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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 2023-2024
General Manager: Casey (she/her), generalmanager@wvkr.org
Hey everyone! I’m Casey, and I’m thrilled to be your 2023-24 General Manager! I host a show where I break down songs live on-air using lyrics, artist backgrounds/motivations, and musical techniques. Excited for a great year : )
Station Manager: Mia (she/her), stationmanager@wvkr.org
Hi, I’m Mia and I’ll be Station Manager this year! I look forward to another great year of radio!
Program Director: Bode (he/him), programdirector@wvkr.org
Hi guys! I’m Bode. I host an interview style show where I bring people on and have them chronicle their most important moments and memories in music.
Music Director: Acadia (she/her), wvkrmd@vassar.edu
Hello! My name is Acadia, and I’m co-music director this year. I collect stories to play alongside a wide variety of songs for my show, which is all about personal connections to music.
Music Director: Lydia (she/her), wvkrmd@vassar.edu
Heyyy! My name is Lydia and I’m one of the Music Directors for WVKR this year. I host a weekly show where I play music we can dance to. Tune in! I can’t wait to meet you:-)
Finance Director: Markus (he/him), finance@wvkr.org
Howdy! I’m Markus, and I am the finance director for this year! This year, I’m hosting a show where I explore zany, (sometimes) sci-fi themes through music, paired with a weekly book review! Tune in!
News Director: Jake (he/him), newsdirector@wvkr.org
Hi, I’m Jake and I’m the News Director. If you need daily info on Hudson Valley road closures, farmers markets, or supernatural occurrences I’m your man! Tune into my show where I’ll ask guests hard-hitting questions about hard-hitting tracks.
Visual Director: Ezra (he/they), visualdesigner@wvkr.org
Hi! I’m Ezra and I’m the Visual Director this year for WVKR. I am majoring in Studio Art with a focus on Sculpture and Video.
Technology Director: Jackson (she/they), techdirector@wvkr.org
Hey, I’m Jackson and I’ll be the Tech Director for WVKR this fall! Tune in to my show for afrofuturist jazz and funk and occasionally some chats about what’s going on in space!
Promotions Director: Danielle (she/they), promotions@wvkr.org
Hi, I’m Danielle and I’ll be promotions director this year! I’m a big fan of tea parties and Black culture so I host a show where I play the best sounds in the independent Black British music scene.
Office Assistant: Olive, officeassistant@wvkr.org
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
Pulling in vkr on the FM dial nice and clear in Claryville, NY, aaannnndddd LOVING it 🙏✊🏿❗️