A growing number of students in the early 1990s, having become aware of the lack of student broadcasting options on WPSU and disillusioned with their options, decided to give student radio another try. A small group, led by Jeff Ecker, asked the university to provide funding to begin a brand-new student-run radio station in the tradition of WDFM prior to its professionalization. The new station would seek to serve the listening community by providing alternative and cultural programming not found in local commercial radio. WKPS went on the air on Halloween on Tuesday, October 31, 1995. The first song ever played on its airwaves was "Please Play This Song on the Radio" by NOFX.