WHFR is pleased to feature a new WHFR DJ Spotlight Series for our home page so our DJs can stay connected with you while we're temporarily away from the Studio A chair. You might find music reviews, suggestions for staying active, backstories about how we got into the radio business, and some nice comments to help us all stay connected. Enjoy!
This article original was part of a Story on Henry Ford College's Website and slightly edited here. We are so Proud of Mo and all of her accomplishments.
“MO-Tivation Nation” nurse eager to return to HFC airwaves
Imana “Mo” Minard wears many hats. She’s a nurse, an adjunct instructor, and a DJ. Previously, she was a paramedic.
“Although my primary job responsibilities are as a nurse, I always manage to end up involved in something else,” said Minard, laughing. “I never say no. Today, I might be on a panel discussing cultural diversity and inclusion. Tomorrow, I might be talking to a patient’s family. Next week, I might be explaining about our community’s needs, or I might be appearing in a video for our Clinical Language Services. It is truly endless.”
Minard – who was recently profiled in Corp! Magazine – is Director of Nursing at Beaumont Hospital Farmington Hills and teaches nursing at the University of Michigan (U-M) in Ann Arbor.
She is also a DJ for WHFR-FM, HFC’s official independently owned and operated radio station, hosting the show MO-Tivation Nation, which normally airs every Monday from 10:00 p.m. to midnight. She has been doing this for more than a year. However, her show has been put on hiatus due to the pandemic.
“As soon as the College says we may return, I am front and center!” said Minard, who lives in Van Buren Township with Charles Minard, Jr. – her husband of 18 years – and their two children, ages 15 and 13.
MO-Tivation Nation
A mutual friend introduced Minard to Marjon Parham, who hosted her own radio show at WHFR.
“We clicked immediately. A great friendship developed, and I have learned so much about the radio business from her,” said Minard, who has been a DJ since 2017.
Parham gave Minard HFC Chairperson of the Department of Communication and Media/WHFR General Manager Susan McGraw’s contact information.
“At the time I called Susan, the classes were not in session. Susan promised she would remember me, and she did,” said Minard. “She called me to let me know when the course necessary to participate would be starting. I signed up immediately.”
Minard completed the WHFR Staff Training class at HFC, which provided the first step in allowing her to DJ on the radio station. On MO-Tivation Nation, Minard plays music that uplifts, inspires, and encourages her audience. She also conducts interviews with local business owners or anyone who has an uplifting story. She’s served as a substitute DJ on other WHFR radio shows.
“My favorite part is the interviews. I am a people magnet, and I enjoy hearing other people’s stories,” said Minard. “All of my guests are notable. This is one of the reasons I love WHFR. We focus on the independent artists and names you may have never heard of. I consider every guest a high-profile personality and treat them as such. There's a Detroit music producer named Big He (Phil Hernandez El). I booked him during our Radiothon, not realizing it was that time of year. He stayed the entire show and helped me read scripts for donations. He did so well, I thought he worked with us at WHFR!”
Minard added with a laugh: “I often say, ‘Please don’t make me choose between radio and nursing.’”
“DJ Mo is a positive and passionate member of our WHFR team,” said McGraw. “She puts her heart into her radio show and genuinely cares about each and every listener she reaches. Mo is a joy to have on our airwaves.”
Tune in to WHFR FM radio to listen to current programming. You may also listen online. The station is playing classical music while it awaits a safe return to its on-campus presence.
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