The WPSU Board of Representatives is an advisory board of community members that gather on a regular basis to advise the station on programming and other activities. In this blog post series, WPSU Board Member Spotlight, we sit down with these individuals and discuss their love of public broadcasting and its impact in the communities throughout the viewing area.
Jennifer has lived in Central PA for more than 20 years, but she still thinks of the Endless Mountains of Pennsylvania, where she grew up, as home, too. Northeastern PA’s public radio station, WVIA, was a huge part of her life growing up. The station was always on in the background in the kitchen and car, and she has been hooked ever since. Jennifer has been an educator and school administrator throughout her career and has been the executive director of Child Advocates of Blair County, providing publicly funded preschool and antipoverty programs, since 2023.
How long have you been a board member with WPSU?
I think I joined the board in 2018, but I don’t actually know! Prior to joining the board, I was a member and underwriter with a previous organization.
What inspired you to begin volunteering at WPSU?
I’ve loved public radio and television since I was a kid. To be honest, it’s a bit of a dream come true to be a (small!) part of WPSU. Even as a board member, I feel like I am always learning something new.
What WPSU programming do you connect with the most?
I love the news shows on the radio most — Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Marketplace. We also love Masterpiece shows like All Creatures Great and Small, and my daughters love PBS Kids everything.
How do you see WPSU positively impacting communities throughout Central Pennsylvania?
WPSU does so much to support local communities in Central PA. WPSU provides school readiness supplies, cozy corners, virtual field trips, teacher resources, and special learning opportunities for teens like the Student Climate Day. It hosts events that enrich our communities, like the Multicultural Children’s Festival and the Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall. It boosts exposure for local bands, businesses, restaurants, and whole communities through different shows and programming. And most importantly, WPSU is a critical component to fostering an informed and engaged community, abreast of local matters, national news, and global events.
As a board member, what would you like to share with the public about why they should support WPSU?
I wish everyone would support WPSU and excellent journalism. WPSU is committed to providing high quality local news, even as that kind of content is costly to maintain and fading away elsewhere. In the time I’ve served on the WPSU board, I’ve seen the organization become a fiscally sound organization that has worked hard to be innovative in its approach to membership, underwriting, and fundraising.
What do you wish people knew about WPSU?
There’s something for everyone and any donation helps, whether you’re into finance, community events, live music, national politics, gardening, British TV series, science, or getting to know your neighbor’s unique stories.