Alessia Sandala and Grace Novak with their scholarship awards.
Courtesy | Scot Bertram
Radio students from Hillsdale College’s WRFH beat out competitors from Michigan State University, University of Michigan, and nearly a dozen other competing colleges to win the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ designation “Best College Audio Station” for the fourth consecutive year, and the fifth year since 2019.
Scot Bertram, general manager of the college radio station and lecturer in journalism, said Hillsdale students placed first in 9 of the 13 available categories.
“We had great results,” Bertram said. “We’re competing with schools like Michigan State University that are at least 20 times our size, but our students more than hold their own.”
Bertram said that while the radio department appreciated the recognition, it isn’t why his students take part in the college’s radio program.
“We want to produce really great content,” Bertram said. “But our focus isn’t primarily on our students winning awards. We want the students to improve their craft over the course of their time here at Hillsdale. The awards are an ancillary benefit that come about once we’ve produced things that are truly great.”
Sophomore Grace Novak received a $1,000 scholarship for her radio show “Lived and Learned,” an interview show with senior members of the Hillsdale community.
“The purpose of my show is to bring together advice for young women and college-age people,” Novak said. “I also run the Widows Connecting Point program for GOAL, and so I’m able to bring that together with my radio job. I interview all sorts of people, but especially the widows I work with. It’s really, really meaningful.”
Novak said her time with Hillsdale’s radio program has been both formative and rewarding.
“The program just sets you up for success,” Novak said. “The radio program is so easy to just get involved in, and the amount of resources that come from the radio program. How often do you get the opportunity to have an entire podcasting panel? If not now, when on earth are you ever going to do it?”
Sophomore Lilly Faye Kraemer said Hillsdale College was where she first experienced radio journalism.
“I started doing radio at Hillsdale my first semester of freshman year,” Kraemer said. “I knew nothing about radio. Mr. Bertram came alongside me and helped me brainstorm ideas which developed into my current podcast, ‘Story Behind the Song,’ where I tell the stories behind a lot of the country music we hear on the radio.”
Welcoming students forms a big part of the motivation for why he invests so much time in the radio station, Bertram said.
“If you’re interested, you can do it,” Bertram said. “If you’ve always wanted to do a radio show or you want to host a podcast, we can build that with you. We will help you develop the idea and take it from idea to execution to content.”
First-place winners included senior Marc Ayers, Kraemer, Gavin Listro ’25, junior Megan Li, senior Patrick Hamilton, senior Paden Hughes, junior Luke Miller, senior Evan Mick, junior Alessia Sandala, senior Emily Schutte, Gwen Thompson ’25, and senior Lewis Thune. Coming in second-place were Gordie LaFontaine ’25, sophomore James Joski, and junior Ariel McDowell. In third were seniors Quinn Delamater, Carissa Nisly, and Mattie Grace Watson.
Kraemer said the culture at Hillsdale’s radio station is a big part of why she decided to pursue a minor in journalism.
“It’s really affirming to see the impact of what we’re doing at Hillsdale,” Kraemer said. “I think that speaks so highly to all the students involved with WRFH under Mr. Bertram’s guidance. I’m going to keep on at the radio station because it’s a great place to be at Hillsdale.”
