For Elliot Castleberry, there was only one decision for college: Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Although sure about his decision, one Freshman Connection introduced him to an organization that would shape his college experience.
After graduating high school, Castleberry decided to study and move 3½ hours away from DeQuincy, Louisiana.
“I wanted to see how I would function without the option of going home whenever I wanted,” Castleberry said. He explained that his mom also attended NSU during her freshman year, and that influenced his decision to attend NSU.
His liking of NSU only increased when he found out about 91.7 FM KNWD, NSU’s official student-run radio station. KNWD allows students to learn radio skills such as how to be a DJ. This is something that caught Castleberry’s attention at Freshman Connection, a program at NSU designed to guide and help incoming students learn about NSU before the start of the semester.
“I didn’t know it was a thing until Freshman Connection, and it was really exciting,” Castleberry said. “As soon as the applications opened, I went to the meetings, signed up and ended up getting a show.”
Now, he is the DJ of the radio show “Miscellaneous” — a mix of different tunes depending on the mood of the day. “Miscellaneous” is played once a week on Fridays from 1 to 2 p.m.
Despite just having a show for KNWD, Castleberry has found a sense of belonging in the station.
“KNWD is very comfortable like you walk in and want to take a nap. It’s very cozy and welcoming; the people there are all very nice,” Castleberry shared.
Castleberry’s love for music did not begin with the station. He has been in choir groups since he was in first grade. “I was a soprano in the first grade which is one of the highest notes to hit; sometimes I’m like how is this humanly possible.”
With his love for music, choosing microbiology as a major was an unexpected decision.
“My major was kind of on a whim. I was going to do chemistry, and it was not showing up when I applied, so I was like, okay, let’s go with microbiology,” Castleberry said.
In the future, he hopes to have a career in pediatric oncology and even live the college dream of forming a band with his friends. Even if he ends up in the medical field, music will always be part of his life, he shared.
To listen to Castleberry’s radio show, tune in to KNWD at 91.7 FM on the radio.
