BOONE—More than 20 university students and recent graduates came together to kick off the 10th annual Kellar Radio Talent Institute at the Beasley Media Complex on Appalachian State University’s campus in late May. The institute is a 10-day workshop, training and networking event hosted by the Department of Communication in the College of Fine and Applied Arts.

During the institute, participants are exposed to various aspects of radio – including production, sales and marketing, on-air programming, copywriting and musical selection from industry professionals and experts.

The Kellar Radio Talent Institute is the brainchild of Dan Vallie Hill, general manager of WASU-FM radio station. The institute is the first and oldest of its kind.

Hill developed the institute to give students an innovative educational experience not available anywhere else. Each year he invites industry experts at the top of their fields to mentor aspiring talent during the event. There are now four other Radio Talent Institutes following Hill’s model at universities across the country.

During the institute’s initial workshop, Beasley Media Group President and CEO Bruce Beasley and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Caroline Beasley opened a dialogue with students about the direction of radio.

“We need to be where our listeners are,” said Bruce Beasley, adding that social, mobile and digital trends are changing the way radio stations do business. The pair also spoke with students about thinking and acting professionally in radio.

The institute included presentations by notable Appalachian alumni Jonathon Mauney of Greater Media Charlotte; Doug Rice, Performance Racing Network; Pam Patton and Ashley Wilson, Beasley Broadcast Group, Fayetteville; Brandon Dickson, North Carolina News Network and WPTF News Radio, Research Triangle; and Christian Morgan and Chris Kelly, Dick Broadcasting Company, Greensboro.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, cost-effective education. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.

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