“I could’ve just went and worked for a Big Boy, but I love the music," the Grand Rapids junior said. "Also, I acted a lot in plays in high school, so this gave me a chance to do the two things I’m best at — talking and playing music.”

Sundt, a music education major, along with Matt Sumner, a Portland senior working toward a bachelor of science degree in music, can both be heard when tuning into WCMU Public Radio.

WCMU is located on the dial at 89.5-FM in the Mount Pleasant area. The broadcast reaches 52 counties in central and northern Michigan and parts of Ontario, according to their website, wcmu.org.

At the radio station, Sundt and Sumner belong to a group called "The Nightsiders," which also consists of Kevin Terpstra, Tiffany Waite and Joe Dukes.

"Nightside" plays strictly jazz and blues and begins daily at 11 p.m. and goes until 5 a.m. on weekdays and 6 a.m. on weekends.

“I got involved at WCMU through a friend," Sumner said. "I knew I really liked jazz, and here I get to be immersed with that music, and I love public radio, so it’s like a dream."

Currently, Sundt works the shift that begins at 2 a.m. and goes until 6 a.m. on Sundays and Mondays. He said he loves working for the radio station, but the hours are definitely draining when combined with his class schedule.

“The 2-6 a.m. shift really kills me," Sundt said. "I have five days of classes at 8 a.m., and then I have to find time to eat and sleep."

Sumner is on the air Thursdays and Fridays from 11 p.m. until 2 a.m.

“It can get pretty tough,” Sumner said. “'The Nightsiders' are machines though. We eat, sleep, study and go to work. It’s tough, but we get through it.”

Why they want people to tune in

Sundt said the station is great for the CMU campus, because people who tune in and enjoy the broadcast will affiliate positive thoughts with the university.

Sumner also said WCMU is a great asset to the student body.

“It gives students opportunities to be involved in large-scale radio and video operations,” he said.

The pair agreed the most rewarding aspect of working for the radio station is their ability to reach listeners through the music they play.

“My favorite thing about this station is being part of an American art form," Sumner said. "I love being able to show people great jazz music."

Sundt said he likes being able to share his musical taste with listeners.

"I like being able to affect people’s lives in that way, and I also get to expand my own horizons with music I’ve never heard before," he said. "My best moment at the station was after I played Brad Mehldau, a jazz piano player, and a guy called in who had never heard him before, and he instantly became obsessed with Mehldau’s music and thanked me for playing him.”

Sumner also reminisced about a memorable moment he had while working at WCMU, but it wasn’t with the same fondness as Sundt’s memory.

“My most embarrassing moment happened one night when I was introducing the opening of a show and I wanted to say, ‘Thanks for joining alongside with me tonight’ and instead I said, ‘Thanks for joining on me tonight,’ which was followed by an awkward pause as I tried to recover.”

Sumner said although the station plays 90 percent non-lyrical music, if people are open-minded, they will love the programming. He called it “intellectual music” and said the station plays everything from jazz and blues to folk and classical, as well as many other genres in between.

“I feel like a majority of people haven’t heard the stuff we play," he said. "This station is for die-hard music lovers.”

Future plans

Aside from working at WCMU, both Sundt and Sumner are heavily involved in CMU's music program while studying for their degrees. As self-proclaimed jazz lovers, the pair each play respected instruments in the genre. Sumner is a trumpet player, while Sundt plays the bass.

Although both agreed they love working at WCMU, neither plans to pursue a career in broadcasting after graduating from CMU. Sundt said he plans on being a music teacher.

“I’ll be living the American dream,” he said. "After I graduate, I’ll get married, get a job and I’ll be certified to be a band or orchestra instructor, and I’ll probably be teaching at a public school.”

Sumner said he is planning to attend graduate school at the University of North Texas to further his music education. He will be auditioning at the university next fall.

“I’ll be doing four years of jazz studies," he said. "I want to write and perform jazz in the future"