Student media at Rollins is filled to the brim with talent and fervor.
Jordyn Burnett (‘26) is a double major in Critical Media & Cultural Studies and sociology. “I’m really passionate about media, but I’m also passionate about social justice. I feel like they go hand in hand,” says Burnett.
Burnett is the programming director for Rollins’ radio station, WPRK. Additionally, she is a part of several programs and clubs at the school, such as being the founder and president of the film club, the events chair for the philosophy club, and the secretary for her sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha.
As the programming director at the station, Burnett oversees the station’s activities, including meeting with new and existing DJs, assigning tasks to cohorts, contacting individuals, and generally overseeing what is on the air. Putting passion into practice, Burnett enjoys working at the station. However, her love for media began long before attending Rollins.
“In high school, I got into radio because I got my first record player, and it had a radio on it,” says Burnett. During that time, she discovered local radio stations at home and farther from home. “I was helping my sister in Orlando, and I was trying to find some local stations, and I found WPRK and Rollins. I realized what radio had the potential to be,” she says.
Burnett came to Rollins as her dream school, loving media and “the way it connects people.” After joining the station, she has had numerous and unforgettable memories with the station, staff, and individuals outside of it. One of those memories includes Slam and Jam, hosted by Rollins Student Media. This event allows students and non-students alike to share their talents in front of an audience. The crowd and sense of community is what makes it one of Burnett’s favorite memories.
“I just love it because I feel like at the radio station, it can sometimes feel so isolated because a majority of our work is done in an office and alone if we’re not with our team,” Burnett says about Slam and Jam. “I think that’s one of my favorite moments, to see all the work that everyone at the station has been doing pay off, and for people in the community and people at school to have a platform for their work.”
Time spent at the station has given Burnett memories and passions to hold on to but also something more. Coming from a job history in mostly retail, Burnett feels that her position at the station has allowed her to grow confidence in herself and her capabilities. “I feel like being more in an office environment kind of teaches me how to be a leader,” says Burnett. I was always like, ‘I don’t really see myself as a leader,’ but I found my own way to be a leader without having to force it against who I am at my core.”
At her core, Jordyn Burnett (‘26) is passionate about media, people, and the connections between the two forces. She says, “I’ve always had a passion for media and the way it connects people.”
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