11.What are your job responsibilities/duties?
I am a writer and producer for TD Ameritrade's startup financial news OTT network in Chicago. I
am in charge of producing different segments of two different news shows. Producing segments in my role includes writing a lead in, sometimes script or talking points, lower thirds, topic barsand creating any visual elements that also need to be included in the segment. I also produce TV packages on timely market events.
12.What does a typical day look like?
I get to work between 4:30-6:00am and begin looking through news articles. Once we decide
what stories we're covering, I'll write intros/scripts/talking points for our anchors for our 8am
show.I write lower thirds or design full screens to correlate with each segment of the show. Oncethe
show is over at 10am, we start the whole process over again for the show that airs 2:00pm-4:00pm!
13.What do you most enjoy about your job?
I enjoy how I am constantly learning. I primarilywrite financial news while absorbing so much
knowledge about the stock market. With so much to grasp, every day flies by which has become
so rewarding. I love learning every day and have an interest in growing my knowledge in the
financial field.
14.What is the most difficult aspect of the job?
The news cycle is constantly evolving and changing, no matter how early I wake up or how late I stay reading the news... I find there is never enough information to retain. It's hard to stay ahead of the news!
15.What on-campus activities were you involved with? Where did you gain relevant experience?
I wrote for numerous publications. To name a few, this includes:features writer for the Daily Illini, sports reporter for WILL, news editorial writer for HerCampus, blog writer for the Panhellenic
Council and an online writer for the Odyssey. I really enjoyed working in a newsroom as well as
gaining experience in the field while working at WILL.
16.How did your experience at ILLINOIS and in the College of Media prepare you for your
professional life? For this specific position?
My broadcast journalism classes were incredible. They taught me to push past every boundary I
knew and find people to tell stories I didn't know existed. Also,in a more technical sense, I got my feet wet with newsroom experience and producing news shows which has helped me in what I
am doing now. All the behind the scenes work with a show rundown is useful to me every day.
Everything I learned in JOUR 335/445 has applied to my career and I'm so grateful for that.
17.What advice do you have for students interested in this field?
It never gets boring! This is something I heard time and time again from other alumna and have
found it to be extremely true. There is no day that is the same.
18.What is one thing that you know now that you wish you had known when you started in the field? When you graduated from the College?