EYE On EVIT: Mira McAtee talks with 88.7 The Pulse General Manager about Rock-A-Thon 2026
By: Pulse Staff
If you have been listening to 88.7 The Pulse lately, you have probably heard the buzz building around one of the most exciting events on our calendar. Rock-a-Thon is back, and this year it is bigger, bolder, and more community-driven than ever.
Miracle McAtee sat down with our very own General Manager, Michael Mallace, for a special Rock-A-Thon edition of Eye on EVIT to get the full rundown on what is ahead. Here is everything you need to know.
Rock-a-Thon 2025 runs Friday, April 24th at 3:00 PM through Sunday, April 26th at 4:00 PM. Live concerts at EVIT’s auditorium, 1601 W. Main Street, Mesa, both Friday and Saturday nights. $5 admission at the door. Donate, stream, and bid on the silent auction at 887thepulse.com.
48 Hours, All Live.
Rock-a-Thon kicks off at 3:00 PM on Friday, April 24th and does not stop until 4:00 PM on Sunday, April 26th. That is 48 consecutive hours of live, student-produced radio. As Mallace put it, radio runs 24/7 every day of the year, but what makes Rock-a-Thon different is that the studios are fully staffed with live people around the clock, including at 2:00 in the morning.
And yes, even the late-night hours have something special in store. Look for Spike’s “Pulse After Dark”; the station’s take on the intimate acoustic concert format, featuring local bands performing live sets in the middle of the night. It is the kind of appointment radio you do not want to miss.
Two Live Concerts. Five Dollars. Open to Everyone.
This year, the Rock-a-Thon concert series gets a major upgrade. Rather than the classroom stage of last year, EVIT’s auditorium will host two full, professionally produced concerts, one on Friday night and one on Saturday night. These are not school recitals. Mallace described them as full multimedia events, complete with professional lighting, visual effects, and top-tier audio production, thanks to the work of faculty instructor Noah Allen and the talented students he mentors.
Admission is just $5 at the door. EVIT is located at 1601 West Main Street in Mesa. Bring your family, bring your friends, and prepare to be impressed.
Celebrity Guests, Sports Media Legends, and Community Stars
The Rock-a-Thon broadcast will be joined by some of the Valley’s most recognizable media personalities. ABC 15 morning anchor Nick Ciletti is helping kick off the event. KSLX’s Karen Dalessandro will be stopping by, along with Fitz Madrid, formerly of KUPD, and personalities from Mega, The Bounce, and the new 104.3.
Sports fans will not want to miss the Round Table, featuring Jeff Scott of Arizona News, Jeff Munn from KTAR and longtime ASU sports announcer, and Arizona Media Hall of Fame broadcaster Alan Kath from Tucson.
Alumni and former students will also be returning to the mics, adding an extra layer of heart to the broadcast.
A Silent Auction Worth Tuning In For
New this year: a full online silent auction running throughout Rock-a-Thon hosted by AZSTRUT. The lineup of items is impressive:
A signed 2019 Alice Cooper concert poster
Six pairs of tickets to upcoming Live Nation Valley concerts
Chromebook computer
Assorted electronics
Amazon gift card
Desert Botanical Gardens annual membership
Electric Bass
One-of-a-kind electric guitar that will be autographed by all of the Rock-A-Thon performers.
Commemorative Rock-a-Thon t-shirts will be available for purchase as well. The auction link will be live on 887thepulse.com before the event kicks off, and it will be promoted throughout the broadcast.
To donate directly, just go to 887thepulse.com and click “Donate”
Why This Fundraiser Matters
88.7 The Pulse is owned and operated by the East Valley Institute of Technology, and EVIT’s generosity covers the station’s core operating costs. But staying at the cutting edge of radio, audio production, and media technology requires additional support. That is exactly what Rock-A-Thon provides.
Mallace is clear about where the money goes: 100% of every dollar raised goes directly back into the program, with nothing taken out for administrative fees. This past year alone, that meant upgrading the station’s entire broadcast hardware from Windows 7 to Windows 11 to support new broadcasting software. State-of-the-art tools mean state-of-the-art students.
Students at the Center of It All
What makes Rock-a-Thon truly special is that it is almost entirely student-run. From building the broadcast schedule and managing on-air logistics to coordinating food for 48 hours and producing the live concerts, students are doing the real work of real professionals.
Mallace recalled one of his proudest Rock-a-Thon moments from last year: a sports round table hosted by second-year student Matthew Cavazos. When it was over, Mallace turned to faculty member Dave Juday and said, simply, that it was radio gold. He was right. Cavazos went on to attend the Walter Cronkite School at ASU and won a national award for that very broadcast.
That is the power of what happens here. The skills these students develop, in live production, team leadership, planning, communication, and creative problem-solving, travel with them into every industry they enter.
How to Get Involved
Whether you are a longtime listener, a local business, or a community member who wants to support the next generation of media professionals, there are plenty of ways to be a part of Rock-A-Thon 2026.
Tune in on 88.7 FM or stream live at 887thepulse.com starting Friday, April 24th at 3:00 PM. Attend either concert at EVIT’s auditorium, 1601 West Main Street in Mesa, for just $5 at the door. Bid on the silent auction or donate at 887thepulse.com. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook at Pulse Radio AZ for behind-the-scenes updates leading up to the event. And if you are interested in sponsorship or underwriting opportunities, reach out directly to General Manager Michael Mallace at mmallace@evit.edu.
You can listen to the entire EYE on EVIT interview with Mira McAtee and Michael Mallace here.
ROCK ON !!!
