SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Seton Hall University’s WSOU welcomes Bernie Wagenblast ’78 and Bob Picozzi ’72 to its Hall of Fame and presents a new award to Stephanie Wightman ’08, the WSOU Distinguished Young Alumna. Honorees will be inducted April 14; ceremonies will be held in the fourth-floor atrium of Seton Hall University’s Jubilee Hall at 7 p.m.
The WSOU Hall of Fame honors distinguished alumni who have made significant contributions to their professions and recognizes their involvement with Seton Hall University’s student-run radio station. Inductees are chosen based on their professional accomplishments, WSOU student career activities, service to WSOU and Seton Hall University after graduation, support of current students, personal examples of servant leadership and involvement with alumni activities.
“It’s been nearly 40 years since I left WSOU, but I still feel its influence,” Wagenblast said in a release. “When I think of all the great people who have been a part of the station, it’s a tremendous and humbling honor to be inducted into the WSOU Hall of Fame.” Wagenblast is the voice of Total Traffic and Weather, which is featured on major metropolitan stations including 1010 WINS and 101.5 WKXW. His voiceover work is heard daily by commuters in New York City subways, PATH, PATCO and NJ Transit and by travelers on the AirTrain at the JFK and Newark airports. His work with transportation extends past the auditory with his electronic publication, the Transportation Communication Newsletter. Wagenblast used his vast radio knowledge to create several notable transportation communication services for the NJ and NY Port Authority during his time as the operations manager of TRANSCOM.
Picozzi established himself as a prominent voice in sports broadcasting through his time at various Connecticut radio stations before becoming an ESPN SportsCenter anchor in 1998. He won numerous sportscaster awards, including a New England Regional Emmy for Outstanding TV Sports Anchor and the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s Connecticut Sportscaster of the Year. Piccozzi shares his passion for sports with his community by coaching youth basketball and baseball leagues in Cheshire, Conn. He also serves as vice-president for the Picozzi Family Foundation, which awards scholarships to high school and college students throughout New Jersey.
Wightman will become the first WSOU Distinguished Young Alumna honoree. The award was created this year to recognize the accomplishments of recent graduates. Wightman, a former WSOU promotions director, has worked for Air America Media and New York Public Radio on esteemed programs such as NPR’s “Morning Edition” and “The Rachel Maddow Show.” In 2010, she switched to television where her credits on various NBC Universal programs include MSNBC’s “The Ed Show,” NBC’s “Early Today” and MSNBC’s “First Look.” She presently is a video producer for MSNBC’s “MTP Daily.” In her free time, Wightman coordinates food collections through the Center for Action and her condominium association for Bergen County families in need.
WSOU, which began broadcasting in 1948, is the award-winning student-run station of Seton Hall University. Celebrated for its loud rock format and coverage of Seton Hall athletics, WSOU’s signal reaches all five boroughs of New York City and much of northern and central New Jersey. Since its switch to a hard rock format in 1986, Seton Hall’s Pirate Radio has developed a national reputation as an industry leader in breaking bands, giving first area airtime to household names such as Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Rage Against the Machine, Korn and My Chemical Romance. In addition to broadcasting on 89.5 FM, WSOU can be streamed on the WSOU website and iHeartRadio. More information about the station can be found online at www.wsou.net.