The Student Media Hall of Fame has recently inducted Justin Miller (’14). The fledgling movement seeks to pay homage to the student-leaders who have made great contributions to WLAS, the 1851 Chronicle, and Lasell Community Television. Miller was outstanding at connecting the community through WLAS in a variety of challenges.
“Helping and supporting the community makes you feel good, it can do a lot of good for others and it’s just the right thing to do,” Miller said.
Prior to attending the little school on Woodland Road, Miller attended West Genesee High School in Camillus, New York. It was here that Miller first took on an interest in pursuing radio production. It was also here that he made his on-air announcing debut, volunteering to do the school announcements over the public address system.
Miller first felt the call to be a Laser because of the radio program, noting that other schools he looked at lacked the same level of radio facilities.
Another major factor in the college decision process became his early conversations with Dr. Brian Wardyga.
Miller immediately joined Lasell College Radio (LCR), the then moniker of WLAS, upon his arrival on campus in the Fall of 2010. He then rose up the ranks, serving as a DJ and music director before finally being named station manager for the Fall of his junior year.
“You can go to classes and take tests, and call it a day and not get involved in anything, or you can make the extra effort to invest in a club or an organization, make some friends and make a difference,” Miller said. “It’s all about what you as a student make of it… Getting involved in the radio station was remarkable and it was life-changing for me. It’s what I remember over anything from any classes.”
His move into the station manager position came at a time of uncertainty for LCR. The dining hall, then just adjacent to the radio station was set to undergo a major remodel, taking LCR with it. Miller stood firm helping maintain the club and keep the membership engaged in the transition period. This became particularly difficult during the winter when an open door on the third floor of Edwards Student Center led to a water leak destroying the new studio.
Once the new studio was completed, the same studio still housing WLAS, matters did not get easier for Miller or the remainder of the student body. A major responsibility of radio at Lasell is to coordinate entertainment for the campus-wide Marathon Monday party. This fun job took a turn after the events of April 15, 2023, where a terrorist attack took the lives of 3, injuring over 260 people at the finish line of the marathon.
“There was a girl who came up to the table literally balling her eyes out with tears talking about a bomb that had gone off in the city. I told her to just stay calm, that we would look into it, we would take care of anything that needed to be as far as a security standpoint goes and that she was safe being at that event,” Miller said. “Little did we know the true magnitude of what it was.”
In addition to the public service measures led by LCR during the days that followed, Miller played a big role in healing the community as a driving force behind Carlos Arredondo, a hero at the marathon bombing, speaking on campus. All these initiatives resulted in LCR’s first Organization of the Year award, and a Student Leader of the Year honor for Miller.
“Persevering through all that we did to get to that point my junior year, it was remarkable,” Miller said. “It was a journey, but it was an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience that you can’t get anywhere else you go.”
The Student Media Hall of Fame is proud to induct an alumnus who has shown such dedication to the university’s student media organizations and connecting the greater community.