The voice of a community

Amy Iler has impacted her community just as much as it has impacted her. She’s been a voice for others from her time in college and beyond.

She co-hosts the radio show “It Takes Two with Amy and JJ” on KFGO, 790 AM, 104.7 FM and 94.1 FM, weekdays from 11am-2pm. Their talk-style show gives insight into local buzz in the Fargo/Moorhead area.

Amy got involved and found her passion, working with others, during her time at MSUM. 

She graduated from MSUM in 2006 with a bachelor’s in communication studies. She was fascinated by the topics in her classes and how they related to the events around her.

"I love their ability to connect what was happening in the real world to what you are learning in the classroom,” Amy says.

She also loved how the educators invested in her life and achievements outside of class.

“They're committed to making sure students are successful beyond the classroom and graduation,” Amy says. “They want to make sure you are successful, and you find your place in the world.”

The work she put into the classroom also helped her on campus. Amy was a voice for students wanting to connect with others and make change. She worked as a peer educator for the Hendrix clinic, giving lessons on the importance of one’s mental and physical health while in college. She was also a member of Delta Zeta, the campus sorority, with women she still is friends with to this day.

Amy made her biggest strides for the university through her work in student senate. She was part of the committee that advocated for what is now the Russell & Ann Gerdin Wellness Center.

"We went door to door to get people on board,” she says. “We conducted student opinion surveys, helped mock up floor plans, conducted community surveys and even passed the fees.”

With the motivation to bring people together, Amy knew she was around the right people to make a change. Her biggest advice for college students is to get involved.

“Do as much as you can, get involved and meet as many people as possible,” she says. “This is your time to figure out what you like and find where you fit in. You never know what will interest you or who you'll meet.”

Amy also worked on internships while in college. She worked as an intern for Joel Heitkamp at KFGO Radio. She learned about the different elements that make up a station. She also had an internship working on several ND congressional campaigns.

After college, Amy continued to engage in change. She worked as a legislative correspondent in a senate office on Capitol Hill.

After her time in D.C., she flew back to take a position at KFGO radio. In 2008, Amy started as a producer for “The Joel Heitkamp Show”.

She produced for Joel for seven years and moved into her current position as a cohost on her own show and later became a brand manager for KFGO.

"I love KFGO.” Amy says. “Since I've started so much has changed. I'm married with two kids and I have my own show. The listeners of KFGO have seen me in my early twenties to now. I’ve grown up here.”

When it comes to radio, Amy is a voice for others. She sees this position as an incredible opportunity to shed light on voices that aren’t recognized enough.

“I don’t think it’s about me.” Amy says. “I don’t want my job in radio to be about me or my personality. I want it to be about representing others like me and representing the people who matter in our community.”

She gives a voice for women and mothers in the community. She believes that KFGO is a place not for personalities, but for the listeners to share their stories.

“KFGO is about everyone who is listening." Amy says. “We always want our listeners to be a part of our broadcast. We have local and national guests on air, take lost pet calls, and listeners can call about traffic incidents and give weather updates.”

Amy has the heart to lend a microphone to those around her. As a host, she continues to understand how the values she learned as a voice for others at MSUM impacts her work to this day.

"MSUM is a gem,” Amy says. “It cannot be overlooked.”