Becoming a world-changer might just take you to the ends of the earth, or so it may seem for Samantha Weaver (Communication Studies, 2011). Mere months after crossing the commencement stage at IWU, Weaver found herself combining radio and ministry in the far reaches of Alaska. She is working for Voice for Christ Ministries, which owns three radio stations and numerous small repeater transmitters used to reach the sprawling areas of the state.
She says, “The ministry provides Christian teaching and music to places that have no other Biblical influence.”
Most of her work has been at station KIAM in Nenana, but she also does voicetrack recording and production work for the two other stations. One of her favorite daily activities is hosting “Mukluk Messages”, a live program where listeners send messages to loved ones in the bush regions that are beyond phone or Internet contact.
It was quite a transition for Weaver, going from the familiar surroundings of the midwest to the small town of Nenana, an hour from Fairbanks. But she says, “..when in Rome…I have enjoyed hiking, 4-wheeling, mountain biking, practicing my rifle aim and getting to know the locals.”
And the locals include ever-present moose and other wildlife. She plans to visit some nearby mountain areas before it snows, which is only weeks away.
Weaver was the general manager of student-operated 94.3 the Fortress, WIWU-FM, while studying at IWU. The Alaska assignment is short-term and she will return home to Dayton, Ohio later this year and search for new opportunities. Even if Alaska isn’t home, she will take lots of memories. “I am loving the Alaska life and seem to find new adventures every day,” she says.
