 "Photo: Megan Valantine")
Previous and current Power 91 student radio personalities are proud of the awards and experiences that the radio station provided.
SUU radio KSUU won 11 awards at the Utah Broadcaster’s Association UBEE Awards on Nov. 4 in Salt Lake City at the Skybox in Gateway.
Kip Howard, a senior English major from Kingston, N.Y., won a gold award for Best Original Show and silver for best Public Service Announcement commercial.
Howard, who won for a radio drama piece under Lipstick Microphone called “The Last Night of Charles Baker,” said he felt honored to win an award.
The UBEE competition allows participants to compete against real world marketing and students receive an opportunity to compete against professionals Howard said.
Howard said he advises students who involved in radio production to be themselves while creating new, original ideas.
“A lot of times people do a lot of great work, but they miss opportunities to create something that’s their own,” Howard said. “I would suggest for them to become their own creation.”
Angie Smith, who graduated from SUU in spring 2009 with a master’s degree in communication, won a gold award for Best Personality and Team Show.
Smith said her entry was submitted by Cal Rollins, KSUU-FM station manager/ instructor, and Rollins attended the ceremony with the participating students.
Smith said her radio clip included a compilation of various segments from the show and hers was chosen to win.
“I’m pleased I could do radio again because it’s a real treat for me,” Smith said. “I enjoy entertaining listeners, telling stories, and it’s fun.”
Smith said she recommends that students dive into radio show opportunities because the hard work pays off in the end.
“It’s a way for students to be recognized for their hard work and accomplishments and to recognize their talents in a broader setting,” Smith said. “It helps them get their foot in the door for the job market after graduation.”
Rollins said he is happy the students competed well on a professional level.
“(Although) some may consider Power 91 amateurish, at times the best efforts of our students are as good as anything out there in commercial radio,” Rollins said. “Our showing at the UBEE awards demonstrates we can compete with the best efforts of those in commercial radio.”
Chris Holmes, a 2009 alumnus from the communication department, won four gold medals for his news broadcasting categories, Rollins said.
Students can participate in the UBEE awards through nominations of their radio pieces being submitted to the Utah Broadcasters Association, Rollins said.
The results are then sent back to Montana to judge the entries, Rollins said, and sent back to Utah to be awarded to the winners.
Rollins said he is “extremely proud” of the efforts of the students and thinks they represented the university well.
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