iZag Radio Forges Gonzaga’s Entertainment Legacy

“We do radios, we do talk shows, we do podcasts and we do live concerts,” announces Paris Danko (’26), president of iZag Radio.

Heads up! Gonzaga culture is becoming prominent in a new territory. Gonzaga’s radio hosts are placing dominos that are falling towards the success of our school’s musicians and entertainers. Curious about what’s fashionable on campus? Tune in to iZag Radio, a promising space where students express their style, flirting with the entertainment industry like Gonzaga never expected.

iZag Radio is mining diamonds this year. Founded just before the COVID-19 Pandemic, the growing community of 47 members each play their part to sustain the legacy of iZag.

It is a true Cinderella story. Danko returned to Gonzaga’s campus in August 2025, with the only hope for iZag going live again resting on a small group of three. Danko, Evie Aitken (‘27) and Veronica “Vee” Schoenauer (‘27) – iZag’s heirs – established iZag’s executive board. Appreciating the relationship Paris built with the iZag’s executives the previous year, Aitken and Schoenauer naturally approved Danko as president. The organic teamwork they displayed set in stone the foundation for the radio show’s forthcoming success.

“A lot of it is in the hands of the radio hosts,” Paris admits, “but I make myself available to them. They all have my number, and I get calls if they need my help.”

While the work is fun, it can also be demanding. With two talk shows, eight podcasts and 22 radio stations, iZag is constantly operating in the Crosby building on campus. Here, iZag members produce a color wheel of entertainment. Some iZag hosts operate solo, others share the microphone – everyone is welcome to express their identity and interests.

From podcast segments like “Embrace it!,” comforting listeners with discourse about freeing themselves from embarrassing moments, to the “House Party” podcast, where student-employees of Gonzaga’s Rudolf Fitness Center indulge audiences by illustrating light-hearted drama within their workforce – the iZag Radio Podcasts live stream the most authentic observations possible in respect to Gonzaga’s campus life.

Entering Gonzaga’s music scene – Indie, Folk, House and EDM take the cake of the tastes of our iZag hosts. Some hosts stick to playing their favorite songs from one genre, while others hop from album to album rallying for a specific decade. Every host is distinguished by their segment name – “Talking Tacos and Tunes,” “Fiddle of the Road,” to name a couple – playing sounds unique to their music curation.

A space encompassing the arts, iZag naturally became a community where Gonzaga’s musicians, bands and DJs could grip onto professional bearings. Jack Banks (27) brought this revelation to iZag executives early last year and began working behind the scenes. Inspired by the infamous “Tiny Desk Concerts,” filming low scale yet intimate live concerts, Jack was determined to provide a similar visual for Gonzaga’s musical talent using iZag as a medium.

“With the music centered mindset of iZag, they embraced the idea with open arms,” Banks says.

Over the course of several weeks, after receiving approval from the University, equipment and some funding from Gonzaga's Student Body Association, “In the Pocket” made its debut in November 2025. At the Center for Student Involvement in the John J. Hemmingson Center, the show hosted “Talking Strings,” a popular Gonzaga band. Banks, the band’s pianist, humbly behind the keyboard, plays with a rapture that his hard work behind the scenes prevails.

 

Banks carved himself a new position for iZag’s executive board: “In the Pocket” coordinator. As a musician and founder of “In the Pocket,” he explains how he mixes his professional side and his musical passion, “So I get the best of both worlds.”

Assuring iZag of its legacy, “In the Pocket” offers Gonzaga’s various student bands an opportunity to showcase themselves on record for a wider audience, and creates additional means for students to further their broadcasting experience by working with the elements required of video production.

Danko says, “considering it is completely student run, iZag and ‘In the Pocket’ provide a lot of space for problem solving and practice if people end up doing these things as a career," and Banks wholeheartedly agrees.

Amidst the craziness of production, iZag executives still make time for friendship. Paris, Jack, Evie, Vee, Natalie Taylor (‘26), and Nate Taylor (‘27) text in the iZag groupchat to communicate about the logistics of equipment, funding and filming – but sometimes they just want to kick back together with a large pizza, listen to music and talk about the legacy.