Move over RYAN SEACREST! Look out, DJ AM. If you think sizzling DJ gigs are only for people with lots of experience, well, um ... you're right. That's why college is the perfect time to explore your inner -- slightly less controversial -- HOWARD STERN. Whether they're spinning tunes or creating unique radio shows, these up-and-comers are making campus airwaves.

Ask most  

college DJs

  about their extracurricular gig and they'll say it's all about the music. For Courtney Leffall, a.k.a. DJ Hump, a deejay is the life of the party -- literally. This Lehigh University (Bethlehem, PA) junior hosts a hip-hop show every Friday from noon to 2 p.m. on her college station. "The DJ controls how much fun everyone has," says the marketing and finance double major.

In fact, his radio show has inspired a new business venture - he purchased his own DJ equipment and has landed jobs on campus for a fraternity as their official DJ, a Hurricane Katrina benefit concert, a multicultural affairs BBQ, and other events. It's not surprising this entrepreneurship minor has high aspirations of continuing his DJ business beyond campus and his weekly show on the school's station WLVR 91.3.

Serious Campus Radio
Beyond choosing the playlist, there's a lot of behind-the-scenes work in the DJ booth. As Bryan Tobin, a.k.a. Bry Bry the Poet, host of "Under the Stars," (an indie, post-hardcore and grind-core music show) can attest, getting on the air at Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ) has strict requirements, similar to applying for an internship.

"You must attend weekly classes and pass a test to become an official WSOU staff member," says Bryan. "You have to engineer for several months, apply for a newscaster position and make a pre-recorded DJ tape to be reviewed by the station. It's quite the process." That's because WSOU 89.5 FM, the most-listened-to college station in the New York area, averages 70,000 listeners a week.

When he's not on air, Bryan goes to local shows to scout out bands. "I'm always online listening to artists to find the next big thing on the scene. I've also interviewed some pretty awesome bands and went to some killer shows for free," he says of the perks that come along with his DJ gig.

Lauren Schultz, Seton Hall junior and host of the indie rock show, "Campus Buzz," serves as news director of WSOU and also interns at WHTZ (Z100)-FM, one of New York's most popular stations. She says being a DJ is more than having a good voice. "It [takes] a lot of preparation and juggling, making sure the schedule for live-reads is on track, cuing up the music and making sure the sponsors are read and accounted for."

Existentialism on Air
Of course, many campus DJs also take the opportunity to have fun, like Lacey Smith, a junior at Dickinson College (Carlisle, PA). Her passion is playing indie rock during her two-hour weekly show. Lacey explains, "It's a take on a lot of indie music fans clinging to obscure experiences and throwing words around to sound cool, like 'existential.' Most people like that I have to say a long title so fast at the end of each break."

"Besides devoting six hours each week to the station (she also attends weekly meetings and reviews new CDs), being on-air has made this international studies major more articulate. "I've removed things like "um" and "uh" from the way I speak." It's also helped her explore her inner SHAKIRA. "I'm a horrible musician, no musical talent whatsoever. This is a unique way of expressing things I'm passionate about through someone else's art."

DJ-ing Abroad?
Dan Berlin, junior at The University of the Arts (Philadelphia, PA), agrees. Especially since DJ Fatty B., as he is known, has hosted shows dedicated to specific artists including The Residents and others to music genres like folk. Dan also aired a daily broadcast from Liverpool, England this past March during spring break.

This screenwriting major recapped daily events by interviewing UArts and Liverpool students. "They talked about their classes, performances they're working on and differences between the States and England, the food, the nightlife and future plans," he recalls. "Students in Philadelphia were listening at that moment. We had a chat room set up so people asked questions like interview requests."

After all, a really good radio show has an interactive element. Neil Kleinman, dean of the College of Media and Communication at The University of the Arts, attests to just that. "Having an audience is magical. It makes playing -- and listening -- a performance. Sometimes at 11 p.m. when I wander by the radio station, I see a DJ surrounded by his or her buddies as well as a few talking in the chat room and on the phone. It's more than extracurricular. It's life at college."

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