In the spring of my sophomore year at Rice, I got an awesome mixtape as a gift and I couldn’t stop listening to it. It was full of music that KTRU played– some old and some new, but all of which I had never heard before.

Over the next three years I got involved with KTRU as a DJ, promotions director, and avid listener. The mission of KTRU “to educate the station membership, the greater Houston community, and the students of Rice University through its progressive and eclectic programming in the spirit of the station’s non-commercial, educational license” worked its wonders as my horizons expanded exponentially.

Rice University has always tried to trust its students more than most other universities– the College system puts the power in the hands of the students regarding the organization of theater, sports, and other events; the Honor Code and Council relies on the students both to keep their academic standards high and to report, judge, and punish those who do not. Another point of pride for Rice University has always been the amazing opportunities for interdisciplinary interaction. Students in art and architecture and chemistry and electrical engineering all interact on such a regular basis that sometimes they even feel their disciplines are not that different.

KTRU epitomizes both of these notions. First of all, the station was built up by students over 40 years; it was run by students, programmed by students, and carried on every day because of student DJs who went to the station to play music at all hours, reviewed CDs for quality and inappropriate content, and organized shows for local talent. Secondly, KTRU brought together students from every part of campus to work together on an inherently multi-disciplinary project: sending music over radio airwaves. Through KTRU I have been exposed to so many different kinds of music, and then people, and then ideas that I never would have experienced otherwise.

Since I left Rice, I have worked as a software engineer and received a MS in electrical engineering. I am now working on my Ph.D. I have every intention to return to Rice in some form or another– as a visiting researcher, perhaps– and participate in KTRU 91.7fm once again. In the meantime, I will do all I can to keep KTRU on the airwaves.

sincerely,
Laura Balzano
Jones College, 2001 BS Electrical and Computer Engineering.
KTRU 1999-2002