Jessica Nappi from Winthrop, MA was one of the lucky students to land a reporting gig on “Suffolk in the City,” a segment that is put together by Suffolk’s Studio 73 and NECN. Each semester many students try out for this job, and only three are selected. I was lucky enough to have a Q+A with Jessica.
Name: Jessica Nappi
Academic Year and Major: Class of 2014, Broadcast Journalism
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn
Hometown: Winthrop, MA
LC: Tell us a little bit about yourself, what are your background, hobbies, what led you to come to Suffolk etc?
JN: I grew up in a small town about fifteen minutes away from Boston. I ended up at Suffolk University because it’s so close to home, and also because my sister went and just graduated from there. As for hobbies, I’m such a movie buff, and I think that’s what led me to become so enticed with the actors turned celebrities I saw on the big screen. You end up wanting to be them. You follow the trends they follow, want to go where they’ve been, and keep up with their every move. It took me a while to be able to distinguish my interest in the actors from their characters. Characters are frozen in time through movies, but the actors themselves are ever-changing, and I think change is much more interesting. That’s why I keep up with celebrity news and want a career in the entertainment business; I want to know what character actors will attempt to portray next, how they will physically transform for a movie, what their next big role will be, etc.
LC: How/why did you start reporting for Suffolk News?
JN: Well, I am a Broadcast major so I’ve been taking classes that pertain to this study. One of my teachers announced that auditions were being held for Suffolk in the City. So, as a second semester sophomore I auditioned along with many others. The audition process consisted of MOS (Man On the Street) interviews where you ask questions to passers-by and really just exemplify your on-camera personality and style. Two months passed and, to be honest, I had forgotten about the auditions altogether until I got the congratulatory email notifying me that I was one of three student reporters chosen for Suffolk in the City. So, that was very exciting. Suffolk’s partnership with NECN for this segment allows students like me to acquire real-life experience with live shots, putting together packages and editing. Even more than that, this experience has helped me discover my on-camera identity because you have to find a balance between conversational and informative. I auditioned because it just seemed like a natural step toward the career I want, and I’m really glad I did!
LC: Do you have any reporting background (highschool, internships, etc)?
JN:My High School was fairly small and didn’t offer any broadcasting programs, but I currently have a writing internship that allows me to report through print rather than on air. I was very luck to nab an internship this summer for a celebrity and entertainment news website called CupidsPulse.com. I write three celebrity stories a week, my most recent being a story on Olympian Ryan Lochte looking for the “perfect girl.” As you can see, hard-hitting news! I’ve also done two celebrity interviews for this internship; one on reality show star Anthony Pazos from L.A. Hair, and another on reality star Emily Morse from the new hit show Miss Advised, produced by Ashley Tisdale. I love interviewing. Just being able to have a conversation and get to really know someone while simultaneously picking out all of the details you need for your story is the job of a multitasker yet it’s very relaxing. It’s like mixing business with pleasure in an allowable sense.
LC:What is your favorite part about being part of the Suffolk News team?
JN:It’s a very nerve-wracking experience but it’s getting more enjoyable by the segment. I think my favorite part is interviewing people on the streets. You wouldn’t believe some of the answers I get. The segment I put together can only be about a minute long, so I have to cut out a lot of the funny/inappropriate answers I get, but at least I get a laugh out of it in the moment. The live shot is definitely my least favorite part but I am improving! I also like the experience in general because I’m not only in front of the camera, I help put together the camera and lights and the whole shebang.
LC: What are your future plans post graduation?
JN:I plan on applying to the NBC page program which is based in NYC. The program is basically an opportunity to work for the NBC television network during a one-year period as a training ground for a broadcasting career. I could work for Saturday Night Live or The Today Show! Ultimately I would like to work for E! News on the Red Carpet and hosting, but that may be a pipe dream. Celebrity entertainment news is what I’m aiming for, and what I love!