Harper student and WHCM host Abeer Abu Ghalyoun won first place in the Narrative category
at the 2026 Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts. She's one of many
on the Harper Radio staff who received national recognition this year.
At Harper College’s student-run radio station, the mission is simple: Share music, tell stories and create space for voices that might otherwise go unheard. It’s an approach that continues to win national recognition.
Harper Radio, WHCM 88.3 FM, received top honors at the 2026 Broadcast Education Association (BEA) Festival of Media Arts, including a prestigious “Best of Festival” award – placing student work among the top 1% of more than 2,000 entries.
Student broadcaster Zoe Meshenberg earned the distinction for her submission, 25 Years of Harper Radio, while fellow student Abeer Abu Ghalyoun took first place in the Narrative category for her work on the Harper Talks podcast.
For Abeer, a 19-year-old from Wheeling, the recognition was both unexpected and affirming.
“I was surprised,” she said. “I’m very passionate in what I do. I thought that maybe this can open up new doors for me.”
When: Noon-1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 22 Where: Building A, Second Floor Lounge, Harper College, 1200 W. Algonquin Road, Palatine Cost: Free Details: Enjoy performances from local musicians Danielle Sines, from Impulsive Hearts, and
Megan Hozick. Lemonade will be served.WHCM 25th Anniversary Celebration
Abeer began at Harper last fall to explore her interests in music, film and photography. She’s since also become interested in broadcasting and hosts Abeer’s Feels at noon on Wednesdays on WHCM. She fills her show with pop, jazz and mariachi songs that resonate emotionally and musically.
“I share songs that connect with me because of the message,” she said, describing lyrics about hope and care while detailing the musical swells that spark her interest. “I like to pay attention to the details.”
That dedication also comes in handy in her video work. Abeer’s BEA award was the result of her contributions to an installment of Harper Talks – the alumni podcast hosted by Harper Radio’s faculty advisor Brian Shelton and a co-production of WHCM and Harper Alumni Relations. The episode grew out Abeer’s experience in a multi-camera production class. She served as a technical director on the project, adjusting camera angles, managing timing and shaping the visual storytelling in post-production.
Her work reflects a broader culture at WHCM – one where experimentation, collaboration and self-expression are encouraged.
That spirit fuels The Local Music Show, hosted by Erik Hanson, an adjunct faculty member, radio practicum instructor and first-place winner at the 2026 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Media Awards. Hanson took home the award for Best Community Volunteer/Personality, recognizing his long-running program dedicated to showcasing independent artists from Chicago and the Northwest suburbs.
The show – which airs 9 p.m. Tuesdays with repeats on the weekends – began during the early days of the pandemic. Erik said that Brian helped bring him into the WHCM fold and soon he was broadcasting from his basement with a simple setup and a desire to spotlight local talent.
“The best radio is local radio,” Hanson said. “For me, that’s the whole point. Local music is an extension of that.”
What began as a passion project quickly grew into something larger. Over the past six years, Hanson has featured music from nearly 1,000 bands, built relationships across the greater Chicago music scene and even helped organize live events featuring local artists, including some during Harper’s Summer Concert Series.
“I didn’t realize the impact it would have on the station,” he said. “It did draw people in.”
Erik brings that experience into the classroom, where he helps students with radio, podcasting and editing skills. His advice to students centers on authenticity.
“Be yourself,” he tells them. “That’s what connects with audiences.”
Erik Hanson, left, is an adjunct faculty member at Harper who hosts "The Local Music
Show" on WHCM. He won the 2026 Intercollegiate Broadcasting System (IBS) Media Award
for Best Community Volunteer/Personality. Harper student Yari Lopez was named a finalist
for an IBS Award for her Spanish-language program "La Y Méx Radio."
That emphasis is echoed by student broadcaster Yari Lopez, whose Spanish-language program La Y Méx Radio was named a finalist for Best Foreign Language Program at this year’s IBS awards.
For Yari, 28, of Des Plaines, the journey to Harper – and to the microphone – has been anything but linear.
A first-generation college student, she enrolled at Harper after high school but struggled to stay on track. After working during the pandemic and starting a family, she returned to Harper in 2025 with renewed focus. At WHCM, she found both a creative outlet and a sense of purpose.
“I thought, why not try it?” she said. “I fell in love with it.”
Her show evolved from a bilingual format shared with classmates to a Spanish-language program that incorporated news, storytelling and sports segments. A unique element was the involvement of her father, who contributes recorded sports reports.
“He’s really into sports,” Yari said. “He would send me clips about soccer, baseball, boxing… and we would edit that into the show.”
Yari praised WHCM General Manager Blue Bailey for her technical expertise in bringing her dad’s segments into La Y Méx Radio, which ended in December. She said the recognition from IBS is meaningful not just for her, but for her family.
“I told my dad, who was just so excited,” Yari said. “Everyone is so happy.”
Looking forward, Yari plans to transfer to DePaul University and pursue a career as a Spanish-language news anchor. Her dream job is broadcasting on Univision or Telemundo.
Harper Radio lives up to its tagline, “Radio Done Differently.” The station gives students the freedom to explore their interests, take creative risks and build real-world skills.
That approach continues to pay off. In addition to this year’s BEA and IBS honors, Harper Radio was named the best community college station in the country by IBS in 2023. WHCM remains a perennial contender in Chicago Reader’s annual Best of Chicago awards, going up against heavyweights such as WXRT and WBEZ.
For students like Abeer and Yari, the impact goes beyond accolades.
“You meet all sorts of new people who share common ground,” Abeer said. “When you see what brings someone joy, you learn about the art that they’re putting out there. And finding beauty in art is a powerful thing.”
For Erik, who has watched the station grow while helping to mentor the next generation of broadcasters, the success is both validating and secondary.
“It’s icing on the cake,” he said. “It tells you you’re putting out a good product, but at the end of the day, it’s about the community you’re building.”