I served as Program Director from 2006-2008, Business Manager from 2007-2008, and a proud Americana DJ from 2006-2009. KTRU was a refuge for me at Rice. Some of my favorite memories came from the ridiculous overnight shifts and the crazy calls and conversations I had at 4 am with people either drunk or getting off of work. We meant something to those people, those that mainstream media forgets. KTRU taught me that life is better when I live outside of the box and that dot matrix printers can form a beautiful symphony. I have never been around such a diverse group, and such a passionate group of people. It has killed me over the past week that future students are not going to be able to experience that. They won’t be able to play an alphabet show and discover the Skating Club. They won’t be able to review albums and listen to a pre-release of the Maybellines or TV on the Radio. They won’t be able to take epic adventures with their Station Manager to conferences in St. Louis and eat vegan French Toast in a super-sketchy part of town (maybe that was just me, but it’s in keeping with the spirit of the station). The station exists for more than just Rice. It exists for Houston and for all of us out there that get tired of Top 40 and inane commercials. I’d never change my mind about being a part of KTRU or working to defend it.

Claire Hein