Remembering Hofstra’s Bruce Avery
• We were saddened to learn that Bruce Avery, former longtime General Manager of Hofstra University’s WRHU/Hempstead, NY, widely respected as a dedicated mentor and teacher who helped the station become an international leader in college radio, died Saturday, Jan. 14 after a long illness. He was 69.
Avery, who retired in August 2022, spent 28 years as GM of WRHU, presiding over a period of unprecedented growth and success, while serving as a coach and counselor for thousands of students. Over Avery’s three decades at Hofstra, WRHU consistently won accolades from a variety of organizations, including the NAB, the Alliance for Women in Media, the Society of Broadcast Engineers, the Society of Professional Journalists, the Press Club of Long Island and Princeton Review. Avery was also well known for his work as a meteorologist at News 12 Long Island, where he worked for more than 20 years.
“Hofstra University is deeply saddened by the loss of Bruce Avery, who was dedicated to his craft and to the university in myriad ways — as an expert in his field, a teacher, a colleague, and friend to so many,” said Hofstra President Susan Poser. “During his long tenure at Hofstra, Bruce built WRHU into a national and international award-winning radio station. This includes winning four Marconi awards, most recently in 2022, as the best college radio station in the country. We offer our heartfelt condolences to Bruce’s family.”
For most of his career at Hofstra, Avery worked alongside Operations Manager John Mullen, who succeeded him as GM last year. “Bruce Avery was a friend, mentor, and incredibly talented media professional,” said Mullen (pictured here with Avery celebrating one of WRHU’s several Pinnacle College Media Awards). “Bruce made significant contributions to the ongoing success of the students and staff at WRHU. His impact is immeasurable.”
WRHU has celebrated many milestones over the last 30 years — in 2021, it became the first student-run station to win the annual World Radio Day Award from the Academy of Radio Arts and Sciences of America and celebrated the honor with an ambitious three-day production featuring live broadcasts with radio stations from around the world. WRHU is also the flagship station for four professional sports franchises, including the NHL’s New York Islanders – a partnership made WRHU the first and only college station to exclusively produce and distribute games for a professional sports team.
Avery was inducted into WRHU’s Hall of Fame in 2009 when the station celebrated its 50th anniversary. At his retirement celebration in October, the University announced the creation of the Bruce Avery Endowed Scholarship Fund in honor of his dedication and commitment to the station.
Avery is survived by his wife, Veronica; four children — Marcus Avery, Rachel Avery Conley, Kaitlyn Bifulco, and Zachary Bifulco; and a grandson, Lucas Conley.
Funeral services for Avery will be held Saturday, Jan. 21 at Branch Funeral Home, 551 Route 25A, Miller Place, NY. Visitation will be held from 1-5pm, with a service at 4pm. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that donations be made to the Bruce Avery Endowed Scholarship Fund at Hofstra University. Contact Amy Reich at amy.reich@hofstra.edu for more information.
