Play-by-play with Taylor Osmonson

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Taylor Osmonson, a fourth-year mechanical engineering technology major, is on the executive board for RIT’s Streaming Media Club and an announcer for the play-by-play action of all home women’s hockey games on Pirate Radio.

Taylor Osmonson wants to be a part of what he enjoys. As someone that loves music, radio and hockey, Osmonson hit the jackpot with RIT’s new Streaming Media Club.

Question: Where are you from?
Answer: I’m from Coon Rapids, Minn.

Q: Why did you decide to come to RIT?
A: I received an e-mail from RIT two weeks before the early application deadline. Once I saw it had everything I was looking for—a great engineering program, music, D-1 hockey and skiing—I didn’t need to apply to any other schools.

Q: What is something unusual that you are proud of doing?
A: That I play bass trombone in the jazz band. Also that I like having philosophical discussions.

Q: What types of things are you involved in around campus?
A: I am involved with the RIT Pep Band, which plays at all the men’s and women’s home hockey games. I’m also in the RIT Jazz Ensemble, RIT Drumline and WITR-FM (89.7). I am also currently on the executive board of the Streaming Media Club.

Q: How did you get involved in the new Streaming Media Club?
A: Some friends and I decided to start a hard-rock station because there are no local hard-rock stations in Rochester. For a couple months we ran truly as a pirate station, until we found out we needed club status for licensing purposes. We are now a club and I produce imaging and DJ with the open-source radio automation software.

Q: For those that haven’t heard the radio station yet, what is it like, in one sentence?
A: Pirate Radio aims to be a professional hard-rock station with a twist for the RIT student.

Q: What is it like to do the play-by-play for the home women’s hockey games?
A: It is unlike anything I would have expected. It is more of a stream of words painting a broad picture of the game than an exact description. I have filled in on the men’s broadcasts before, for color commentary. That is a whole other animal to tackle.

Q: Are you a big hockey fan? What are your favorite teams?
A: I am a huge hockey fan! Minnesota didn’t have professional hockey while I was growing up, so I followed college instead. My favorite teams are RIT, St. Cloud State and the Minnesota Wild.

Q: Where will the Streaming Media Club go from here?
A: I would like to see the Streaming Media Club grow into its name and start streaming different types of media—branching out from music and start streaming video. Also, we have the potential to create several more radio stations with extremely minimal cost. The possibilities are endless.

Q: Any advice you would give to other RIT students?
A: Find a way to do what you want. If one way doesn’t work, there is always another.

Scott Bureau covers student affairs for University News. Contact him at sbbcom@rit.edu with “Student Spotlight” suggestions.