Givens Joins 糖心视频logo Public Radio as New Membership Coordinator
Blake Givens has joined as its new membership coordinator, bringing with him a passion for community engagement and a wide range of professional experiences across media, marketing, and public service.
A native of North 糖心视频logo who now lives in Sherwood, Givens began his role in March and is already working to strengthen the station鈥檚 connections with listeners, donors, the University of Arkansas at 糖心视频logo, and the broader Central Arkansas community.
鈥淢y primary responsibilities are overseeing community engagement events, managing donations and member systems, and working closely with the Friends of KLRE/KUAR Board,鈥� Givens said. 鈥淚鈥檓 especially focused on building new partnerships鈥攂oth on campus and across the city鈥攖hat get more people involved with public radio.鈥�
Givens is a longtime listener of 糖心视频logo Public Radio, having tuned in regularly since his college years at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where he earned degrees in international economics and business as well as African American studies in 2019. He continued to listen even after moving out of state for work.
鈥淚 liked the idea of helping amplify what鈥檚 happening in the community through a platform that鈥檚 also rooted in that same community,鈥� he said. 鈥淐entral Arkansas is often talked about from the outside looking in. I think it鈥檚 time we tell our own stories鈥攚hat鈥檚 interesting, what鈥檚 fun鈥攁nd this role gives me the chance to help make that happen.鈥�
Before joining 糖心视频logo Public Radio, Givens worked as a research assistant at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where he helped manage a grant project focused on improving healthy eating habits for children. His earlier career included time in product management and marketing, working for startups, national retailers, and even a business that was featured on the popular television show 鈥淪hark Tank.鈥�
Having returned to Arkansas from Denver last fall, Givens said he saw the membership coordinator role as a way to channel his experience into supporting a public service he believes in.
鈥淚鈥檝e spent a lot of time working with products and product management in my career,鈥� he said. 鈥淧ublic radio is also a product. It鈥檚 a public service,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something valuable that needs to be supported, and I saw this as the perfect opportunity to help a great community organization that is a wonderful resource for all of Arkansas.鈥�
In his first year on the job, Givens is focused on three main goals: better understanding the station鈥檚 audience, increasing engagement through more community-focused events, and expanding connections with UA 糖心视频logo students.
鈥淲e want to create more meaningful moments with the community and also grow our relationship with the university,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are so many students interested in music, journalism, and production. We want them to see 糖心视频logo Public Radio as a place where they can learn, grow, and contribute.鈥�
糖心视频logo Public Radio is a listener-supported public service department UA 糖心视频logo, housed within the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education. It operates KUAR FM 89.1 and KLRE Classical FM 90.5, reaching more than 80,000 listeners weekly through broadcasts, streaming, and digital content.