A Valpo Life in the Spotlight: Kadie Daye

Kadie Daye always pictured herself as the voice coming at listeners live over the radio. From riding in the car to school listening to KISS-FM’s “Fred and Angi Show” to hosting her own morning show on Indiana 105, Daye’s broadcasting journey has been built on passion, dedication, and a ton of hard work.

Daye first realized the power of a radio personality at 8 years old while heading to school. Her parents had recently divorced, and it left Daye in a sort of limbo as she and her family navigated the new dynamic.

“None of my friends at the time had divorced parents, so no one really knew what to say to a kid experiencing it,” Daye said. “I was getting driven to school by my mom since she moved out of the school district. We were listening to ‘The Fred and Angi’ show on KISS-FM, and the conversation they were having was about divorce and how it affects kids. Then and there is when I decided I wanted to be the voice of comfort through the radio. I wanted to be the voice for the voiceless with a story to share to the world.”

From that moment onwards, Daye became a radio fanatic. She would sit in the car listening to the local stations, changing to a new one when music would start to play. Daye grew up in Valparaiso and attended Wheeler High School, which did not have a radio program like some of the larger schools in the area. Undeterred at 17 years old, she took her dreams to Valparaiso University’s (VU) radio station.

“As a senior in high school, I went to Valparaiso University’s radio station doors, and I just knocked and knocked and knocked until someone answered,” she said. “A woman answered and asked, ‘Can I help you?’ and I said ‘Let me on your radio station.’ That’s how I ended up hosting the night show.”

Daye’s week was quickly filled. She would attend high school during the day, do her extracurricular sports and clubs, and then head to VU to host The Source 95’s night show from 7 p.m. to midnight on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

“My mom hated that I was out so late on a school night, but I loved it. I had people on all the time,” Daye said. “When you have someone else on the microphone, it shows a different perspective than I can give.”

With her first broadcasting experience under her belt, Daye continued to flourish. She left the Region to attend Goshen College to study broadcasting. While there, Daye joined the college’s radio station – The Globe – where she would win multiple back-to-back national broadcasting awards for her work.

After graduating from Goshen in 2021, Daye would move to Buffalo, New York for a three-year stint on the radio. In 2023, she was nominated for a Country Music Award (CMA) and won Best Personality from the New York State Broadcasters Association. She returned to the Region in 2025 as a radio host for Indiana 105 and its sister station Z107.1. Throughout her career, Daye has kept that same goal of connection.

“It’s not about the moments where you win awards; it’s the moments where someone says ‘You helped me’ or ‘You made me feel less alone,’” she said.

Daye goes out of her way to help stories get told or to be there for those who don’t have anyone else, a trait she picked up early in school and continues to carry with her. Whether it’s asking questions the rest of the class is too afraid to ask or attending the graduation of a total stranger who just needed someone in the crowd, Daye strives to be the voice of comfort in her everyday life.

Daye has been supported by her family, friends, and teachers throughout her career. Their encouragement has helped Daye put her all into her broadcasting skills and let her pursue opportunities that have helped her flourish.

Recently, Daye was named one of Radio Ink’s 30 & Under Superstars, a goal she’s been working toward for years. Part of what’s helped Daye achieve this dream is her belief in media convergence.

“Convergence is taking one piece of content or feature and putting it on multiple. Radio, for example, is audio, but you can also transform it into video content and social media reels,” Daye explained. “I’m a huge advocate for it because I believe that’s the future of radio.”

Those interested in checking out Daye’s work for themselves can tune into Indiana 105 from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. or Z107.1 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to hear Daye live on air. Listeners can also visit Daye’s Facebook page for visual additions to her content. Even if you’re not tuning in to Daye, she encourages the community to keep their local station alive.

“The radio stations in your local community are the heartbeats of society. They keep you informed on what’s happening locally and nationally,” Daye said. “They live and breathe the same stuff you do. They go to the same Schoop’s off Willowcreek and go ice skating at Central Park Plaza. Radio is the only medium that gives results and information immediately in a one-on-one way. You’re just talking with another person, and I think it’s bigger than ever right now.”

Daye’s work means she’s always on the hunt for the next story to share with her listeners. When she has free time, she likes to spend it with her family and her boyfriend. She knows her dreams wouldn’t have been achievable without support from her parents, her brother Garrett, her boyfriend Patrick, and mentors like Goshen College’s Jason Samuel and her “radio dad” Robb Rose.