Name: Jennifer Keen Class Year: 2016 College Degree: Communications (concentration in Radio/TV/Film + PR) Current Location: Brooklyn, NY What was your first job out of college, and what is your current job? My first job was a PA (production assistant) position at VH1 Multiplatform Programming and Production. I started the summer after graduation and I’m still here. What do you miss most about Marist (or college in general)? I miss the little moments of familiarity that occur when living on a small campus. No matter where you go, you run into a friend, classmate, professor, etc. who you can chat with. Even if it’s not on campus, you see people grocery shopping, at the train station, grabbing lunch, or at the bar. I don’t think there’s a community quite like that after college. Tell us a little about your current job and how Marist prepared you for it. At my current job I manage the site pages for various VH1 shows, transcode full episodes, and produce/edit short form content for VH1’s digital platforms. I think Marist prepared me for this job because the school strongly encouraged internships. I commuted to NYC for three semesters of college and that was extremely tiring, expensive, and difficult… but it prepared me for the craziness of television production. By the time I started working full time, I already had over a year of first-hand experience. There weren’t many surprises. What is your favorite part of your job now? I love having round table meetings for a series that involve every department. There are so many facets to the industry that I didn’t have access to before and now I get to witness a series come to life from the early stages of development to the season finale. What’s the best part about life after college? The worst? I think that my new independence is both the best and the worst part about post-grad life. I love my cute (and TINY) apartment in Brooklyn, and the endless possibilities that NYC has for spending my free time. On the flip side, I have to stay organized with paying bills, taking care of my place, and staying in touch with the friends and family I no longer live near. I definitely feel the impact of my decisions more than ever before. What’s one thing you wish someone had told you about post-grad life? What’s something surprising? Honestly, I was surprised by how much fun it is. I thought that the end of college meant the end of having fun. I still am so close with my friends from Marist and have even made new connections with people who’ve also moved to NYC. You definitely don’t have the same amount of free time that college allows, but your social life does not suffer. If anything, you’re not a broke college student anymore and you and your friends can enjoy treating yourself, guilt free. Do you have anything you’d like to tell current seniors as they prepare to graduate? Networking is key! I work at VH1 with 4 other Red Fox ladies, most of whom I knew at some point through PRSSA or MCTV. I got my first internship at Viacom by reaching out to an alumnus who gave me my first tour of Marist and later on got my job through that connection. I used to think that networking was this super awkward/formal situation, but in reality you’re probably going to get a lead on a job by someone you have a friendly and personal connection with. What’s your dream job? I want to be an editor! My biggest dream is to work on an Emmy award-winning show.
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