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Amanda Thomas has always had an interest in radio. It’s rooted in her earliest memories of music and has become embedded in her daily routine. “Radio has the ability to create a connection or experience without visuals and I find that fascinating,” she said.  

The fourth-year studio art major at Cal State ������Ƶ hosted a “Psychedelic ‘60s” show from summer 2024 to spring 2025 on , CSULB’s on-campus HD3 digital channel, which led to an internship opportunity at KKJZ (88.1 FM), the No. 1 full-time mainstream jazz station in the country.

At KKJZ (aka “KJazz”), Thomas has done a little bit of everything – researching and writing public service announcements and promos, helping with the biannual pledge drive, and reaching out to local businesses to bolster the station’s Club Card program. She has made graphics for social media posts, attended events as a member of the street team, and even shadowed an engineer at the soundboard.

“I can’t say enough positive things about my time at KKJZ and am grateful for the opportunity to intern there,” said Thomas, who’s also working with DJ Rhonda Hamilton to update the station’s music catalog and playlists. “The internship is paid so it's been helpful to have some spending cash while balancing a full-time school schedule.”

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Thomas is one of scores of students who have benefited from CSULB’s relationship with KKJZ, which has supported students since 2007 with four annual scholarships to jazz studies at ������Ƶas well as paid internships.  

“The goal is to be supportive. We’ve had wonderful, wonderful interns. The quality of the interns coming from the university has been great,” said Stephanie Levine, station manager and development director for KKJZ. “We also provide $20,000 annually for jazz instrumental scholars. We’re so excited about the jazz studies program.”

Many graduates of CSULB’s jazz studies program have had their music played on KKJZ’s airwaves, including Josh Nelson ‘04, Maria Schafer ‘14 and Jason Fabus ‘14.

In addition, KKJZ regularly plays music by current Beach students, faculty and alumni. Students, faculty and staff also get the opportunity to work on KKJZ’s digital signal, 22 West Radio, which broadcasts on campus on 88.1 FM HD3 and online. Previous interns have found jobs in radio, either working at KKJZ or at other stations.  

KKJZ was established by the ������ƵResearch Foundation in 1981 as KLON-FM. The Research Foundation owns KKJZ’s noncommercial broadcast license, and KKJZ, a public radio station, provides jazz and blues programming, as well as some public services. Since 2007, KKJZ has given ������Ƶjazz studies students approximately $375,000 in scholarships. A fifth scholarship to assist a jazz vocal studies student is in the works this fall.

Christian Basabro of Los Alamitos, an incoming jazz studies graduate student, is one of the most recent KKJZ scholarship recipients. He calls the scholarship “a blessing.”

“I couldn’t ask for anything more,” said Basabro, who plays soprano, alto and tenor saxophone, as well as the clarinet and flute. “I get to continue my education, get my master’s degree, and connect with the jazz scene there. I’ve listened to KKJZ my whole life, pretty much. Just to be connected to that name is kind of a crazy feeling. I’m very thankful.”  

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Scholarship recipient and jazz studies alumnus Fabus, a professional saxophonist, accordionist and pianist, has enjoyed regular airplay on KJazz since he graduated in 2014. He credits KKJZ for giving him the funds and support to move to Los Angeles from Wisconsin, where he grew up.  

“The scholarship allows people to travel and move to a city like Los Angeles, which can be daunting, given the cost of everything,” Fabus said. Former DJ Helen Borgers “got us in the rotation on KKJZ and it’s very cool that my music is playing in my local community.”

Fabus obtained his master’s in music, with a focus on jazz studies, from the College of the Arts’ . “KJazz helped me from the get-go, even before they got to hear my music,” he said. “They’ve always been in my corner, sharing my music with the Los Angeles community, which is vibrant and diverse and has the guts to listen to a jazz radio station in 2025.”