SUNY Old Westbury student Allison Roberts recalls exactly how she felt when she received a call from Intercollegiate Broadcasting System telling her she had been nominated for Best On-Air Personality.

“When he called me to tell me that I was nominated, I was shocked,” Roberts said. “I am grateful to just be nominated.”

The IBS represents hundreds of college radio stations nationwide, making the recognition a significant milestone for Roberts, she said. The nomination recognizes her work as a host of a radio show on 90.3 WHPC, a radio station where Roberts interviews Black entrepreneurs, creatives, playwrights and community leaders. Award winners will be announced Sat., Feb. 21 at the Sheraton Times Square in New York City. 

Her show is called “Sistah Chatta,” which is designed to uplift Black women through product review and brand opportunities. One of its defining features was a jingle written and recorded by her best friend, who later died from COVID-19. 

“She came up with this cool jingle and ran over to my house and sang it, and I was blown away,” Roberts said. “We used to harmonize that song for years.”

Many of her guests launched their business during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and the show focuses on sharing their journeys and experiences. 

“I interview people who are doing things in the Black community — people who are starting businesses and making new waves,” Roberts said. 

Her program blends interviews with music, asking guests to share songs that inspire them. She also incorporates giveaways and listener engagement segments. Over time, the audience has grown beyond Long Island. 

“I have had people from Los Angeles applying for my focus group,” Roberts said. 

Roberts did not begin her broadcasting career with immediate recognition. After enrolling at Nassau Community College as a marketing major, she was encouraged by a fellow student to explore opportunities in radio. She started with overnight shifts and production work at the school’s radio station, WHPC. 

“I had to start from the beginning,” Roberts said. “I was on the air at one o’clock in the morning, three o’clock in the morning, five o’clock in the morning – when nobody was even listening.” 

Around the same time Roberts launched “Sista Chatta,” she was navigating additional hardship. Her brother was diagnosed with stage four pancreatic and lung cancer and she was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. 

“I was dealing with a lot of grief at that time,” Roberts said. 

After more than a year of working early morning hours, she had her own show. Today, her nomination by the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System marks a milestone for Roberts, she said. 

On the heels of the success of her radio show, Roberts, now 50 years old, transferred to SUNY Old Westbury for the 2026 spring semester. This, after facing significant personal and health challenges, including surviving stage three breast cancer and coping with the loss of close family members and friends. 

“I did not want to leave this world feeling like I did not accomplish what I was supposed to do – what I was brought here to do,” Roberts said.

Now at SUNY Old Westbury, Roberts said, she appreciates the campus environment as a nontraditional student. 

“I feel a little more adult here,” Roberts said. “I really do love the atmosphere here.” 

Beyond academics and radio, Roberts is a mother of four. Still, she manages to balance her coursework, caregiving and family responsibilities while remaining focused on moving forward. 

“And I’m grateful,” Roberts said. “I’m just grateful.”