Cal Poly’s radio station KCPR is a campus institution that has served the university and San Luis Obispo since 1968. 

For almost as long as it’s been on the air, the station has hosted an annual pledge drive. This year’s goal is $35,000 and thanks to donor support, the students at KCPR are more than 60% to the goal, with about one week left. 

KCPR is a true Learn by Doing activity, with students taking on all the duties and hands-on roles of running the station including content, news, marketing, music, podcasting, and, of course, fundraising. The pledge drive has been a station fundraiser for decades and recently underwent strategic changes to streamline it. The previous on-air approach made it difficult to anticipate a target dollar amount and to collect funds. 

Neal Losey (History, ‘93) is a former KCPR DJ and music and programming director and since 1997 has been a DJ and music director for KCBX, a local radio station in San Luis Obispo. He remembered the pledge drive as a student compared to how different it is today.

“We had no way to take credit cards,” Losey recalled. “We had people bring money by or send checks. There was no way for us to have any sort of organized giving other than us just running it on our own.”

Things changed about six years ago. By adopting Cal Poly’s online crowdfunding platform, donors now have one central portal to give, and students can track gifts, drive traffic, and generate excitement.

Despite it taking place in the spring, students begin work on the pledge drive in the fall. From creating artwork and branding, to social media and newsletter promotion, to manning booths and producing giveaway items, to communicating directly with donors, this student-powered effort is a true Learn by Doing experience for everyone involved.

Journalism professor Patti Piburn, KCPR’s faculty advisor since 2014, has seen a lot of changes during her time, but through them all, the station has been a place for students to learn important skills. 

“The radio station itself is a learning lab, like an engineering lab or a chemistry lab,” she said.

Third year Environmental Management and Protection major Madeleine Colbert is a KCPR DJ and production manager.

“You get one unit per quarter being in KCPR, because it is so hands on,” she said. “Learning the programming system and how to DJ takes a quarter of training. The whole experience has been one huge Learn by Doing experience.”

KCPR’s influence on campus culture over the years cannot be overstated. Its motto of “Where Different Matters” has played a central role in the station’s identity, and it has always celebrated and amplified diverse sounds, voices, and perspectives throughout its programming. The station welcomes all students, especially ones who bring a different or unique perspective or background to the station, which ultimately makes for richer content both musically and regarding culture and lifestyle programming.

“One of the students said ‘KCPR is an island of misfit toys,’” recalled Piburn. “This radio station, for a lot of students, is a place where they find themselves and their people. It's so open and welcoming to students who maybe are not finding their place on campus or in town.”

The hands-on experience with KCPR’s cutting edge technology give students a head start in their chosen fields. Whether they are DJs who become experienced with public speaking, or the design team who comes up with graphics for social media, stickers, and t-shirts, or the production team that handles the logistics of booking talent and securing equipment and venues, or the marketing team that tackles promotions and analytics, each job has real world applications that are directly translatable into the workforce.

“We were 21-year-olds running the station, running a business, making the programming decisions, making the staffing decisions,” remembered Losey. “Being able to have the freedom to succeed and the freedom to fail put us in a position where we had to learn how to do things so we wouldn't fail. I liked being thrown in and you had to figure things out.”

Both Losey and Colbert agreed that the friendships and bonds forged at KCPR and the hands-on Learn by Doing tasks are a huge part of their entire Cal Poly experience.

“I've really made lifelong friends at the station, and it's been the highlight for me at Cal Poly," said Colbert. “I'm very, very grateful to be a part of it.” 

The KCPR 2025 Pledge Drive runs through May 22^nd. Give today and support this legendary campus institution!

 

Support the KCPR Pledge Drive