The All-College Radio Network, referred to as ACRN, is a staple of the Ohio University music scene. They are known across town as the place to go for new music and electric energy, both of which can be seen at their annual events, such as Prom Nights and Lobsterfest.
With the new school year brings a new ACRN general manager, who is a familiar face, as she is currently embarking on her third year at the station. Sophia Hoffman is a junior studying media arts production at Ohio University and is originally from Houston, Texas. She previously worked as the organization's promotions director and did outstanding work in the position by booking bands like Wednesday and the Bobby Lees for Lobsterfest. Many members of the organization have witnessed her incredible work over recent years and believe she is the perfect fit for the job.
Helena Karlstrom, a junior studying environmental science and ACRN’s treasurer, speaks highly of Hoffman’s years with the station.
“It’s really awesome getting to see her journey throughout her years at ACRN because she really started from the bottom and did all of the hard work that she needed to do to get where she is…she’s earned the respect of everyone in our little community,” she said.
According to Karlstrom, Hoffman is a dedicated member of the team who has done as many odd and physical jobs as anyone else, which makes her a better leader with a better understanding of how the organization runs as a whole.
“She does a lot of the behind-the-scenes work that people don’t really get to see all the time,” Karlstrom said. “Now that she’s in that general manager position, I feel like she’s really going to shine this year… she is just such a hard-working person, and I think she really deserves to be recognized, so I’m really proud of her.”
Hoffman initially joined ACRN as a way to meet people as a college freshman. Because she and most of her family have musical backgrounds, the student radio station was an obvious choice.
“This organization has taught me more about the (music) industry…than any classroom could have ever done,” she said.
Hoffman describes most of her past work at ACRN as focusing more on live events by booking and organizing ACRN’s concerts and music festival. Despite carrying that entire workload, Hoffman also spent a lot of time laying the groundwork for the future of the organization.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, many student organizations were sent into disarray, including ACRN. Along with additional issues with streaming software, the lockdown caused ACRN to require a revamp, which Hoffman is currently working on, along with the rest of the executive team.
One member of that executive team is Mia Jevack, a senior studying journalism and one of the organization's programming directors. Jevack watched Hoffman work as the promotions director and encouraged her to apply after seeing potential in the way she balanced her responsibilities with the station and being a phenomenal student and a delight to work with.
Hoffman shared that one of her concrete goals for the year is to host more social events.
“I look forward to reaching out more and more to people who love music or love media in general,” Hoffman said.
Hoffman also wants to address the gravity of her position on a broader scale.
“Being in this position of power, we’re putting people on a stage and giving people platforms and so it’s really important to me that we not only identify that it’s a very powerful thing that we hold, but making sure that we diversify our stage and make sure that there’s not just the same looking folks up there all the time, that we get artists that don’t all look the same or sound the same or talk the same,” she said.
In line with this goal, Jevack speaks on how exciting it is to have a mostly female executive board this year, with Hoffman serving as the frontwoman.
“It’s exciting to have a woman in this position again because the music industry is so male-dominated,” she said.
Based on past performance and how the semester has already been running, Hoffman has high hopes for the year. She encourages students and community members to support the station.
“We’ve always kind of been the underdog…we’ve never had the big sponsors; we’ve never really had a ton of hands-on support from the school because it is just really the students who are driving everything,” Hoffman says.
ACRN is an invaluable aspect of OU culture and history. The organization has existed since 1971, and the fact that alumni still recognize the organization's mascot when Karlstrom adorns the lobster costume at the Nelsonville Music Festival is proof enough that the group's influence is pervasive and timeless.
