Hillsdale College’s student radio station hopes to win its fourth-straight statewide title for College Audio Station of the Year after the Michigan Association of Broadcasters once again named the station a finalist for the award this week.

The organization also drew more than 40% of its finalists for particular shows, features, and broadcasts from WRFH Radio Free Hillsdale 101.7 FM, including a Hillsdale student in 12 of the 13 categories. All three nominees for the “Commentary” category — a minute-long segment featuring the broadcaster’s opinion — are students from Hillsdale. WRFH has won top station in the state for the past three years.

The organization will announce first, second, and third place awards on March 26 at the MAB Student Broadcast Awards Luncheon in Lansing, Michigan.

“The audio-radio program has been around now for 10 years,” said Scot Bertram, the station’s general manager and a lecturer in journalism. “We have a track record of success, and we have a culture and an environment that encourages people not just to do their best, but perhaps to do even a little better than the people who came before them.”

The announcement follows Hillsdale’s nomination by the national Intercollegiate Broadcasting System as a finalist for best college or university radio station with under 10,000 students. Three Hillsdale radio students also placed as finalists in the 2025 College Broadcasters Inc. awards in October.

Senior Evan Mick, who has served as a sports director at the station for three years, is a finalist for his broadcast coverage of a Charger basketball game from last February and two sports features on Hillsdale athletes. “Last year, he had all three finalist slots in the sports feature category,” Bertram said. “This year, he only has two of the three finalist spots. As you can tell, it’s quite the disappointment.”

One of the sports features is on former Hillsdale College football player and now Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa.

“Evan is a kicker on the football team, and he has these athletes from other sports on and does these quick feature style interviews,” Bertram said. “Generally five to 10 minutes, from very creative angles, and I’m always interested to see what he comes up with.”

Junior Luke Miller is a finalist in three categories: “Promotional Announcement,” “Public Service Announcement,” and “Talk Show/Podcast.” His podcast episode, “Alamo in the Pacific,” is about an early World War II battle in the Pacific after Pearl Harbor.

Bertram said Miller has taken his “Advanced Radio Production” class and is currently in his “Elements of a Talk Show” course.

“From the beginning, he had a great sense of what worked with audio and these sort of longer form production pieces,” Bertram said.

“It’s really an honor to be recognized among a great group of talented people in broadcasting across the state,” Miller said. “It says a lot about Mr. Bertram and the radio program here that WRFH has so many finalists for these awards each year, and it feels like a great personal accomplishment to be among that group.”

Commentary

“Music Festivals” by Lilly Faye Kraemer

“The Death of Charlie Kirk” by Quinn Delamater
“Word to the Wise: Activism” by Ariel McDowell

 Daily Newscast/News Feature

“History Off Script: Thanksgiving” by James Joski

 Live Sports Coverage

Basketball: Hillsdale vs. Kentucky Wesleyan, February 2, 2025, by Gordie Lafontaine, Evan Mick

 Music Feature or Special

“The Timbrel and the Lyre” by Gwen Thompson

 On-Air Personality or Team

“Undetected” by Alessia Sandala, Megan Li

 Promotional Announcement

“WRFH Station Promo” by Luke Miller

 Public Service Announcement

“Sneeze in Your Sleeve” by Emily Schutte

 Public Service Announcement – Sponsored by the Michigan Human Trafficking Commission

“Human Trafficking: Get Help” by Quinn Delamater
“Human Trafficking: Listen” by Luke Miller

 Sports Feature

“After the Combine with Isaac TeSlaa” by Evan Mick

“New Rules: Magdalena Sularski” by Evan Mick

 Sportscast

“4 Man Front” by Lewis Thune, Paden Hughes, Mark Ayers, Patrick Hamilton

 Talk Show/Podcast

“Alamo of the Pacific” by Luke Miller
“WRFH St. Patrick’s Day Special” by Gavin Listro, Lilly Faye Kraemer, Gwen Thompson

Use of Social Media
WRFH Social Media by Mattie Grace Watson, Carissa Nisly