Associate Director of Enrollment Eddie Maynard is the new voice of JC every Monday on 101.9 WLIF.

Starting last July, the Admissions Department began sponsoring a weekly radio program called “Making the Grade” that, according to Director of Enrollment Kim Brueggemann “provides a current discussion on education.”

The broadcasts, though not focused on JC, discuss relevant educational topics like technology in the classroom and international students.  Before each broadcast, the tagline plays, letting listeners know that the information they are about to here is sponsored by JC.  To listen to a sample broadcast, see right.

Maynard, who joined the Admissions Department for the 2012-2013 school year, is responsible for recording and sometimes writing the sound bites that run every Monday at 7:54 a.m. for less than a minute.

Towards the end of last year, former Director of Enrollment Jesse Roberts approached Maynard and handed him the responsibility of the radio broadcasts.

“The first time I did it I was really nervous, but … I got it on the first take,” Maynard said.

According to Maynard, part of the reason that the broadcasting has gone so smoothly is the helpfulness of the employees at CBS radio. “The people at CBS radio are very good, very professional.  They make you feel like it’s very easy to do.  It’s their job, and they know what to do to make sure you know what to do,” Maynard said.

According to Maynard, one of the most helpful people is CBS Radio’s Production Director Gerry O’Brien.  O’Brien coordinates the tapings of the broadcast with Maynard, approves the script for each installment, and provides the tagline that is read before each broadcast. “He has the coolest voice,” Maynard said.

Though Maynard is currently the only one who records the broadcasts, Principal Madelyn Ball, College Counselor Carrie Siemsen, President Richard O’Hara, and social studies teacher Brian Powell have all helped write scripts.

“It was really cool being able to write [a script],” Powell said.  He is also enthusiastic about the benefits of JC’s advertising on the radio.

“I think it’s great, because I listen mostly to NPR, but all these other schools advertise on NPR, but it just feels kind of good to hear these schools’ names.  It’s a good publicity tool,” Powell said.

JC’s broadcasting slot runs every week from last July to next July.  As the year progresses, the Admissions Department hopes to get even more people involved in the broadcasts. “My hopes are to maybe get the students and the faculty involved,” Maynard said.

Junior Amanda Reid, one of the students featured in the admission’s view book, thinks that the radio broadcasts are a great way to diversify marketing for the school.  “I think that doing a radio broadcast is an excellent way to spread the news about John Carroll because everyone listens to the radio in the car.  I think student involvement would be harder to do, but we are John Carroll and Patriots do,” she said.

Maynard has high hopes for the effectiveness of the radio broadcasts. “When people hear the tagline, they will immediately associate it with JC and what JC can do for you.”

Brianna Glase is a reporter for The Patriot and jcpatriot.com.