Bates at Night: WRBC

One way to really “see” Bates is to start looking around after the sun sets — or in this case, underground. Beneath 31 Frye St. lies WRBC, Bates’ own 120-watt FM radio station.

On Wednesday nights, Katherine Schell ’19 of Charlotte, N.C., Olivia Bell ’19 of Dover, Mass., and Chardon Brooks ’19 of Watertown, Mass., host their 10 p.m.–midnight show, Hey, It’s Us.

“I think it really cemented our friendship,” says Schell. “We all have different music tastes which are really cool to bring together. I think all of us had music as a big part of our childhood with our parents.”

Aspiring DJs from the Class of 2020 stop by during the segment to receive training on new radio software from Schell, who prepares them for their own shows. That includes Robyn Moss ’20 of White Plains, N.Y. and Caroline MacClancy ’20 of Northborough, Mass., who are eager to be trained for their show the following morning, The Birdhouse.

The student DJs still consult the CDs that occupy seemingly every available wall, but for ease of use, they often use digital means to queue up songs.

Moss and MacClancy decided to pursue a radio show after meeting a student from WRBC on Accepted Students Day this past April. “I want a place where I can just express myself,” says Moss.