Steve Ellis, the man who brought “world class radio to the Golden Triangle area” and has served as founding manager WMSV-FM for more than 21 years, will have a retirement reception in the Union Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m.
     Sophomore communication major, Claire Bonham, remembers hearing WMSV-FM playing daily in the Union her freshman year.
      “I think it’s really cool that people in our student body produce such a professional sounding radio broadcast,” Bonham said. “And I hope that the new manager will carry on the legacy that Steve Ellis left.”
    Ellis said that he has really enjoyed working with the students.
  “We’ve had some of the best and brightest MSU students working at the radio over the years,” Ellis said. “I hope it continues to reach out to our community from both a music standpoint and a public relations standpoint.”
  Ellis said he enjoys the outdoors, and has recently been enjoying spending all of his vacation days by doing stuff like hiking the Smoky Mountains.  Ellis is looking forward to being able to spend more time with his family.
 
Ellis said his wife is also retiring from a school in Columbus, Mississippi, that she has worked at for 34 years.            
  “We have five grandchildren and we plan to spend more time with them and we also want to travel.”  
   He also said he has a garden at home that he enjoys working with his wife on.
    Ellis has been on the radio since he was 16 years old and said he has loved seeing the students progress in the field of radio like he did when he was their age.
     “Every day, we have students come through the station, then every semester, we get a new group,” Ellis said. “There are a lot of people who walk into the station thinking they can never be on the air, but we give them the opportunity and show them they can do it.”
  When asked about finding a new manager for WMSV-FM, Chief Communications Officer/Director at MSU, Sid Salter, said that he and his team have not reached a decision, but want to make sure Ellis is remembered for all the things he has done for the university.
  “Right now, we are focusing on honoring Steve and his illustrious career here at Mississippi State,” Salter said.
 Ellis said working with students has kept him young, though he admits that there were one or two made him feel a couple years older.
   “I’ve enjoyed my 31 years at Mississippi State and I have really enjoyed my 21 years working with the WMSV radio on campus,” Ellis said.