Grace is a 17-year-old junior at East Knox, and she takes on the role of young Scout in the show. An older version of Scout—Jean Louise—helps tell the story, but Grace says her focus has been figuring out how to bring that younger perspective to life. That’s meant thinking and reacting more like a kid who’s still trying to understand everything going on around her.
She says one of the things she likes most about Scout is how honest she is. Scout says what she’s thinking, asks questions, and doesn’t really hold back. That plays into one of Grace’s favorite moments in the show—the final scene—when Scout begins to see Boo Radley in a different light and realizes she may have had him all wrong.
This is Grace’s 12th production, and she says Beauty and the Beast has been one of her favorites over the years. Even though she plans to pursue a career as a forensic investigator, she still hopes to stay involved in theater when she can.
She also says the cast has made this experience especially memorable. Even with the heavier themes in the show, there’s been a lot of fun behind the scenes, and she’s enjoyed getting to know everyone.
Grace says if someone is thinking about trying theater, they should go for it. Each show is a chance to learn something new and get a little better.
Performances of To Kill a Mockingbird will take place at the Woodward Opera House on Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m.
Click HERE for more information or to buy tickets!
Abby’s path to MVNU came after moving from Augusta, Georgia to Ohio during high school. After visiting campus and connecting with faculty, she knew MVNU was the right fit—moving into her dorm the same day her family moved into their Ohio home.
She arrived undeclared but found her direction, becoming a double major in Communications and Digital Media while also adding English. Along the way, she became deeply involved with WNZR—working afternoon drive, summer staff, marketing photography, and serving as Station Operations Assistant. She also played a key role with the Lakeholm Viewer as editor, helping shape its creative direction.
Abby says one of her biggest takeaways has been learning how to build one-on-one connections and step into leadership, even as someone who considers herself naturally shy. Through her work, she’s grown in confidence and learned to trust both her ideas and her team.
Some of her favorite memories include Lifeline and the strong support from the community, along with unique classroom experiences like an honors “Zombies” course that brought creativity to life in a fun way.
As graduation approaches, Abby says it’s bittersweet. She was recently named Outstanding Staff Member of the Lakeholm Viewer and is grateful for the impact MVNU has had on her life. After graduation, she plans to stay in Mount Vernon and work in ministry with Starting Point Pregnancy and Family Resource Center.
She asks for prayer as she steps into this next season—seeking clarity and a continued opportunity to honor God in all she does.
Jeff Scott returns to the stage as Atticus Finch in MTVArts’ To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House. He shares with WNZR why this iconic role—and its message about doing the right thing—still matters today.
WNZR’s Eric Brown talks with Jeff Scott, who is stepping into the role of Atticus Finch in MTVArts’ upcoming production of To Kill a Mockingbird at the Woodward Opera House.
Jeff has lived in Mount Vernon since 2011 and serves as Executive Director of the Knox County Foundation. While he was involved in theater in college, he took nearly a 30-year break before returning to the stage in recent years.
He says Atticus is both iconic and challenging—a character defined by integrity and a commitment to doing what’s right, even when it’s difficult. Preparing for the role has meant learning a large number of lines and leaning on his familiarity with the story. Jeff says some of his favorite moments are the quieter scenes with Scout and Jem, which connect with him personally as a father.
Jeff has also enjoyed working with the young cast members, building relationships that help those family moments feel natural on stage. His own children have been involved with MTVArts for years, and he’s appeared in productions like The Sound of Music, Our Town, and A Few Good Men. For him, theater provides a creative outlet and a sense of balance.
Audiences can expect a faithful adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, tackling themes of racism, injustice, and courage, while still offering a message of hope. Jeff says that message—doing the right thing even when it’s hard—still resonates today.
Performances will be held Friday, May 8th and Saturday, May 9th at 7:30 p.m., with a Sunday matinee on May 10th at 2:00 p.m. at the Woodward Opera House.
There’s something meaningful about watching a vision grow, especially when it carries across generations. That’s the story of WNZR through Jim McMillan and his son, Jayme.
Jim McMillan, now principal at Grove City Christian, has spent nearly 29 years in education. But his connection to media goes back much further. As a student at Mount Vernon Nazarene University (Class of 1983), he helped build WNZR from the ground up.
In the early days, the “station” was a cleared-out 4×8 closet with a turntable, a microphone, and a four-channel board. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to get started. What mattered more was the energy around it. Students believed in what it could become.
During his sophomore year, Jim went through the application process to formally join the station. It meant research, preparation, and commitment. A turning point came during a weekend trip to the NRB Convention in Minnesota with Professor Dr. Smith. Somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like just a project and started to feel like a calling.
Jim eventually served as production director and later station manager while WNZR was still taking shape. As construction on a real studio began, the anticipation across campus grew. Students broadcast over the breezeway so others could listen in passing. By his senior year, they were calling play-by-play for sports. It felt real.
At the time, WNZR operated on a limited carrier current system, but the goal was always to become a full FM station. Being there at the beginning made it even more meaningful to see that vision come to life.
Years later, that story continued with his son.
Jayme McMillan, Class of 2012, grew up hearing about WNZR, but living it was different. By the time he arrived, the station had grown, but it was still evolving. Sports broadcasting was central, and much of the work was hands-on. Running cables, setting up equipment, figuring things out as you went.
Video production started gaining traction during his later years, helping shift WNZR into something broader than radio. The station expanded its FM reach, and while online streaming existed, it was still finding its place. Even so, there was a clear sense of momentum. Leadership’s excitement, especially from Marcy, carried through the entire team.
One major step forward was “Big Blue,” the mobile broadcast unit. Before that, students packed gear into cars and vans for every event. Big Blue gave WNZR a visible presence and made the operation feel more established.
Some of the most memorable moments, though, were personal.
During Jayme’s freshman year, station leaders trusted two freshmen to keep things running while they were away. When the other student couldn’t make it, Jayme stepped in and ended up hosting an afternoon drive show with his dad. At the time, it was about handling responsibility. Looking back, it was something more.
For Jim, it was nerve-wracking. Even with experience, he didn’t want to let anyone down, especially Jayme. But it also gave him something he never had as a student, the chance to be on air, and to share it with his son.
Moments like that reflect what WNZR has always been about. It’s grown into radio, TV, and live streaming, but at its core, it’s about people and shared purpose.
There’s even a bit of friendly competition in the story. Jayme was named employee of the year twice. Jim earned it once. Jim jokes that someone had to build the foundation first. From a small student-built studio to a full media operation, the difference is hard to miss.
Through all that growth, one thing hasn’t changed.
Both Jim and Jayme point to the role faith has played in WNZR’s journey. Built in a small market with limited resources, the station has grown beyond what anyone expected, supported by both campus and community.
Jayme hopes that support continues, along with prayers for the station’s future. As technology changes, he wants WNZR to keep growing while staying true to its mission of serving and uplifting others.
Looking back, Jim doesn’t remember doubt in those early days. What stands out is the excitement. The belief that something meaningful was being built.
Filmmaker Richie Johns recently spoke with WNZR’s Eric Brown to talk about the heart behind his new film, Still Hope. A graduate of Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Richie shared how the project began after he learned about a story inspired by real survivors of human trafficking—a story that stayed with him and ultimately led to this film.
Still Hope weaves together elements from two true accounts into one character, following her journey from abduction to rescue and then into the long, often difficult road of healing. Richie explained that he and his wife, Bethany, originally joined the project as producers. He later stepped into the director’s role when the team felt the story needed to be stewarded by a filmmaker of faith who understood both the weight of the subject and the hope at its core.
What ultimately drew Richie in was the film’s mission. While raising awareness about human trafficking is important, he said Still Hope is about more than that—it’s about pointing people toward redemption, restoration, and hope.
Richie also talked about the challenge of telling such a heavy story while still holding onto that hope. The film approaches the topic with care and restraint, acknowledging the darkness of trafficking in the first half while intentionally shifting focus in the second half to recovery and healing—an aspect of survivor stories that is often overlooked.
One of the film’s central themes is forgiveness, which Richie described not as weakness, but as a courageous step toward freedom and peace. By partnering with real-life, faith-based recovery organizations, Still Hope remains grounded in authenticity and shows that healing is a process that takes time, support, and faith.
As a first-time director, Richie shared that the experience was both humbling and emotionally demanding. Balancing multiple roles alongside his wife Bethany, who served as lead producer, came with a learning curve, and the emotional weight of the story often carried beyond the set.
He also praised the cast—especially lead actress Luna Rivera—and acknowledged how challenging certain scenes were for everyone involved.
Ultimately, Richie said Still Hope is meant to be more than just a film. It’s a call to action—created to educate, mobilize, and equip people to move beyond awareness and into meaningful action against human trafficking.
Richie also spoke about partnering with Natalie Grant and Hope for Justice, sharing how their involvement strengthened the film’s message and impact. Audiences will see Natalie at the end of the movie offering practical ways to get involved and support organizations already doing vital work on the front lines.
Still Hope opens nationwide February 5–9 in more than 900 theaters, with several Columbus-area theaters hosting premiere night showings on Thursday. Richie encouraged listeners to see the film in theaters and support independent filmmaking.
The holiday season is here! Don’t miss your chance to see A Christmas Carol at the Knox Memorial. Join the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future as they lead the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge on a journey of transformation and redemption. Join the Knox Memorial with the Mount Vernon Arts Consortium and Habitat for Humanity Knox County for this beloved family classic live on stage!
WNZR was honored to chat with several members of the team:
Ian Ernsberger, Director
Aaron Moreland, Ebeneezer Scrooge
Jillian Snow, Ghost of Christmas Past
Click HERE to enjoy the conversation or click on the link below. Get your tickets to see this Christmas Classic this weekend!
A Christmas Carol is presented by the Knox Memorial. Produced by Mount Vernon Arts Consortium. Shows: November 29th @ 7:30 P.M. November 30th @ 7:30 P.M. December 1st @ 1:00 P.M.
VENUE: Knox Memorial Theater (112 E. High St, Mount Vernon, OH 43050)
For our Friday Favorites today, The Morning Thing is celebrating National Library Lovers Month! The hosts shared one of their favorite books by reading a small portion of the book. We hope you find a few good books to enjoy this weekend!
We are celebrating National Library Week with our Morning Thing Fave 5 by sharing our favorite books! Visit your library, pick out a good book and get ready for some adventure!
Listen in to find out what our co-hosts love to read.
Today, The Morning Thing celebrated Book Lovers Day!
We found a list of 40 books that every Christian should read. Click HERE to see this amazing list of titles.
We also found Jim Daly’s top 10 list. Click HERE to see the titles that have impacted the President of Focus on the Family.
If you are looking for a list of the classics, click HERE. We found a great list of 30 books that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime.
Tell us YOUR favorite book titles. Email wnzr@mvnu.edu
The Morning Thing kicked off the week by celebrating National Library Week and sharing some “Get Healthy” tips from the Knox County Healthy Department.
Find out more about the Library of Mount Vernon and Knox County!
This is a very active place with special events for readers of every age. http://www.knox.net/
It was also a Get Healthy Monday on the show.
Studies show that when it comes to making decisions to improve your health, Monday is the day most people make those decisions. The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County want you to think of every Monday as an opportunity to do something to improve your health.The Knox County Health Department and Get Healthy Knox County want you to think of every Monday as an opportunity to do something to improve your health – Make that decision to lose a few pounds, get exercising, make a doctor’s appointment, stop smoking – Make every Monday the day to start getting healthy.
Do you know your numbers…your health numbers? We live our lives by the numbers: phone numbers, PIN numbers, stock market numbers. When it comes to health, you should live by the numbers, too.
The key health numbers to know are: blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index (BMI).
Doctors test most of these numbers at annual check-ups – which begs the question – when was the last time you had a checkup? It’s important that you know your numbers and understand what they mean. By keeping your numbers within a healthy range, you can greatly improve your health and reduce your risk for heart disease and other illnesses.
Blood Pressure When it comes to your blood pressure number, pay attention to the top number – the systolic pressure, which indicates the pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood. A systolic reading above 140 is considered too high and warrants seeing your doctor. Your Blood Pressure goal is 120 over 80 or less.
Cholesterol When it comes to cholesterol, there are really three numbers to know – your total cholesterol, your “healthy” cholesterol, called HDL and your “bad” cholesterol, called LDL.
The normal range for total cholesterol is 200 or less. The optimal range for HDL cholesterol is more than 60 and LDL cholesterol should be less than 100. There are no definite symptoms of high cholesterol, so it’s important to see your doctor and know your cholesterol numbers.
Blood Sugar or Glucose Glucose is sugar stored in your blood as your body’s main source of energy. Your fasting blood sugar number must be measured after an 8-hour fast. Fasting is key since ingesting food—say, a banana an hour beforehand—would raise blood sugar levels and could create a false pre-diabetic or diabetic reading. Your FBS can be determined with a simple blood test or a finger stick test.
A fasting blood sugar number above 100 is considered pre-diabetic; treatment measures should be discussed with a physician.
Body Mass Index Your body mass index (BMI) measures your weight in relation to your height. A BMI over 25 means that you are overweight and a number over 30 indicates obesity. That extra weight can lead to high cholesterol, heart disease, diabetes and other serious illnesses.
Your blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar and body mass index numbers are key indicators of your risk for serious illness. If you know these important numbers, you can make changes to improve your health.
Small changes can make a big difference. So start today. It’s Get Healthy Monday!
Rise and Shine 