a vibrant hub of music, laughter and learning.
The current leadership of KTCU includes Geoff Craig ’14 (MS ’21) and Janice McCall, both former deejays at the station. Their experience in college radio gives them a deep understanding of the importance of the student experience.
“The radio station is about them,” said Craig co-manager and sports director of KTCU.
“You have fun, but you’re going to learn something. This is a job. It’s a real radio station.”
This year, KTCU celebrates 60 years as an FM station. Since its inception, the station has fostered a sense of community, impacting students long after they graduate and extending its influence beyond the airwaves.
The Choice
Students on air at KTCU.
“At KTCU, there’s a little something for everyone,” said McCall the station’s other co-manager and music director.
Students from all over campus participate in KTCU, from film, television and digital media majors to communication studies, journalism, finance and theatre. Everyone is welcome at KTCU.
The variety extends to the students’ radio shows. From Latin pop to death metal and ghost stories, listeners can hear nearly anything on KTCU—except Top 40 music. The station encourages students to explore diverse musical genres and promotes local artists through its “Local Lunch” program, featuring local musicians from noon to 1 p.m. every weekday.
Creating Community
“It’s my favorite place on campus,” said Gabbie Ferraro, a communication studies senior and KTCU intern.
KTCU offers 40 volunteer spots, often with a waiting list for interested students. The reasons for joining vary, but many students stay for similar reasons.
Ferraro, a transfer student from San Diego, CA, sought a sense of belonging at TCU. Her love for music led her to KTCU, where she has formed lasting friendships and connections beyond the station.
For first-year journalism and marketing major Macy Bayer, joining KTCU felt inevitable. Bayer, who grew up in nearby Muenster, TX listened to the station growing up. During Schieffer College’s summer high school journalism programs, she met Craig and McCall and eagerly emailed the station to get involved before classes began.
“You are only going to grow by getting experience,” Baer said, highlighting her involvement in various student media outlets, including as a staff writer and page editor for The Skiff.
Inspiring Futures
Carson Arnold ’24 and Jackson James ’25 talking with President Pullin and Jason Safran recording episode three.
FTDM senior Jackson James discovered KTCU after listening to a TCU baseball game with his dad and hearing a student moderate the event. His experience at KTCU has inspired him to pursue a career in radio.
“I can’t imagine college without it,” James said.
Now in his sixth semester at KTCU, senior sports broadcasting and journalism major Ian Napetian joined the station to enhance his versatility in the sports broadcasting field. He found much more than he expected.
“Looking back, joining KTCU is by far one of the most important decisions I’ve made as a student,” Napetian said. “It has opened so many doors, from learning about radio to meeting students across various majors and broadcasting TCU baseball.”
Lasting Impact
Many students have experienced the magic of radio, including graduates Travis Puckett ’12 and Garrett Harris ’19, who turned their KTCU experiences into radio careers.
Puckett fondly remembers his first day at the station as a pivotal moment when he truly felt part of a community.
“I graduated in 2012, and I still feel part of the community,” Puckett said. “It connects me to TCU and the Fort Worth area. TCU emphasizes community, and I found it here, where I could be part of a real radio station.”
Even after graduating, Puckett continues to engage with the community by helping with TCU baseball and basketball radio shows.
Harris recalls his time at KTCU with nostalgia, from playing music related to the release years of Star Wars films to dressing as Indiana Jones for Halloween. The fun and camaraderie he experienced at KTCU inspired him to pursue a full-time radio career.
“I realized, ‘this is fun. This could be a great career for me,’” Harris said. “I now work at a radio station in Dallas, and I attribute my experience to KTCU, from running sound to being on air.”
“If it weren’t for KTCU, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he said.
Tune In
Join the celebration 4-7 p.m. on Oct. 3 at the radio station in Moudy South.
To learn more about KTCU’s history, visit our digital timeline. Listen to KTCU anytime online or at 88.7 FM, KTCU The Choice.