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Radio has a venerable history at Vassar College with the earliest shows airing in 1938. From those earliest broadcasts, the college has sought eclectic and informative programming pertinent to the community.
In the early 1970’s, WVKR Vassar College Radio was born. Starting as an AM current carrier station, WVKR broadcast from Main Building up to twenty-one hours per day via a campus-only closed circuit. With the emergence of broad popularity for FM broadcasting, Vassar petitioned for and was granted an FCC license to switch to FM and broadcast on 91.3 MHz over an 18 mile radius via a 10 watt transmitter atop Main Building. The station strove to broadcast up to twenty hours per day during the academic year.
Over the years, year-round programming, 24-hour programming, and a strong signal have been incorporated. Since 1994, WVKR has been broadcasting at 3400 watts and the transmitter sits on the west side of the Hudson River. In addition to Vassar students, DJs also come from the surrounding community. Although the station has undergone many changes the mission has stayed very much the same: “to promote music not heard elsewhere and to serve the community interest through eclectic radio programming”.
Via broadcast, WVKR has been heard in five states (NY, MA, CT, NJ, and PA). Via webcast, accessible from the WVKR home page (www.wvkr.org), listeners in Japan, Sweden, Brazil, and outposts unknown have tuned into the same shows you do on 91.3 MHz.
Contact
WVKR-FM 124 Raymond Ave Box 726 Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
Directions and Parking Information
We are located at Vassar College (124 Raymond Ave. Poughkeepsie, NY 12604) in the Main Building on the 3rd floor (non-residential side). We recommend walking through Main Building, taking a right so that you find the Retreat –the cafe in Main Building– and then walking straight back and slightly to the left of the Retreat to the elevator at the end of that hall. Take the elevator to the 3rd floor and you’ll find the station directly across from the elevator. If you need assistance, the Campus Resource Center desk is directly inside Main Building.
Parking is available on Vassar’s campus. Just inside Main Gate, on either side of the street leading up to Main building (Main Campus Drive) parking is allowed. Additional parking may be available in the Main Circle (the road that circles Main building) as well as Pratt Lot. For more information, please refer to https://info.vassar.edu/visit/maps/.
Phone Directory (Please make sure you call the office that can best respond to your inquiry.)
Requests: 845.437.7178
Business Office: 845.437.5475
Music Office: 845.437.5476
Station Manager: 845.437.7010
EXEC staff 2022-2023
General Manager: Ezra Venditti (he/they), generalmanager@wvkr.org
Hey I’m Ezra and I’m the General Manager this year for WVKR. I’m a junior from Middle Georgia intending to major in Studio Art. I host a show called Cutting the Line, where I match songs to poems.
Station Manager: Casey McDonough (she/her), stationmanager@wvkr.org
Hey all! I’m Casey, a junior Media Studies major from right here in the Hudson Valley, and I’ll be your Station Manager for this year! I host Exploring Emotionality, a show where I break down songs live on-air using lyrics, artist backgrounds/motivations, and music/production techniques. Excited for a great year : )
Program Director: Raffaella Zanetti (she/her), programdirector@wvkr.org
Hi all! I’m Raffaella and I’m the programming director for this year. I’m a senior majoring in physics with a music performance correlate (I’m a cellist) from Long Island. I host the show They Shoot We Score about movie scores and soundtracks.
Music Director: Raia Stern (she/her), wvkrmd@vassar.edu
Hey there ! My name is Raia, I’m a senior and cogsci major, and I love birds of prey, trying new cheeses, and hoarding old cds. I host Tunes for Goons with my friend, where our weekly themes include anything from mario kart rap to lunchables era anthems.
Music Director: Bella Kimbrough (she/her), wvkrmd@vassar.edu
Hi!! My name is Bella Kimbrough and I’m your Co-Music Director for this year! I’m a junior Film major from Los Angeles, CA. I look forward to working with everyone and bringing our WVKR listeners some good music this year!
Finance Director: Andy Kasper (he/him), finance@wvkr.org
Hi! I’m Andy Kasper and I’ll be serving as the finance director this year. I’m a senior from California, majoring in economics with a minor in computer science. I focus on dualities in my show Enigmatic Future, where I alternate between loud experimental pop and quieter acoustic music with lots of negative space. Tune in!
Fall News Director: Bode Hausmann (he/him), newsdirector@wvkr.org
Hi! I’m Bode and I’m a rising junior. I’ll be the news director for the fall 2022 semester before switching off with my Co-Host Jake in the Spring. Last year, Jake and I ran a show called Genre Geography where we play songs from a certain region and genre (i.e. NYC Hip Hop or LA Rap). This semester I’ll be hosting an interview show focusing on different types of music that people find exceptionally meaningful.
Spring News Director: Jake Silva (he/him), newsdirector@wvkr.org
Hi! My name is Jake, I’m a junior, and I’ll be the news director for the spring semester. I’m a double media studies and American studies major from Los Angeles, and host a show where I go the history of a genre in a specific city every week! Ask me anything about LA rap, Seattle grunge, or klezmer from Omaha.
Hello! I’m Tommy, WVKR’s Visual Director. I’m a senior Film major from Arlington, Massachusetts and I host a show called Good Night. It combines guided meditation, New Age music, and all the latest information on Poughkeepsie’s sewers and infestations.
Hi, I’m Danielle and I’ll be Promotions Director for the Fall! I’m a sophomore econ major from Birmingham, UK. Check out my show – underground dinner party for the best of black British music!
Technology Director: Mia Gaughan (she/her), techdirector@wvkr.org
Hey, I’m Mia and I’ll be Tech Director this year! I have a show each week called Polynesian Jams where I get to play the tunes I grew up with in Hawai’i with you all over here. It’s going to be an awesome year with awesome music!! Happy listening!
Office Assistant: Lydia Wright (she/her), officeassistant@wvkr.org
Hi! My name is Lydia and I’ll be the Office Assistant for the radio station this year. I’m a sophomore media studies major from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I host a weekly show called Rath Mock that explores anti-genre and ambient music.
The best breaks , beats and funky sounds from the mighty mighty DJ Bill zikee zikee ski Skillz. Sunday afternoons are my happy place
Wow! I am so glad I chose to not play some playlist from my phone on my ride through NY heading to Plymouth MA. Had I done that I would have totally missed WVKR while searching for random radio stations. Wowza, what a hit! So glad I found this station. I listen to WXPN frequently, since I’m a Philly dweller. But boy do they have competition for my listening ears now😉
My shuttle van full of guests thanks bill skillz for the funk. So do I