This past weekend, we were blessed with the opportunity to attend the 29th Annual Black College Radio (BCR) Convention in Atlanta. The purpose of the convention was to provide an excellent forum for college broadcasters and industry professionals. Students were invited from more than 100 HBCUs nationwide and as student volunteers for WNAA-FM 90.1, we felt compelled to attend. So, with no definite place to stay, we packed our bags, paid our registration fees, and headed down to Atlanta. Incidentally, the first person we met when we arrived was the chairman for BCR, Lo Jelks. He insured that our registrations were processed that evening and even did it at a discounted rate.

We wasted no time while at the morning workshops, introducing ourselves to music and technology guru, Ken Spellman. This man is at the forefront of radio. From him, we learned where radio is headed and how to position ourselves for that change. That evening, we met “The Entrepronegro” himself, David Anderson. Our conversation with him birthed us priceless lessons, provided connections with some of the most influential people in business, and landed us an interview on satellite radio.

The most memorable part of the entire trip was when Mr. Lo Jelks, asked us to speak on a panel for the convention. Sitting on the panel made us feel like the top 1 percent of the top 10 percent W.E.B. Bu Bois spoke about in “The Talented Tenth.” Our peers from other campuses gazed upon us in admiration because they saw something in us. Everyone at the convention shared the same opportunities, but not the same experiences. In the words of Kevin Liles, we were there to “Make it Happen” even if we had to sleep in the car and wash up in the hotel bathroom. Whatever sacrifices we made were well worth it because we made the best out of our opportunities.

The convention was truly a life changing experience. We gained wisdom and we have seen ourselves grow exponentially because of it. We learned to trust our instincts and push ourselves to the extreme. The impossible is not a limit but an area of possibilities. That is not just true in radio or the music business, it is true in life.

• Paul McGregor & Charles P Taylor