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Texas Tech celebrates Toreador Media Centennial

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  Published in Science and Technology on Friday, October 24th 2025 at 22:49 GMT by KCBD
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Texas Tech Celebrates a Century of Student Media: The Toreador Legacy Comes Alive

The Texas Tech campus buzzed with nostalgia and pride on October 25, 2025, as the university marked the 100th anniversary of the Toreador Media Center, the student-run news and broadcasting hub that has become a cornerstone of campus life for a decade. The milestone celebration, dubbed “Toreador Media Centennial,” unfolded across several campus locations and featured a blend of historical retrospectives, interactive exhibits, live performances, and panels that highlighted the center’s evolution from a fledgling radio station to a multi-platform media powerhouse.

A Historical Overview

The day began with a keynote address by Dr. Marjorie Castillo, the university’s director of Student Affairs, who reflected on the founding of the media center in 1925. The original station, then known as KTSU, was launched with a modest 10‑watt transmitter and a handful of student volunteers. Over the next century, it grew into a fully integrated media organization that includes the campus radio station, a digital news website, a student-run television studio, and a public relations office that supports the university’s broader communication needs.

The celebration featured a “Through the Lens” exhibition that showcased artifacts from each decade—old photographs of the first broadcast team, original vinyl recordings, early broadcast scripts, and the iconic green and white Toreador logo that has evolved through several redesigns. Interactive kiosks allowed visitors to experience the “old” and “new” studio setups side by side, with a virtual reality tour of the original transmitter room.

Alumni Spotlight

A highlight of the event was the alumni spotlight, which highlighted former Toreador students who have made significant contributions to journalism, broadcasting, and public relations. Among the featured speakers were Emmy‑winning producer Maya Patel, who helped launch a national television series; former NPR correspondent Daniel Ortiz, who won a Peabody Award for investigative reporting; and tech entrepreneur Sara Jansen, founder of a multimedia startup that began in the student media lab. Each alumni shared anecdotes about their time at the center, the challenges of student media, and how the experience shaped their professional trajectories.

Student Participation and Workshops

Students were encouraged to take an active role throughout the centennial. On campus, a series of workshops and panels were held, covering topics such as ethical journalism, digital storytelling, and the future of student media in a post‑COVID era. These sessions were led by faculty members from the College of Media and Communication, as well as industry experts who had previously collaborated with the center.

A “Future of Toreador” roundtable invited students to discuss potential innovations, including the integration of artificial intelligence into newsroom workflows, expansion of the media center’s podcast network, and ways to increase cross‑disciplinary collaboration with the engineering and business schools.

Special Events and Performances

The celebration’s cultural program included a live performance by the Texas Tech Symphonic Band, who played the university’s fight song and other classics that have been associated with the media center for decades. A tribute video, produced by the student film crew, narrated the story of the center’s founders and featured interviews with current staff, faculty, and alumni. The video concluded with a call to action: “Keep the spirit alive—be the next voice of Texas Tech.”

Commemorative Merchandise and Legacy Projects

To mark the centennial, the media center released a limited‑edition tote bag, a commemorative coin, and a high‑resolution poster featuring the original 1925 station logo. Proceeds from the merchandise sales will fund a scholarship for aspiring student journalists and a grant to support digital innovation projects within the center.

The event also unveiled plans for the new “Toreador Media Museum,” a permanent exhibit slated for the campus’s central plaza. The museum will house the historical artifacts displayed during the centennial and serve as an educational resource for future generations of media students.

Looking Forward

While the celebration focused on the past, the overarching message was one of forward momentum. President Dr. Linda Thompson, who opened the ceremony, stated, “The Toreador Media Center has been a pillar of our campus for a century, and it will continue to be a beacon for students who wish to tell stories that matter.” She emphasized the center’s commitment to embracing new technologies, fostering diversity in storytelling, and maintaining rigorous journalistic standards.

As the sun set over the campus, the Toreador Media Center’s lights remained on—symbolic of the bright future ahead for the students, faculty, alumni, and the entire Texas Tech community.