Matthew Grant ’17 Tunes In

Matthew Grant ’17 describes his musical taste as “all over the place,” which may explain why he spun a wide variety of tunes as DJ MGZ for WSHL-91.3 FM during his student days. 

“If I had a free hour, I’d jump on and do a pop show or a classic rock and alternative set. I even hosted a country show for a while. The station’s massive CD collection made it fun to dig through and pick tracks,” Grant recalls. “It was a great way to discover music.” 

While Grant spent countless hours at the student-run radio station, it wasn’t only his affinity for music that kept him coming back. “When I first came to Stonehill, I was looking for community. I found the radio station at the fall activities fair and figured I’d give it a try,” he says. In addition to his music shows, Grant cohosted a sports talk show called the Press Box. 

Over the next three years, Grant became a member of the station’s executive board and then served as general manager. The station became such a staple of his Stonehill experience that he and a fellow DJ made WSHL sashes to wear at Commencement. 

Today, Grant, who is a software engineer for Peloton, remains involved with WSHL through its volunteer alumni advisory board, where he is completing a two-year term as chair. The board primarily approves funding requests and provides guidance and mentorship to current students. 

For Grant, his desire to remain involved runs deep. “I want to help preserve the institutional knowledge of the station and try to keep that alive,” he says. Every spring, alumni return to WSHL for the annual Alumni Takeover, but last year’s event was especially meaningful, as it marked the station’s 50th anniversary—a milestone celebration that brought together past and present DJs.

Living in Newport, Rhode Island, Grant is out of station range, but he often turns on WSHL’s online feed to hear what current DJs are playing. And whenever he is driving in the area, he doesn’t miss an opportunity to tune in. He notes, “WSHL is the number one preset on my car radio.”