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| Amber Wardwell Dear UE, Never in my entire time at UE did I find a place that felt so much at home as WUEV. It was patently unique in the fact that so many people with so very little in common were able to work together to create such an amazing product. I made friendships through WUEV that crossed religion, major, hometowns, and nearly every other boundary through one common love- the love of music. There was truly no other place like it on campus.During my three and a half years at UE, which spanned seven semesters and two summers, I lived and breathed WUEV. Those four small rooms became more my home than any other building that I have lived in before or since. Those of us at WUEV may not have graduated with a broadcasting degree- I feel that makes us all the more lucky. There was no segregation- all majors were welcome. Nowhere else in this state can a college radio station claim the high standard of excellence that we attained. And we managed to attain that excellence without the benefit of classroom study. We learned through teaching. We experimented, took risks, and occasionally made mistakes. We were not taught a “proper” way, and so we never learned limitations. Our time on the mic was our highest art, expanded only by the nuance of choosing the perfect, unexpected songs to pair. In a world that delights in teaching by memorization, we learned not to think outside the box, but that there was no box at all. This led us to win the “Best College Newscast” award for six straight years, several Marconi nominations, as well as several other prestigious awards that most radio stations would give their eyeteeth to have in their collections. This does not include the personal awards won over the years by the station staff, of which I am proud to count two. My love of my alma mater is profound, but it is truly nothing compared to the blood, sweat, tears, and unconditional love that I gave to WUEV for three and a half years of my life. The legacy of WUEV is unparalleled, and is nothing but an asset to the University. Please do not take away a home-away-from-home from the students that are yet to come. Amber |