Over the summer, Piedmont senior Jarrett Ray had an opportunity to not only work with the Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB) but also intern at the number one radio station in Atlanta: V103, The People’s Station. Jarrett, a native of Stone Mountain, was ecstatic to work with the people he grew up listening to.
“The most fun part was meeting the individuals I grew up listening to that inspired me to get into radio,” said Ray. His internship with the radio station gave him access to some of the best in the business when it comes to the radio industry. He was able to shadow and be mentored by the veterans of the industry.
The radio station wasn’t all that called his name this summer before his internship even started, he also had the opportunity to earn his radio sales certification with the Georgia Association of Broadcasters (GAB).
Every summer, GAB hosts a camp at UGA’s Grady School of Journalism where people get to rub elbows and mingle with giants of the radio industry. Giants included Erica Farber, who was a driving force in the National Radio Talent Institute and the main voice of the camp.
Jarrett Ray also runs his own podcast, Real Talk Radio, which became a feature piece of his summer.
Real Talk Radio focuses on a lot of cultural aspects for Jarrett, as it spans anywhere from dating talk to the biggest beef of the summer, which was Drake vs Kendrick Lamar.
When asked about the importance of maintaining his podcast throughout the summer, Ray thought back to what his mentors told him over the summer, “creating your own content is very important.”
Jarrett has worked hard to get to his senior year, as it has been a journey for the senior. With just a few classes standing between him and a diploma, he is well on the way to achieving excellence.
Waiting for him on the other side of graduation is a job at Cumulus Media, the same radio station he worked on over the summer. With the job secured, Jarrett already knows how to hit the ground running.
“I guess I got lucky because I got in line with the best station, in my opinion. I love the environment, and they have one urban station with no on-air personality, so I want to pitch myself to them in that role,” said Ray.
Luck or no luck, hard work pays off, and Jarrett Ray is willing to work to leave his mark on the radio industry.
“One of the things that I wanted to work on this summer was not making a mistake, and a lot of feedback that I got over the summer was to not be afraid to make a mistake. Radio is not what you think it is. Radio is whatever you make it to be,” said Ray. “You won’t make a mistake as long as you be you. Just be yourself.”
