Seven Alumni Inducted into 2024 Hofstra Radio Hall of Fame
Hundreds of Hofstra alumni, students, faculty, staff, and administrators gathered to celebrate the induction of seven alumni into the University’s Radio Hall of Fame this past Saturday (10/19) at the Hofstra University Club on the school campus in Hempstead, NY. Over its 65 years, WRHU-88.7 (previously WHCH and WVHC) has won some of the industry’s most coveted awards, including four Marconi Awards for College Radio Station of the Year from the National Association of Broadcasters. Student reporters have won national and regional honors and worked alongside professional journalists in covering events ranging from political conventions, presidential debates, and inaugurations to the Super Bowl and major league playoff and championship games. At WRHU, Hofstra students create multiplatform live game content for Hofstra D1 teams and the NBA G League Long Island Nets. They produce and distribute all NY Islanders live NHL games to ESPN Radio NYC, SiriusXM, NHL.com, WRCN-FM, and WRHU-FM. Students also produce and perform on-air roles for the Long Island Ducks baseball franchise. The evening’s celebration was emceed by Lee Harris (front row, far left), a 2009 WRHU Hall of Fame award winner and recent inductee into the national Radio Hall of Fame, and Jamie Morris ’07 (not pictured), host of K-JOY, Long Island’s “Mornings with Jamie and You.” This year’s inductees for the Radio Hall of Fame are Danielle Dellilo ’01 (front row, second from left); Shannan Ferry ’14 (front row, fourth from left); Jared Greenberg ’05 (back row, far left); Damon (Dave) Mock ’00 (posthumously); Shawn Novatt ’00 (first row, second from right); Stu Rushfield ’89 (back row, second from left); and John Santucci ’11 (not pictured). Also pictured: noted agent and president of the executive board of Hofstra University’s Alumni Organization, Heather Cohen (front row, third from left); Mike Kluger (back row, third from left); Steve Graziano (back row, third from right); George Musgrave (back row, second from right); Jim Helfgott (back row, far right); WRHU general manager, John T. Mullen (front row, fourth from right); and current president Hofstra Radio Alumni Association, Liane Sousa (front row, far right). (HRAA photo)
questions as it did answers about what young broadcasters entering professional media today should be prepared for in navigating the unpredictably turbulent waters of the next decade and beyond. Among the sweeping panorama of topics covered in his address, Harrison told the students, “When looking to the future, don’t be too sure that current events will follow a predictable script. There are always ‘black swan events’ that change the storyline and our expectations in an instant. Plus, there are multiple outcomes, possibilities, and forks in the road for almost every situation.” Regarding the current focus on artificial intelligence, Harrison advised, “All technology is a double-edged sword and AI will prove to be a particularly consequential one with both positive and negative implications. However, don’t fall into the age-old trap of thinking that productions and performances created or enhanced by new technology are necessarily ‘artificial’ or ‘fake.’ New tools not only create new art, they have an irrepressible influence on giving rise to new culture. The immediate years ahead are likely going to provide us with the challenging question of ‘what does it mean to be truly human?’” Harrison concluded, “As young broadcasting students in 2024 looking to make a difference in the world, be prepared to face the challenge of following your dreams, ideals and inspiration while confronting the harsh realities of making a living in a stressed environment of relentless change. We live our lives in this business at the dangerous intersection between art and commerce.”