One of WNZR’s Founding Fathers Helps Celebrate 39th Anniversary!

One of WNZR’s Founding Fathers, Bill Bridges who was a part of the original Mount Vernon Nazarene College Staff in 1968, stopped by to celebrate the 39th anniversary of WNZR!

Click HERE to hear the entire conversation with Bill and Station Manager, Marcy Rinehart!

Bill helped found the Speech and Communications Department. Bill says that Founders Hall wasn’t ready, so they met in October in various places throughout Mount Vernon.

Bill said that the dream of having a radio station started around 1978. He said that they interviewed Dr. Henry Smith (who was one of Marcy’s professors) and he joined the staff.

Bill said he taught a radio class before they even had a radio station. He says WMVO in Mount Vernon gave them an old sound board, so they were able to have radio classes. They would broadcast to those in the breezeway between Founders and Faculty Halls.

Bill says that he and Dr. Smith started researching what it would take to start a “real” radio station. Bill stayed until 1980 and passed the department to Dr. Smith while he returned to the ministry.

Bill says the staff at WNZR is living out his dream. He talks about what he thinks that God has done to make his dream come true. He says the current ministry of WNZR is more than just a radio station. It is a Lifeline. WNZR does more than just play good Christian music and read the news, but what kind of impact it has on the community.

Bill gives some wisdom to WNZR staff members, “Don’t be afraid to experiment. Don’t be afraid to try. Don’t be afraid of failing. You never truly succeed unless you really try and take chances. He says trust God and trust your fellow workers.”

Click HERE to check out WNZR’s awesome website and learn more about our ministry!

WNZR presents the September 2025 MVNU Presidential Update

MVNU President Dr. Carson Castleman stops by to give his September update to WNZR’s Marcy Rinehart.

Click HERE to hear the full conversation!

He is excited to start the 2025-26 school year and is happy to see the students back on campus and out in the community.

He says enrollment is growing in both traditional and non-traditional students and they have added 13 new faculty members.

Dr. Castleman talks about the restructure of the university into two schools. CAPS stands for College of Arts and Professional Studies for non-traditional students. CAST which is the College of Arts and Sciences is the traditional 18–22-year-old students. They also restructured the deans and administrative roles of the staff.

Dr. Castleman talks about the 4 C’s which was a focus on the recent Faculty and Staff Awards earlier this month: conviction, conversation, care, and connection.

He explains how the 4 C’s are a centerpiece for the MVNU community.

Dr. Castleman shares a special bible verse as a focus for the university this year from Isaiah 43:19 (NIV), “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

He says that the cabinet helped determined the verse because MVNU is stepping outside the normal doom and gloom at other campuses and that God is doing something new here at MVNU and we are changing the world.

Dr. Castleman gives an update on the construction at the Chapel. He said there was an issue with carpeting over the summer and that put the project behind. He said God provided both in time and financially to help get the campaign finalized.

Dr. Castleman gives an explanation on the opening of the entrance at front of campus that had a security hut. He said that he received some feedback and believed that the entrance needed to be re-opened for several reasons.

He also gives an update with the Hunter Wright hub in downtown Mount Vernon.

Dr. Castleman gives an update on his plans are for the fall and he is planning on staying on campus this fall as some transitions take place and is getting back in the classroom.

Dr. Castleman gives some words of encouragement to the students, faculty and staff.

Dr. Castleman also explains how we can pray for the students, faculty, staff and university this fall.

Click HERE to find out more about Mount Vernon Nazarene University.

Spreading Positive Vibes on Good News Tuesday!

On The Morning Thing on WNZR Tuesday, co-host Eric Brown shared a series of uplifting, encouraging, and downright cool stories as part of our Good News Tuesday.

Throughout the morning, we brought you heartwarming and positive news stories designed to brighten your day and lift your spirits.

Sharing good news helps balance the often overwhelming stream of negative headlines, offering hope and reminding us that there is still kindness, progress, and joy in the world. It can inspire positive action, improve mental well-being, and foster a sense of community and resilience.

We featured a variety of these inspiring stories all morning long to bring encouragement and a smile to your face:

🧠 Wisdom Teeth and Stem Cells – Who Knew?
Turns out those pesky wisdom teeth we all dread might be way more useful than we thought. Researchers in Spain have discovered that the soft center inside wisdom teeth—called dental pulp—contains powerful stem cells that could one day help heal bones, hearts, and even brain tissue. These cells can actually turn into neuron-like cells that show electrical activity, similar to real brain cells. Scientists are even testing them in mice with heart issues, and early results look promising. And the best part? Since over 10 million wisdom teeth are pulled each year, collecting them could be as easy as tossing them in a vial and sending them off to a lab. So before you toss yours in the trash, you might want to think twice—they could be your body’s future backup plan.

🎓 Small Town, Big Scholarships
In Swanville, Minnesota—a tiny town of just 328 people—graduation means more than just a diploma. Every single year for the past 30 years, the whole town has chipped in to raise money for scholarships for its seniors. Think chili cookoffs, bingo nights, bake sales—you name it. What started as a $166 gift back in the day just hit new heights: This year, one lucky grad walked away with $5,000. That’s a whole semester of college, right there. It’s more than just money—it’s about making sure their kids know they’re supported, wherever life takes them. In Swanville, it’s clear: once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog.

🥾 Detention? Let’s Take a Hike
At Morse High School in Maine, detention looks a little different. Forget sitting in a classroom staring at the wall—here, misbehaving students can choose “hiking detention.” That’s right. If you skip class or mouth off to a teacher, you might find yourself lacing up your boots and heading into the woods. School counselor Leslie Trundy came up with the idea after an outdoor ed conference, and now it’s a hit. Students say the walking clears their heads and helps them think straight. Not everyone’s sold—some parents think it’s too soft—but the kids are showing up, breathing fresh air, and maybe even learning a thing or two. Sounds like a win.

Click HERE for more POSITIVE stories from the Good News Network!

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