Jordan Capozzi, Class of 2019

Jordan Capozzi, Class of 2019

Author: WJPZ December 11, 2023 Duration: 25:10

Jordan Capozzi grew up in Syracuse, and like many Salt City Natives, did not know WJPZ was run by college students.   When his high school guidance counselor released how much he liked to talk (sound familiar?) she recommended he look at SU.   When Jordan learned that he could work at Z89, the station was one of his first stops.

He got involved in sports, music, and the morning show. Jordan talks about the inclusive and welcoming environment of the station to students of all majors. Before long he was on executive staff, starting as public service director and working his way up to VP of Operations.  In those roles, Jordan was sure to pay the education forward.

Following graduation, Jordan employed his WJPZ skills in landing work locally at Galaxy Media.  He started as a board op, doing everything he could.   He worked his way up to his currrent role, executive producer of Cuse Sports Talk.

We spend some time asking Jordan for his perspective on the radio industry, as someone who's currently working at a live and local station.   And we wrap up by revisiting the classic April Fools Day Western flip of the station.

The WJPZ at 50 Podcast Series is produced by Jon Gay, Class of 2002, and his podcast production agency, JAG in Detroit Podcasts.

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Want to be a guest on the pod or know someone else who would? Email Jag:  jag@jagindetroit.com.

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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
Christy (Ogonis) Vincent, Class of 2005 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:57
Today's guest is an all-star in the worlds of business, digital, and all things WJPZ. Christy Vincent (nee Ogonis), from the Class of 2005 arrived on campus with a passion for music, but it was at an activity fair that B…
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Interviewing our Host: Jon "JAG" Gay, Class of 2002 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Lauren (Levine) Corriher, Class of 2010 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:49
Lauren (Levine) Corriher grew up in Syracuse and in radio. Her father Ed owns radio stations in Syracuse and Utica, and Lauren was listening to WJPZ on the bus to and from middle school. In fact, 13 year old Lauren was r…
Chris Velardi - WJPZ Class of 1995 turned SU Employee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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 Syr…
Hall of Famer Carl Weinstein ('88) and son Cole ('21) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:57
As we count down to Banquet, we've got a special episode of the podcast today. WJPZ Hall of Famer Carl Weinstein, Class of 1988 joins us along with his sole Cole, who followed in his WJPZ footsteps and just graduated in…
Stephen "Tex" Kurtz, Class of 2005 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:14
There are a number of people, on the technical side, that have worked tirelessly to keep our radio station going for half a century. Over the last 20 years though, Stephen "Tex" Kurtz is at the top of that list.Born in r…
A Short Message from Jag [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52
Email Jag: jag@jagindetroit.comHey everyone, it’s Jag with a couple of quick announcements about the podcast.First and foremost, I can’t thank you enough for your incredible support of this project. Thank you to those wh…
WCCO's Steve Simpson, Class of 1985 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:26
Today's guest is Steve Simpson, morning news anchor and editor at the legendary WCCO in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He's WJPZ Class of 1985, and he tells us some great stories from Syracuse, as well as a lengthy radio career…