STATE COLLEGE — When you’re driving home from work, a familiar Centre County voice is often along for the ride.
That voice belongs to Angela Steco, who handles the drive time (2 to 7 p.m.) shift at 3WZ radio in State College. Steco recently claimed third place in a local publication’s “Best of State College,” finishing behind her colleagues, Jeff Brown (99.5 The Bus) and Jerry Valeri (3WZ).
“Those are two names that are iconic in this area, so that was just wild to be listed next to them in the first place,” Steco said. “I was shocked, but extremely grateful.”
Steco never really had her sights set on a career in radio. It just sort of happened.
“It’s so interesting because I never really expected to get into radio. It’s not what I went to school for and I hated the class when I went to Penn State,” Steco recalled. “It’s just kind of funny that I ended up here. I needed an internship and I stumbled across these stations. This type of radio — music radio, community radio — I fell in love with.”
The rest, as they say, is history.
Following her internship, Steco worked at WPSU and WTAJ. In 2015, she landed at Seven Mountains Media. Most Centre County residents recognize her from “The Morning Getaway” on the former B94.5. She was a co-host with Jason Browne. After he left the station, she started flying solo. She’s now on in the afternoons at 3WZ.
“I like having more sleep,” Steco joked. “I found that I get more sleep this way. I’m forced to have more sleep, which is nice. I had to schedule my whole life around mornings, so I’ve had to move things around. I didn’t have to give up anything, which is great,” Steco said.
She’s also had to adjust to not having a co-host to talk to during broadcast.
“That’s been wild because that’s mostly what I did. I only ever had a co-host or was on with somebody else. Having to learn how to talk to yourself has been kind of difficult. It feels weird because you are so used to going back and forth with somebody and having someone laugh at your jokes. Now, I have to do that to myself. I really had to re-teach myself,” Steco said.
Seven Mountains Media owns numerous stations throughout Pennsylvania and New York. Steco said the State College studios are a special place.
“I really love the people I work with. I feel like everyone has their own quirky personality. We never get bored. I also like that we’re not in one place 24/7. We go out into the community and we get to talk to people. One of my favorite things is that once we are out in the community, people will come up and talk to us about things we’ve said on the radio. The people you meet … it’s special,” Steco said.
She wears numerous hats at Seven Mountains. In addition to being on air at 3WZ, she’s also on WALY 100 in Altoona and is the program director for Bigfoot Country Legends.
She loves the format at 3WZ.
“I do. I grew up in the ’90s, so being able to have some of that here makes my heart happy,” Steco said.
She works part-time for Penn State Athletics as well, assisting behind the scenes for Penn State football and doing in-game entertainment for Lady Lion basketball.
“It’s a balance, but I’m getting there,” Steco said. “It’s a juggling act, but I’m getting better at it.”
When she’s not working, she volunteers for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Centre County United Way.
She became involved with the Centre County Youth Service Bureau, which runs the local Big Brothers Big Sisters program, several years ago.
“I wanted to volunteer and I wanted to help out kids. I wanted to work in that space because it was important to me. A co-worker told me about Big Brothers Big Sisters and I attended an information session to learn more about it,” Steco said.
Steco has a Little and she also takes part in YSB’s site-based program at area schools.
“I’ve been with my current Little for four years and I’ve been involved with the program for five,” Steco said. “For me, it’s an opportunity to put my phone down, play, just have fun and be a kid myself. I truly love it.”
She’s the campaign chair for the Centre County United Way. The United Way reached out to Steco because they thought she would make a good spokesperson.
“I’d been wanting to do more volunteer work and it came along at the perfect time,” Steco said. “I’m in my second year, so I know more now.”
When she has free time — yes, she has a little of that — she likes to practice ballet.
“Once a week, I dance at the Dance Academy,” Steco said. “I started dancing when I was 3 and I did it in college. I took a 10-year break until I started up again.”
Steco’s boundless energy can be heard on the airwaves from 2 to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday on 3WZ.
