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Radio has a venerable history at Vassar College with the earliest shows airing in 1938. From those earliest broadcasts, the college has sought eclectic and informative programming pertinent to the community.
In the early 1970’s, WVKR Vassar College Radio was born. Starting as an AM current carrier station, WVKR broadcast from Main Building up to twenty-one hours per day via a campus-only closed circuit. With the emergence of broad popularity for FM broadcasting, Vassar petitioned for and was granted an FCC license to switch to FM and broadcast on 91.3 MHz over an 18 mile radius via a 10 watt transmitter atop Main Building. The station strove to broadcast up to twenty hours per day during the academic year.
Over the years, year-round programming, 24-hour programming, and a strong signal have been incorporated. Since 1994, WVKR has been broadcasting at 3400 watts and the transmitter sits on the west side of the Hudson River. In addition to Vassar students, DJs also come from the surrounding community. Although the station has undergone many changes the mission has stayed very much the same: “to promote music not heard elsewhere and to serve the community interest through eclectic radio programming”.
Via broadcast, WVKR has been heard in five states (NY, MA, CT, NJ, and PA). Via webcast, accessible from the WVKR home page (www.wvkr.org), listeners in Japan, Sweden, Brazil, and outposts unknown have tuned into the same shows you do on 91.3 MHz.
Contact
WVKR-FM 124 Raymond Ave Box 726 Poughkeepsie, NY 12604
Directions and Parking Information
We are located at Vassar College (124 Raymond Ave. Poughkeepsie, NY 12604) in the Main Building on the 3rd floor (non-residential side). We recommend walking through Main Building, taking a right so that you find the Retreat –the cafe in Main Building– and then walking straight back and slightly to the left of the Retreat to the elevator at the end of that hall. Take the elevator to the 3rd floor and you’ll find the station directly across from the elevator. If you need assistance, the Campus Resource Center desk is directly inside Main Building.
Parking is available on Vassar’s campus. Just inside Main Gate, on either side of the street leading up to Main building (Main Campus Drive) parking is allowed. Additional parking may be available in the Main Circle (the road that circles Main building) as well as Pratt Lot. For more information, please refer to https://info.vassar.edu/visit/maps/.
Phone Directory (Please make sure you call the office that can best respond to your inquiry.)
Requests: 845.437.7178
Business Office: 845.437.5475
Music Office: 845.437.5476
Station Manager: 845.437.7010
EXEC staff 2023-2024
General Manager: Lydia (she/her), generalmanager@wvkr.org
Heyy:) I’m Lydia and I’m so happy to be the wvkr gm this year. I love dance music, breakfast for dinner, and finding good deals on facebook marketplace. I host a show called Rath Mock where I play music we can dance to!
Station Manager: Marily (she/her), stationmanager@wvkr.org
Hey folks! I’m Marily and I’m super excited to be the Station Manager this year :D I enjoy drinking tea, watching comedy movies, and spending time with my friends. I co-host a show called Sonic Foreplay. Each week, we choose an artist and play music from artists/bands that have opened for them. Looking forward to this year!
Program Director: Charlotte (she/her), programdirector@wvkr.org
Hi guys! My name is Charlotte. My show is called The Goode Stuff. It aims to be an energizing hour of rock and funk!
Music Directors: Jesse (he/they) and Acadia (she/her), wvkrmd@vassar.edu
Hey, I’m Jesse! My show “Disjunctive Daydreams” covers an eclectic variety of sounds and textures from varying national and temporal origins, mainly focusing on underground and obscure music. The idea behind the name is a show that facilitates disjunction from our insular spheres of knowledge and taste where we can immerse ourselves in eclectic splatterings of sonic creativity. I’m from the Bronx, New York City. I am a Senior Editor for The Miscellany News and also play quadball with the Butterbeer Broooers.
Hello! My name is Acadia, and I’m co-music director this year. I collect stories to play alongside a wide variety of songs for my show, which is all about personal connections to music.
Finance Director: Richard (he/him), finance@wvkr.org
Hey guys! I’m your Fall 2024 Treasurer, Richard. I would describe my music taste as 80s synth wave and indie pop; very atmospheric. In my free time, I love trying out new foods, editing short music videos, and watching movies with friends! I’m also a huge fan of Ghibli films and reality tv shows.
News Director: Nicole (she/her), newsdirector@wvkr.org
Hi, I am Nicole. I’m a senior and also WVKR’s news director. When not consumed by my passion for local news(!!!), I listen to lots of sad dad music.
Visual Director: Maddie (she/her), visualdesigner@wvkr.org
Hi! I’m Maddie, so excited to be WVKR’s visual director this year! When I’m not hosting my show or designing merch, I love sewing, collaging, and doing anything outside :)
Technology Director: Jackson (she/they), techdirector@wvkr.org
Hey, I’m Jackson! When I’m not in the station I love baking, reading Wikipedia pages, and thinking about clouds. Tune into my show We Travel the Spaceways for jazz, funk, and occasionally some chats about what’s going on in the night sky.
Promotions Director: Haley (she/they), promotions@wvkr.org
Hi!!! I host a show called Slacking Off which is an exploration of the slacker rock genre, which is kind of a niche micro label for most alternative indie music. But in a cool way. I swear. Yay WVKR!!
Office Assistant: Joey, officeassistant@wvkr.org
The best breaks , beats and funky sounds from the mighty mighty DJ Bill zikee zikee ski Skillz. Sunday afternoons are my happy place
Wow! I am so glad I chose to not play some playlist from my phone on my ride through NY heading to Plymouth MA. Had I done that I would have totally missed WVKR while searching for random radio stations. Wowza, what a hit! So glad I found this station. I listen to WXPN frequently, since I’m a Philly dweller. But boy do they have competition for my listening ears now😉
My shuttle van full of guests thanks bill skillz for the funk. So do I
Pulling in vkr on the FM dial nice and clear in Claryville, NY, aaannnndddd LOVING it 🙏✊🏿❗️
Enjoying Hudson Valley Rag Shop! Kudos to DB for the very varied artist and song choices- and hearing local artist John Irizarry perform City Morning was excellent!