Watching Lenay Dunn host her MTV show, 10 on Top, it’s obvious that she’s comfortable on camera. As the show cycles through that week’s most popular celebrities, movies, TV shows and more, Lenay effortlessly interviews the stars and announces the winners of top spots in the countdown.
What you would never guess is that Lenay didn’t plan on a career in television. Though she always made videos with friends as a hobby, this cat-loving girl got her college degree from the University of Minnesota in Spanish education.
Then, everything turned around. Lenay had done work for Red Bull in the past, and the company took notice. The Red Bull Headquarters hired Lenay to travel around making videos of herself doing fun things, like downhill skating in Canada or get turned into a vampire by makeup artists. Collegiettes™, can you imagine a better gig?
Another fun fact about Lenay? She didn’t get the first job she auditioned for at MTV! Her audition tape was passed around, however, and she ended up being asked to audition for a different role—the host of 10 on Top! We all know how that one turned out.
What’s Lenay’s advice for collegiettes looking to get into the TV business (or any business, for that matter)? “Definitely follow your dreams, and finish school,” she says. “I definitely got my degree, and once you have that you can do whatever you want, kind of explore your options.”
Also, Lenay busts a common collegiette™ fear: that your major determines what you will be able to do for the rest of your life. She is definitely not a Spanish teacher, but she’s doing what she loves and is better off for it!
In summary, some Tried-and-True Lessons from Lenay:
- Finish college—Getting that degree will mean you always have something to fall back on!
- Keep doing what you love—Lenay didn’t know she would ever get a job hosting on MTV, but she kept making videos anyway because she loved it. That hobby of yours may or may not become a job, but if it’s fun, it’s worth it.
- Don’t give up—you never know who might see your video (or song, or novel, or dress design, or other awesomeness!). Lenay got TWO jobs making television shows because the right people liked her work!
Want more Lenay? Check out her website, www.lenay.tv, or watch MTV’s 10 on Top on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. Eastern!
Sources:
Lenay Dunn
http://www.mtv.com/photos/2010-movie-awards-mtv-stars-on-the-red-carpet/…