WFSE Memories, R.I.P. Dr. C. W. Chandler...

Ok, so I haven’t posted in like two months…it’s been a busy two months. Not so busy that I didn’t have time to post, but enough that I didn’t feel like posting. There I said it; I didn’t feel like posting. So, to all three of my readers (because I’ve been marketing my blog so effectively), I apologize.

It’s been a busy 2 months. There was a move, two holidays, football heart-break, fantasy football heart-break, Christmas preparation, and some death. Not a lot of death, but some death, you see an old college advisor of mine passed away this week. I know it’s a pretty sad topic for the holiday season, but it kind of made me reflective. His name was Dr. C. W. Chandler. He was my academic advisor and, at the time, advisor for WFSE. WFSE is the college radio station I was the Student General Manager of during my last 2 years of college. It is a place where I met many of, what I consider life-long-friends. I spent nearly every week day at the station. All of the managers did. We would do our homework there; have lunch there; and pretty much lived most of our college lives there. It was the birth place of the MD3 Radio Show (for those of you who don’t know, it was a highly entertaining radio show that some of my best friends created) and led to the birth of the MD3 Athletic Club (which is really neither athletic or a club, but is mostly cool anyway). I think it could be best related to as a fraternity. When I was there, there was a brotherhood among all the men and women who touched its airwaves. I don’t know if all college radio stations have that feeling, but it was special.

Dr. Chandler advised that station from about 1994 until 2001. If you ever attended the meetings, you’ll understand what I mean when I say, as far as WFSE was concerned, he was god. That being said, he had his issues. His sense of humor made some people uncomfortable and he could be un-professional at times. It would occasionally cause some problems for him and the station, but it always seemed to work itself out some how. There were and are some people that hate the man to this day and that “is what it is”. I for one saw the man for what he was. He was lonely and the only people he really seemed to have in his life were the students of the radio station. I guess that made me sad for him. Not in a “pity sort of way”, but in a “hope for the best for him” sort of way. Maybe I only see the good in people, or expect that all people are good; either way I never had an issue with the man.

I think the main reason that I’m writing this and the main reason that I think his passing needs mentioned is because I feel that, professionally, I became who I am, because of WFSE. WFSE gave me a place to grow and to have responsibilities. The station was run by students and when I was there, it seemed to be in a golden age. The station was on the air 24 hours a day and we had over 50 different students on its airwaves. We were doing something that mattered or at least it felt that way. I think that environment can be credited to a man who, in my opinion, looked out for the students of the radio station. There are quite a few stories I could share, but each of them revolved around some DJ’s saying or doing some questionable things on the air and Dr. Chandler “handling” the situation. It wasn’t always perfect, but when he was in charge of WFSE, it wasn’t pre-programmed personality free “satellite radio” and believe me, there were plenty of “suits” on the campus of Edinboro University that wished it was.

I guess, in the end, I’m just saying I respect the man for helping to foster an environment that allowed me to grow. I thank him for being part of a place that allowed me to find some of the best friends I’ve ever had. I know he had some problems, but don’t we all... I just hope that he has now found some peace. R.I.P., Dr. C. W. Chandler and Merry Christmas.