Lacey Kendall, longtime radio personality and the driving force behind Cal State San Bernardino’s Coyote Radio and one of its signature shows, “My Awesome Empire,” was recently interviewed by KVCR’s Lillian Vasquez on the program “Lifestyles.”

During the interview, Kendall discussed her background and love of radio, as well as “My Awesome Empire,” which officially ended its sixth and final season in late February.

For Kendall, who received her master’s in communication studies from CSUSB in 2010, radio is a combination of everything she is interested in, including journalism and electronics. But as a student at San Bernardino Valley College, she initially rejected her counselor’s suggestion of exploring the radio and television industry.

“I’m not going to like that,” she had originally thought. “And here I am 30 years later. It was anything but lame; it was super awesome. I just love radio.”

After establishing her passion for radio, she volunteered at KVCR, a service of the San Bernardino Community College District, until she was hired on as staff. She was originally a board operator, but then moved on to “Bluegrass Alive” with host Uncle Bill Eason, which was her first paid job as “Cousin Lacey Kendall.”

Over the years, Kendall worked at various stations and had the chance to interview several noteworthy people, including G. Gordon Liddy, the former FBI agent  known for helping plan the Watergate break-in; Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austrian-American actor and former governor of California; and Betty Eadie, best-selling author.

Kendall’s experiences interviewing an array of interesting public figures inspired her to help her CSUSB radio students launch “My Awesome Empire.” “I wanted students to get the reward that comes with talking to people and kind of finding out what they’re all about and what inspires them,” she said.

Her role as the broadcast and media consultant for Coyote Radio and the media department at CSUSB also motivated her with helping start the show. “My job was to come up with innovative things that students can get involved in that give them real meaningful experiences that will actually get them internships and real, live, career-level positions.”

“My Awesome Empire,” a 30-minute, multi award-winning program that shares the stories of heroic and innovative people, businesses, and children in the inland region of Southern California, launched in 2012. It was made by CSUSB undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of disciplines.

“It served so many purposes,” Kendall said. “We had students that were involved in business and marketing and advertising, and they literally went out, hit the pavement, and found businesses in the Inland Empire that wanted to be a part of such a show.”

Now that “My Awesome Empire” has come to an end, Kendall will be working three days a week at the CSUSB Palm Desert Campus, where she will “work a little bit less, play a little bit more” as an instructor for digital production and broadcast operations as well as the broadcast and media consultant for a special assignment. But she doesn’t see “My Awesome Empire” as completely finished.

“What I want to see is somebody that comes in and either picks that ball up and runs with it, or comes up with something where we’re producing great content for you in something similar.”

To listen to Kendall’s full interview on KVCR’s “Lifestyles” program, visit the KVCR website.

For more information about My Awesome Empire and Coyote Radio and Advertising, call (909) 537-3486.

Also visit the My Awesome Empire website at myawesomeempire.com to listen to archived episodes.