Close to 50 years after filling the airways around New Brunswick with the music of the ’60s and commentary fit for tumultuous times, seven former student disc jockeys at WRSU reunited in February on the New Brunswick Campus to reminisce about their radio days in the cozy third-floor offices at 12 College Avenue. Each became involved with the radio station for a different reason but formed friendships that have lasted a lifetime.
WRSU radio is a noncommercial, nonprofit radio station that is student-managed and overseen by a faculty broadcast administrator. Like many student-run organizations and clubs on campus, the station serves as more than just a recreational pastime for students, who get experience that can’t be found in the classroom. Through their involvement, they form bonds with one another that transcend even 45 years apart—as was evident in the reunion of disc jockeys Jeff Daly RC’68, Pete Halden RC’68, Rich Hersh RC’66, Mike Jarmus RC’67, Dave Monfried RC’67, Ed Osborne RC’69, and Frank Stettner RC’68. “The most important thing we did at Rutgers was being a part of WRSU,” says Osborne.
Many of the former disc jockeys have put their WRSU experience to good use in their professional lives, too—Jarmus has been a broadcaster with WCTC in New Brunswick for more than 22 years; Monfried is a retired corporate communications executive; and Osborne is an executive producer at BMG Special Products where he produces and annotates CD reissues.
Shortly following the reunion, the group of WRSU alumni lost one of
their own. Daly passed away in June. But the memories of their last
time together will endure—just as the ones of their college days
have remained strong for nearly half a century.
— Ayesha Gougouehi SC&I’13