WANM 90.5 50TH Anniversary Celebration (Photo use with permission from Jonathan R.M. Charles)
Florida A&M University’s radio station WANM 90.5 FM “The Flava” celebrated their 50th anniversary during homecoming on Wednesday Oct. 21. The station signed on Jan. 23, 1976, as WAMF before adopting the “Flava Station” identity in 1998. Defined by its original jazz format for nearly two decades, WANM has served the community by continuing to provide hands-on broadcasting experience for radio, TV, and podcasting to students, fostering future media professionals.
“For 50 years, WANM has been a place where FAMU students found their voices, then carried them into newsrooms, studios, and stations across the country,” said Mira Lowe, dean of the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication.
The ceremony honored five alumni and friends of the station for their contributions to WANM and the broadcasting industry. Cheryl “Capp” Hayden, a 2002 graduate in newspaper journalism and former WANM on-air personality, news director, program director and operations manager, delivered the keynote address.
“50 years of music, information, personalities, and students finding their voices,” said Hayden. “And somewhere in those 50 years, a young woman showed up a family with plans to become a newspaper writer, and somehow left answering to cappuccino.”
From left to right: Terrence Ward, Cheryl “Capp” Hayden, Keith Miles, Meaghan Taylor, Carmen Cummings-Martin, and Mira Lowe. (Photo use with permission from Jonathan R.M. Charles)
Keith Miles, a former station general manager and founder of Vantage Media Partners of Florida Inc., received the First Signal Award. Andrew “Andy” Hanus, who served as WANM’s chief engineer from 2011 to 2024 after more than three decades as chief engineer at WFSU-FM, received the Behind the Board Award. Carmen Cummings-Martin, a former WANM newscaster and award-winning journalist who later served in FAMU’s president’s office, received the Distinguished Alumni Service Award. Meaghan Taylor, a FAMU journalism graduate, digital content producer for “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” and founder of Women in Radio, received the Amplifier Award for her work supporting women in radio, media and entertainment.
“My father used to tell us that it’s not where you’re from, it’s where you’re going, and what you do to help other people once you arrive,” said Cummings-Martin.
Now, the station continues to flourish with over 50 student workers dedicated to adding to the growing legacy of 90.5. As technology and the broadcasting industry continues to evolve, WANM remains a space where students can learn, build confidence, and prepare for a career in media beyond college.
