What began as a leap into music has transformed into self-discovery, unexpected turns, and a love for storytelling. 

As graduation nears, The Decaturian’s Arts Editor Eli Bland stands out not only for his talent across music, writing, and radio, but for a willingness to change direction and find meaning along the way.

Bland is now a senior at Millikin, preparing to graduate with a degree in Multimedia Communications and a minor in English Writing. He started out as a Music Business major, but along the way discovered a passion for radio and journalism that continues to guide his work today. 

While he began his college journey immersed in the world of music business, he realized it wasn’t where he saw himself after school. 

“Getting deeper into that kind of curriculum, I don’t know if this is where I see myself . . . I’m still into music, that’s primarily what I write about, but performing or the management side just wasn’t what I wanted,” Bland said. 

An early experience that stuck with Bland was a journalism class in high school. 

“I really loved that class. I just didn’t have my toe far enough in, I guess. But now I am a Multimedia Communications major with a focus kind of on print journalism. I’ve gotten more into radio this past year, and that’s what I’ve been trying to get deeper into my career after Millikin,” he said.

On campus, he spent three-and-a-half years in choir; first with True Blue Chorale, then Collegiate Chorale, and holds a Vocal Music certificate. He serves as the Production Director at WJMU, Millikin’s campus radio station, a role he started last fall, the Arts Editor for The Decaturian, and a writer for BURST, Millikin’s social justice magazine. 

“Those are the two main things,” Bland said, referencing radio and his writing for The Decaturian, the student-run newspaper where his journey as a writer began in the Spring of 2023. 

Joining The Dec was a turning point. 

“My first thing that I got when I was shifting majors . . . being a writer for the Dec was my first foray into a deeper writing-centric major here,” Bland said. 

At first, the team was small and close-knit, but Bland found purpose reviewing music, crafting themed playlists, and even covering campus productions. They mainly focus on new music, but his last piece before he graduates is an end-of-the-year list for 2025.

Among his writing highlights are reviews for Twenty One Pilots, The Geese, and “Cowboy Carter;” pieces that allowed him to blend musical analysis with storytelling. Bland’s capstone project, a podcast called “The Recorded Memories,” takes that exploration further. 

“It’s a podcast mainly about music we really hold dear, or have a lot of memories from music, the way you do with a smell or taste,” he said. “Just talking about that connection.”

It’s a conversation about the memories or emotions evoked by specific songs or artists. The podcast explores the emotional connection people have with music. The inspiration behind the podcast was from his first article for BURST Magazine where he interviewed people about the music that shaped them. 

Maddie Parker, Bland’s partner, describes Bland as someone who is always willing to try new things.

“I’m really proud about how he was able to branch out and try different things,” she said. “I was happy that he found things to do like the radio station or writing for the paper. I feel like that was kind of out of his comfort zone, and he just put himself out there.”

WJMU (89.5 FM, “The Quad”) is Millikin’s radio station run by a team of students and Sam Meister, Instructor of Creative Media & WJMU Station Manager. In spring of 2025, the student exec team of WJMU traveled to New York City at the Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Conference and “Golden Microphone” Awards. They were finalists in three categories, representing the top 3-5% of applicants in each. The team took home the Golden Microphone for “Best Live Music Broadcast.” 

Bland recalls this trip as a once in a lifetime experience, just like his summer immersion course in Italy between his sophomore and junior year for three weeks.

“I was the only music or English person there. It was funny,” he said.

This was one of the trips that helped him figure out what we wanted to do at college.

“That was fun. Especially being recognized as a small campus and the largest city in the country was really special.”

He hadn’t been back to NYC since lockdown in 2021.

“It was cool seeing the city to its full extent and everything,” Bland said.

AJ Hodge, sophomore and promotions director with WJMU, describes Bland as an individual who pursues his interests without fear of missing out.

“Eli is a super hard worker…he’s always locked in, always getting things done. He also kind of walks to the beat of his own drum and doesn’t really care about what anybody else is doing,” Hodge said. “Whatever he wants to do, he’s doing it. He’s super reliable, intelligent, a hard worker, and very motivated.”

Talking about independence, Bland’s comfortable honesty shines through. 

“I’m definitely one of those people that’s the friend who’s okay with canceling. I can have FOMO in certain aspects, but I’m also just fine being with myself all the time. It comes natural to me,” he said.

He believes that his experience as an only child shaped the way he approaches solitude and self-motivation.

Not only looking for new music, Bland loves to try new food and cook, as well as travel to new places and go on road trips. Parker also highlighted his adventurous and open-minded personality, noting that he’s always willing to try new things; even making hot wings for her family one Thanksgiving after her dad jokingly requested them. 

“He’s found his love for radio and I think he’s become very well-rounded with everything that he’s done,” Parker said. 

Post-graduation, Bland plans to pursue journalism or public radio and continues freelance writing for his hometown paper, The Edwardsville Intelligencer in Edwardsville, Illinois. 

Reflecting on his time at Millikin, they offer this advice to his freshman self. 

“Trust your gut, honestly. I’m glad where I ended up, and I don’t have any regrets. Just be confident as you can be, and not be afraid to ask for help or opportunity,” he said.