Santa Clara University

Sarah Stromska

"I came here wanting to learn about television, but I'd always loved music," says the 22-year-old senior from San Jose.

Sarah Stromska was drawn to the Communication Department's gleaming, state-of-the-art television facilities when she enrolled at Santa Clara. But her focus changed when she signed on as a DJ at KSCU 103.3 FM, the campus radio station. "I found out radio was a way to surround myself with music and other people who love music."

Known as "Sugar" when she was on the air, Stromska attracted a loyal following for her indie rock show that was broadcast on campus and to the surrounding community. Then she landed an internship with the popular "Sarah and No Name" morning show on San Francisco's Alice 97.3 FM. That meant getting up way before dawn to arrive at the station by 4:30 a.m. three days a week. "I don't recommend the lack of sleep and the bags under your eyes, but it was definitely worth it," she says.

Stromska got the chance to edit shows with producers, learn production software, and even grab some air time. On one show exploring how far listeners would go to win World Series tickets, Stromska narrated as she helped handcuff and lock a woman in a car trunk. On another, she sang a song she had written and listeners called in to critique her work. For someone who describes herself as shy, it was an incredible experience, and led to a part-time job at the station. "It was a chance to see a lot of the things I'd learned in classes about the media put into practice," she says. "It wasn't just theoretical anymore."

Her professional background was invaluable when Stromska became general manager of the campus station her senior year. She now manages 70 people and works with students and community members of all ages at the station. "Four years ago, I couldn't imagine doing the things I'm doing now," she says. "I'm making decisions about the direction of the station, overseeing budgets, hiring people and coordinating projects with the dean of students. I'm blown away by it all."