WMSC Radio at Montclair State University won the first place award for Best Social Media Presence in the National Student Production Awards at the College Broadcasters Inc. (CBI) conference, held in St. Louis. The award is shared between WMSC digital marketing director Molly Jenkins and promotions director Alyssa Salvato.
CBI was founded by Will Robedee and Warren Kozireski soon after the National Association of College Broadcasters ceased operations in 1998. Their mission statement is to serve “students and advisors of college and high school electronic media outlets. Through events, programs and a network of expertise, we provide our members with educational and professional opportunities and facilitate advocacy.”
Jenkins, a senior communication and media arts major, has been a part of WMSC since her first semester at Montclair State. She has held the position of digital marketing director for the past two years.
Salvato, a sophomore communication and media arts major, has also been a part of the radio station since her first semester. She was an assistant social media manager last year before earning her current position of promotions director.
Jenkins and Salvato won the award for Best Social Media Presence on behalf of WMSC. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Salvato
“They are exactly what every professor hopes their students to be,” Anabella Poland, the WMSC director, said. “Involved, interested, proactive and experimental.”
Jenkins and Salvato lead a hardworking and effective social media team made up of 15+ students, and they are clearly deserving of the award. The team also worked on the social media campaign for the School of Communication’s #FocusImmigration project that took place last April.
“I couldn’t be any more proud of them,” Poland said. “Hard work pays off and they are one of the best functioning teams in the last couple of years.”
Both Jenkins and Salvato were ecstatic and overwhelmed with their win.
“We are overjoyed by the win and still today it doesn’t feel real,” Salvato said. “The whole time at the award show we were anxious for our category, and when it came up and we didn’t hear our name until it got to first place, we were so overcome with emotion.”
Alyssa Salvato and Molly Jenkins attend the College Broadcasters Inc. conference in St. Louis. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Salvato
Salvato had nothing but positive things to say about her co-award winner.
“Molly has been working so hard throughout the year to make our socials the best it could be,” Salvato said. “I am so grateful for her.”
The CBI award is displayed proudly in the WMSC office. Photo courtesy of Alyssa Salvato
The win rendered Jenkins speechless and she is still trying to wrap her mind around it.
“I still have no words for this win,” Jenkins said. “I have never been this proud about something for a long time and I am grateful for that.”
Jenkins thanked WMSC for the win and discussed what the radio station means to her.
“Being a part of WMSC has given me and others so many amazing opportunities to create amazing work, which resulted in bringing home the gold,” Jenkins said.
WMSC now have much to look forward to, especially after receiving a nomination over the summer for the 2019 Marconi Award for college radio station of the year. Jenkins and Salvato are confident that the station can win again.
“We are happy to bring the win home to [WMSC] and hope to again, in the future,” Salvato said.
