STATESBORO — Celebrating 45 years of being on air, WVGS hopes to bring pride and independence to Georgia Southern.

WVGS 91.9 FM is GS’s student-ran radio station located in Sanford Hall. The station allows students to share their ideas and have their voices heard through their own radio shows. Students talk on-air about topics they are passionate about from music to sports.

“We really encourage free speech here,” WVGS Station Manager Drake Battle said.

After getting involved with the station through a friend, Battle, once a public health major, found a passion for radio and changed his major to communication studies. Battle once believed that majoring in public health was his only way of contributing to society. He later realized that there are many ways in which a person can make an impact, his way being through the radio station.

“If you do something you’re passionate about, you can contribute any way you want to,” Battle said. “It just so happens that my passion was here.” 

Bryson Murray, a senior secondary education major, has always had a passion for radio. Now, he has the opportunity to work firsthand with the station and its hosts, as he serves as the program director at WVGS,

“I enjoy the relationships we build over the course of a semester,” Murray said. “I always hope that the students get a sense of pride and independence by putting their voice out there for everyone in Statesboro to hear.”

Jordan Lynch, a senior journalism major with a passion for sports, started volunteering at the radio station as a freshman. Hosting a few shows alongside his friends, Lynch became invested in the station and has since become the sports director. 

Being the sports director means that Lynch is in charge of making sure there is sports-related content at the station. Along with looking over the sports division of the station, Lynch has also broadcasted football games on top of the press box for WVGS. 

Lynch credits the station for helping him discover the field he wants to go into, after originally only wanting to do sports journalism. Now, Lynch wants to take on sports radio.

“I’ve probably been doing this for about four years now, and it kind of really helped me realize that it’s what I want to do.” Lynch said.

According to Battle, before Sanford Hall was the official home for WVGS, it was a small and illegal radio station that was first established in a student’s dorm room in that very building back in 1974.

After being temporarily shut down by the University, it was revived two years later. The station found temporary homes around campus before it settled in its original building. WVGS has been an outlet for student voices ever since. The station encourages student involvement, and allows those of all majors to join.

WVGS is actively accepting applications from students, and you can find more information here.

Anthony Belinfante, The George-Anne News Reporter, gaeditor@georgiasouthern.edu