By Kylie Rowe and Ansley Kate Allen

G eorgia College & State University is celebrating two major milestones this year – the 100th anniversary of its student newspaper, The Colonnade, and the 50th anniversary of its student radio station, 95.3 WGUR-FM. Both platforms have played pivotal roles in amplifying student voices and documenting campus life for generations.

Today, The Colonnade continues publishing weekly online editions for students, staff and alumni. WGUR remains a vibrant outlet for student expression, allowing students to host daily segments and play their favorite music for the Milledgeville community.

The Colonnade

The Colonnade debuted July 20, 1925, when GCSU was Georgia State College for Women. Led by Editor-in-Chief Anna Elizabeth Branch, its first edition was a print run of 1,000 copies.

Why call it The Colonnade?

“Because of the number and beauty of the columns which are so characteristic of campus,” the first issue explains.

Even literary legend and famed alumna Flannery O’Connor contributed to The Colonnade during her time at GSCW, creating linocut cartoons featured in early editions of the paper.

Since its inception, the student newspaper has earned a reputation as the university’s watchdog, maintaining a commitment to investigative journalism in service to the student population. The newspaper’s staff is divided into four sections: news, arts & life, sports and opinion. Each section editor is responsible for pitching stories to their staff of writers weekly.

Mary Ciucevich, who began as assistant arts & life editor, will lead the publication as editor-in-chief starting this fall.

“Through working at The Colonnade, I have met so many great people and refined my writing,” said Ciucevich. “It has also really challenged me to stay informed about campus events and introduced me to so many student organizations.”

WGUR-FM

Fifty years after The Colonnade debuted, students Frank Howell and Gregg Duckworth founded WGUR-FM. Originally launched with the call letters WXGC, the station began broadcasting at 10 watts, from Mayfair Hall.

“I was sitting in Terrell [Hall] having dinner with another student, Keith Jones, and we began talking about college radio,” said Howell. “I had been tuned into broadcast stations from Georgia Tech, Valdosta State University and Georgia State University. … Seeing their success, we decided Georgia College needed to get on board with a campus radio station.”

Howell recruited his friend and roommate Duckworth, and together they pioneered 88.9 WXGC-FM. Duckworth took the lead as the station’s first operational general manager.

The goal for WXGC was simple: Get on the air and represent the student body. The duo modeled their format after 96 Rock WKLS-FM in Atlanta. At the time, what is now considered classic rock was emerging; WXGC became the only rock-format station in the Middle Georgia region. Most surrounding stations focused on gospel or country music.

WXGC went on air after receiving its licensing in the late summer of 1975. Upon returning to school, students would soon have a new form of communication that was representative of who they were as a student body.

“The first song we played was by the British band The Who,” said Duckworth. “We played the track ‘Baba O’Riley.’”

As the station continues today as WGUR, Howell shared advice for current students.

“In 50 years, I want you to go back,” said Howell. “In college, there’s a lot you can do. Pledge a fraternity or sorority, join a student group … play sports. Those groups were there before you, and they will be there after you.”

Today, WGUR is operated by over 50 students. The station is known not only for playing music, but also for organizing events like Sounds of the Spring and Couch Concerts, where students gather to enjoy performances by local and student musicians. These events both give artists a platform and provide WGUR staff with hands-on experience in event planning and production.

The authors of this piece, Kylie Rowe and Ansley Kate Allen, both graduated from the Department of Communication this year. Rowe started as a contributing writer at The Colonnade, moving up to assistant editor and then head editor of arts & life for the paper. Allen was a WGUR DJ for three years, becoming the PR manager and ultimately general manager of the station.

Header Images: Student media then and now including vintage and current issues of The Colonnade, the first radio station executive board and the Fall 2024 executive board, WXGC co-founder Frank Howell and 2024-2025 Colonnade Editor-in-Chief Delaney Derry.