So You Want to Become a Radio DJ? Here's How to Get Your Own Show.
By Katherine Mitchell | September 28, 2026
Everything students need to know before they get behind the mic
For UAlbany students, getting behind the microphone and broadcasting to the Capital District isn’t reserved for just seasoned broadcasters. Before you can make that happen through WCDB Albany, there’s just a few things you’ll have to learn and a few tests you’ll have to pass.
In a hidden corner of the Campus Center’s third floor you’ll see a large black and yellow mural in front of room 316’s sticker-bombed door forming the letters “WCDB”, but this student-run radio station should be the farthest thing from a secret.
“Being in the radio station gives you the ability to work on a lot of skills at the same time as being able to have fun and still have the sociability as any other student organization,” said WCDB’s General Manager and UAlbany junior Xavier Lake.
Though no experience is needed, there is still a process to becoming an official WCDB DJ, albeit a rewarding one.
First, you’re going to have to learn the station by going to a training show- luckily these are held every Thursday from 6 to 8 p.m. in the radio station and are a good way to meet other prospective DJs, current DJs, and Eboard members.
Sarai Knox and Devon Dawes, the station's training directors, will cover everything from the station’s history and the roles of its chief administrators to the equipment DJs will use and the rules they must follow while on air.
For Knox, who came into WCDB without any radio or DJing experience themself, the process is designed for students who also are unfamiliar and willing to learn.
“I came into this station not knowing a single thing about what it means to be on the radio- not knowing how to mix, having never touched an engineering board before ever, so the only thing you need to know is music,” Knox said.
After the training show, you’ll need to shadow two current and experienced WCDB DJs.
Students are encouraged to connect with DJs themselves and ask if they can sit in on their shows. This gives them an opportunity to see how different DJs run their shows as well as ask questions in a more personal setting, and DJs enjoy seeing trainees' progress.
“I love being able to help people through the process of becoming a DJ now because it ensures that we’re passing this space down to so many new people who have genuine passion for or interest in radio,” Knox said. “It’s also super interesting to see the different visions new people have for the station, whether it’s a less played genre of music or a unique type of talk show.”
After you finish your shadowing sessions, you’ll need to take WCDB’s written test that covers information students learned during the training show and shadowing sessions.
“The test definitely sounds way more intimidating and scary than it actually is, but once you do it, you’re gonna feel like, wow, that was so worth it," Knox said.
The engineering test then puts students in front of the station’s broadcasting equipment.
During the test, the chief engineer intentionally changes the settings on the DJ board, and the trainee has to return the board to its resting position—so it’s mostly pressing buttons.
“The engineering test seems way more daunting than it actually is,” said Knox. “We’re not asking you all the ins and outs of how the board works or how the technology works in general- we just want to see that you know how the DJ board should look consistently.”
The final step to this process is the on-air test, where prospective DJs get to actually put their training to work by preparing four to five songs and broadcasting them live.
While the trainee is on air, a training director will listen live from another room, making sure the student says the correct information over the air, avoids dead air, and can smoothly transition between songs.
For students who have never been on the radio before, this test can be the most nerve racking part of the process. Knox remembers feeling that way themself.
“My on-air test was pure anxiety. I have a video of it- you can see me literally shaking as I’m speaking,” Knox said. “But the minute I was done, I felt so much more relief and I was truly just excited because I knew the testing era was over.”
After passing the on-air test, students are officially DJs and get to make their show their own. They decide what genre of music they’ll play, choose their DJ name, select a time slot, and customize their DJ profile on the station’s website.
The entire training process from the training show to the on-air test can take as little as a week or two, but there is no deadline forcing students to rush through it so moving at your own pace is encouraged. Trainees are encouraged to reach out to Knox and Dawes to schedule tests as soon as they feel they are ready, as staff members have busy schedules.
After already getting a taste of being on air during their test, Knox was still worried they would forget something or make a mistake, they said, “my first show was as exciting as it was nerve-wracking. I was terrified because I thought I was going to forget something or mess up in some way.”
Their first set, called “Nano Dreams,” was made up entirely of songs they grew up listening to on their iPod Nano. Knox had planned the set for months and said they couldn’t wait to hear the songs playing through the speakers in the on-air room.
“I think that might be one of my favorite sets still,” Knox said.
The nerves and mistakes, however, eventually became part of the experience.
“What I would find out after this set is that everyone messes up, and it is truly not that big of a deal,” Knox said. “still to this day, I make mistakes when I’m on-air, and this is something I think all new DJs should keep in mind.”
For Lake, WCDB is also about the relationships he’s made during his time as a DJ.
“I’ve been able to build connections with so many people that are so different from myself through WCDB, and it’s been so rewarding, and it’s something that I’ll always cherish,” Lake said.
Through the training process, students leave with the ability to run their own radio show and, potentially, find a new group of people to share it with.
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*Katherine Mitchell is a DJ at WCBD.
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