Art history graduate student and KSSU Music Director Susie Kuo has been DJing and working at the KSSU radio station on campus since 2002.

In her office, she listens to music while checking e-mail and answering questions from other DJs. She gets a phone call in the middle of all this and another KSSU DJ hands her some papers.

Kuo remains calm throughout the busy 30-second period like it is just another day and does it all with a smile on her face. She speaks with confidence, compassion and kindness. It is obvious her peers respect and look up to her.

Kuo has helped make KSSU the station it is today through her excellent networking skills and connections within the radio and music industry.

“Susie is the best music director KSSU has ever seen,” said Melissa Maxwell, KSSU manager and employee for 3 1/2 years. “She turned a little department into a network with radio promoters and allowed KSSU to get more music like a big radio station.”

Susie was honored Friday for her longtime commitment and devotion to KSSU with an Award of Excellence. Her hard work, dedication and vision over the years has inspired others to succeed.

“She always makes me want to work harder,” Maxwell said. “You can always rely on her to get what the station needs.”

Still, Kuo is modest about her contributions to the station’s growth.

“I just happened to be there the longest,” she said. “We’ve had a really dedicated team of people who believe in the (goal) of the station.”

Kuo cites her interest in radio from her love of music and wanting to learn more about it and how it worked. She also wanted to make her experience in a student organization relevant to her studies. She currently runs the art exhibit on the second floor in the University Union and is graduating this semester.

“It is kinda sad I’m leaving. I’ve been here for a while,” Kuo said. “It’s been a great way to get involved and work with a diverse group of people.”

Kuo stressed it has been a good way to get exposed to music and develop leadership skills – while at the same time becoming more business-minded.

“We’re all a big happy family (at KSSU). We work as a team,” Kuo said. “I don’t know what I’m going to do with myself after I leave!”

Her excellent achievement and performance has had a positive effect on many of her student coworkers.

“Everyone loves Susie. It’s going to take 2-3 people to fill her job when she leaves,” said Mike Young, hip-hop music director. “She can do everything all at once.”

Kuo trains new students, networks, talks to promoters and has a show, “Office Beats” on Tuesdays from 11-noon.

She has been instrumental in the start of the new KSSU publication, “The Local Slice,” which just released it’s third issue on May 1. It focuses on promoting local music and art, while showing off KSSU DJs’ skills.

“Susie is personally responsible for half of my music selections,” Young said. “She is a walking library. We go to concerts and she is the greatest person to be around.”

Kuo wants others to know and understand the importance and value of college radio. She emphasized when there are times that the campus might strike or are experiencing other crisis situations, there has to be a student voice – and KSSU is one of those organizations on campus that can stand up.

Kuo has been devoted throughout the years to using resources available to her and students on campus to improve the school and make a change.

“It’s about the students too,” Kuo said. “We’re here to make or break education in the years to come. I encourage everyone to get involved. Make your time here worthwhile.”

Kuo has focused heavily on finding local up-and-coming artists to help them promote their music and get airtime. She strives to keep the airwaves as open as possible to get new music out into the community.

There are 60-70 DJs at KSSU, and the station never goes off the air. Students are required about 20 hours a week of participation time at the station. That is a big commitment – for the students and for the importance of maintaining a presence in the Sacramento area.

KSSU also has a promotions team that has on-air giveaways to support small businesses and artists.

Kuo stepped into her music director position in 2005 and has excelled. She said it took her a long time to come up through the ranks, learning from others before her and then assuming their roles when they left, as she is now.

Susie explained it isn’t easy being the music director. She has to factor in the listeners’ tastes, do extensive research on new and old bands and be on her toes at all times. She had to learn the DJs’ strengths and weaknesses as well as sort and review all of the new music that is sent in to the radio station each week.Sometimes that can be between 5-500 CDs a day.

“I get a lot of help,” Kuo said. “I couldn’t do it without everyone that does a great job. The DJs help me out a lot too.”

Kuo’s impact and presence will never be forgotten for those who have listened to her show or experienced her leadership over the past few years.

“Everyone will miss her greatly,” Maxwell said.

Her kindness and motivation can always be used as a building block to success at the radio station for future DJs striving to achieve their goals.

“We want people to have the opportunity to be heard,” Kuo said. “It’s all about the campus community and having a voice.” Galen Kusic can be reached at [email protected]