By Joshua King, MVSU Communications Intern
The Mass Communication Department at Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) has teamed up with the Office of International Programs and WVSD Radio and Television to bring listeners a unique and enriching experience with Café Culture, a weekly program celebrating global diversity.
Café Culture is a multi-platform show, available as a video recording, podcast, and radio broadcast, hosted by Dr. Lokesh Shivakumaraiah, Executive Director of International Relations at MVSU. This engaging program offers a glimpse into different countries, inviting students, staff, and community members—locally and globally—to share stories about their home countries. Each episode, which airs every Wednesday at noon, allows listeners to experience diverse cultures in an intimate and educational format.
Mrs. Ida Hampton-Cannon, Instructor and Coordinator of Public Broadcasting highlighted WVSD's growing global reach.
"One of the goals I have for WVSD is to become more global," said Cannon. Café Culture is one avenue through which the station connects with listeners far beyond the Mississippi Delta, bringing international perspectives to its audience,” she added.
The idea for Café Culture originated from a suggestion by the late Mr. Darwin Cannon, a former instructor, and Dr. Shivakumaraiah. With the significant number of international students, faculty, and staff at MVSU, the show became a platform to integrate their rich cultural diversity into the station's programming.
One of Café Culture's unique features is its language segment, where guests are asked to translate a word into their native language.
"Listeners will get a chance to learn at least four different languages, including Arabic, one word at a time," Cannon added, emphasizing the show's educational value.
In addition to Café Culture, WVSD also airs Alumni Spotlight, a segment that collaborates with the Office of Alumni Affairs to highlight the achievements of MVSU alums.
This segment allows graduates to share their stories, accomplishments, and critical updates they want to convey to the community. While the schedule for the Alumni Spotlight is still being finalized, Cannon mentioned, “It may air once or twice a day until we select a new alum to feature.”
Both Café Culture and Alumni Spotlight are integral to the hands-on learning experience for MVSU students. By participating in these projects, students gain practical experience working on professional shows, which helps prepare them for careers in media.
"It allows students and the public to contribute their ideas for radio or television shows," said Cannon, underscoring the collaborative nature of these initiatives.