Chris Velardi - WJPZ Class of 1995 turned SU Employee

Chris Velardi - WJPZ Class of 1995 turned SU Employee

Author: WJPZ March 1, 2023 Duration: 25:10

Chris Velardi, Class of 1995, is the Director of Digital Engagement and Communications of SU's Office of Alumni Engagement.  He joins us today to walk us through his time from Connecticut to Syracuse to Connecticut to Syracuse.

 

Chris got to SU from the Nutmeg State, like many of us, wanting to be a sportscaster.  He quickly found a job in the Carrier Dome.   When that, um, changed, he found WJPZ.  There, he earned the nickname "The Weasel," because he weaseled his way into every aspect of the station, wanting to get as involved as possible.

 

Following graduation, Chris worked in radio news in Ithaca, before transitioning to TV.  His next move was a dream job - being a morning anchor in his home state.   In fact, he stayed there for a decade and a half.  Then, he and his family decided it was time for a change.  We spend some time talking about the difficulties of moving out of TV and radio.   In fact, it's a topic Velardi has counseled many WJPZ alumni on.

 

Like many media folks, Chris first tried PR - but didn't have the same passion.  Then, through his network (he likes network as a noun but hates it as a verb), he came upon a job opportunity at his alma mater.  Next thing you know, he and his family were headed to Central New York, where he gets to play host at Banquet every year.

 

Velardi credits his time at WJPZ for teaching him out to multitask, as well as how to hear and understand different perspectives.  And you won't want to miss this story.  You'll find out why, 30 years later, he still gets screen shots whenever someone hears En Vogue.

 

The WJPZ at 50 Podcast is produced by Jon "JAG" Gay, Class of 2022, and his company JAG in Detroit Podcasts

Want to be on the show? Email JAG at jag@jagpodcastproductions.com

Connect with the WJPZ Alumni Association: https://wjpzalumniassociation.org/


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For fifty years, the student-run airwaves of Syracuse University's WJPZ at 50 have been more than a radio station; they've been a launchpad. This oral history project captures that legacy not through dry facts, but through the voices that built it. Each episode is a conversation with a different alumnus, from the pioneers of the 1970s to recent graduates, tracing how their hands-on experience in what's called the "world's greatest media classroom" shaped careers in broadcasting and far beyond. You'll hear personal stories of late-night broadcasts, technical mishaps turned into triumphs, and the forging of lifelong bonds that created a unique professional family spanning generations. This podcast digs into the real, often messy, work of learning by doing, revealing how a campus station became an enduring institution. Tune in for a collection of fifty interviews that together form a living archive, celebrating the people, not just the programming, behind five decades of student-led radio.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

WJPZ at 50
Podcast Episodes
Hollywood Writer John Beck, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:30
John sent some great 1990's pics from the station. You can view them here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/zxxnn6pconq7p45fvidd1/h?rlkey=ny9i0u512pve0tf915i58xtl3&dl=0John Beck, Class of 1995, has gone on to a prolific wr…
Tony Renda, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:02
As the son of a radio station owner, Tony Renda grew up in broadcasting. His dad, Tony Renda Sr, started with an AM station in East McKeesport, Pennsylvania, before growing the company to many station in several markets.…
Tracey Turner ('00), Lisa Phillips ('03), and Sarah Fox ('02) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:29
Today's guests are three ladies, three years apart, who have formed an enduring frienship via WJPZ that has lasted over 20 years.Tracey (Chilandese) Turner got to the station when Harry and Dena were running a skeleton c…
"Kid" Michael Rock, Class of 1995 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:56
"Kid" Michael Rock grew up taping Casey Kasem and trying to talk up the songs himself. So it's not surprising that he applied to Syracuse, and only Syracuse. And he set out to find WJPZ before his parents had finished un…
Play-By-Play Man David Resnick, Class of 2010 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:38
Today's guest is play-by-play man David Resnick, a 2010 WJPZ alum. He reached out to us because he wanted to make sure we recognized the All Star sports department he worked with at Z89 - many who have gone on to great s…
Final Program Update from Jag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:13
Hey, it’s Jag. Again, thank you so much for your support of the WJPZ at 50 podcast, which as of today, January 23, 2024, now has almost 13,000 downloads!We’re starting to wind down the series, but wanted to make sure you…
T-Bone! Programmer Mike Tierney, Class of '91 and '93 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:29
Mike "T-Bone" Tierney may have known more classes in JPZ's history than anyone - having worked at Z89 as a high schooler, undergrad, and grad student. So it's no surprise many of his contemporaries consider him one of WJ…
Ethan Charlip, General Manager and Class of 2020 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:47
It's no surprise that Ethan Charlip ended up at Syracuse University. His New Jersey high school classmates Jacob Belotti and Shruti Marathe were already there when he arrived on campus. In fact, Shruti told Ethan he'd be…