KWU airs new student shows covering topics from Adam Sandler to hollow earth

Ruby Lauer (’27) hosting her radio show "Rubix Cube Radio Hour" in the radio club studio in the UC on Nov. 14, 2025. Photo by Keenan Yoshizawa.

Willamette radio club has set its list of shows for the remainder of this semester. The club boasts a total of 13 different shows by 15 students with a wide range of topics, from “bad movies” to bizarre conspiracies.

For club President Richard Wagner (’27), it’s important that the station serves as a creative outlet for students. The station, KWU, is on air 24/7 online and features a chat option, providing the opportunity for listeners to communicate with each other and hosts. 

Most shows air Tuesday through Friday; the remaining few run on a more irregular schedule. Fun fact: commercial radio stations west of the Mississippi River start with K, while those on the east start with W.

Nova Jones (’28) hosts “Interstellar Radio Hour,” in which he covers anything from weather reports to campus news to music. The idea of the show, he mentioned, was spur-of-the-moment. In his first broadcast this semester, Jones reached eight listeners. He hopes to increase awareness of his show through posters and creating a social media for it.

Jones expressed excitement to continue the program. His parents, whose work in broadcast has been a great inspiration for him, often listen in. Many of his friends also join in, as is the case for many hosts. Listeners for most shows average 5-10 during any given show, according to Wagner. 

Ruby Lauer (ʼ27), who hosts the music show “Rubix Cube Radio Hour,” particularly enjoys the chat function of her program as a way to interact with distant friends, family or whoever may be tuning in. 

Another new show, “Bunk Busters,” reviews “terrible” movies. Adam Sandler movies are especially common. 

The “midi bash bosh” provides a crash course on a different album every week. Yet another, “The Dan Silverman Show,” tackles more bizarre issues, like hollow earth theory and the depths of Gen Z politics. It also has its own YouTube channel titled “Dan Silverman.”

Wagner is new to the role this year, beginning the semester with some challenges after being the only one to volunteer to lead the club. He mentioned initial troubles with setting up subscriptions, handling and teaching tech, and coordinating scheduling and financials. “While it’s been difficult at times, it’s also really rewarding,” he said.

Although KWU is up and running now, it’s had a long history. Established in 1982, the radio club has faced a series of difficulties, including being stopped and restarted a few times. 

Its latest shut down due to COVID brought a temporary end to broadcasting in November 2019, coming back only recently in 2023. “Students have brought it back, and that really shows just how important it is to have a radio station on campus,” Wagner said.

Moving forward, Wagner hopes to obtain an FM license for the station, so students can reach a larger audience. This is a dream the program has had in mind for quite some time. What’s more, he also has to keep in mind future leadership, so he can hand it off to future generations of students and continue the lineage of KWU radio. 

The club emphasizes its openness as an important feature. Wagner noted, “We are constantly doing new shows. Anyone can host; we have no requirements or previous experience.” Anyone who wants to host can get trained, and applications are rolling. 

Future programming for next semester will be found on the club’s Instagram page, @kwu_radio.