Park University offers many hands-on courses for students to get good experience in areas of their fields of study.
Pearl Webb, senior in public relations, decided to take advantage of one of those opportunities.
Webb uses her radio practicum course to play Christian music, both contemporary style and rap, to share the Gospel with fellow Park students and other listeners.
As a course standard, Webb needed two shows per week to DJ on Park’s local radio station.
She uses Mondays and Wednesdays from 3 to 5 p.m. to play a variety of Christian artists over the radio station 90.5 FM KGSP “Pirate Radio.”
“Mondays are for popular contemporary artists and Wednesdays are more for local artists and rap,” said Webb.
Rather than just focusing on the popular artists around the world, Webb uses her radio show to help get local artists and their music out to more listeners.
With help from social media, Webb receives lots of new names and new music each week for her Wednesday broadcasts.
“I use Twitter and Facebook to reach out to local artists and I get lots of feedback,” she said. “Whether it’s from someone I know who knows an artist or an artist who sees my posts. I have them send their music to me through a separate message and tell them I want to help expose their music.”
But before Webb began using class time to serve the community, the practicum course was only about meeting graduation requirements.
“It simply started out as ‘I’ll just play my Christian music for a couple hours during my broadcasts to pass time,’” she said. “I felt like God tapped me on the shoulder and gave me a greater idea. I decided to, then, reach out and find artists in both Parkville and Kansas City to help publicize their names and share their music.”
Webb also takes song requests from her listeners, through Facebook, Twitter, text, email or by telling her face to face.
“Really, it’s all about sharing God’s love through music,” she said.
This was Webb’s first semester behind the radio microphone, and unfortunately, it will be her last.
“Since I graduate this December,” she said, “I only have a week left on the air.”
With only just a few shows left to do, Webb says she wants to finish it out as big as she can.
“I’m really sad I don’t get to continue my shows,” she said. “It has become more to me than just a course; it has been an experience. So many people have taken part in this just to end it here.”
After graduation in December, Webb will be attending the World Revival School of Ministry in Kansas City to continue learning and sharing the Gospel with others, just as she does with her radio show.
“I love this music and I just want others to hear it and be encouraged by it,” she said.
