Name: Jessica Guerriera
Hometown: Spotswood, New Jersey
Major: Communications, concentration in Media Production
Minor: Public Relations
Year: Junior
Involvement: President of WPTV, Treasurer for my sorority Theta Phi Alpha, and group coordinator for Undergraduate Admissions (Student Ambassador)
Fun Fact: I have never had a cup of coffee!
Favorite Quote:“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.”
Future Television Producer, Jessica Guerriera gets involved in organizations all over campus. While studying media production and public relations across the bridge at our very own Hobart Hall, Jessica is also President of WPTV, Treasurer of Theta Phi Alpha, and works as a Student Ambassador for William Paterson University. She has strong school spirit and is always up and about around campus greeting everyone with a smile. With her extremely busy schedule, she always makes time for her friends and is someone you can always count on her to be there when you need her.
HC: What made you choose William Paterson?
JG:The communications department and the bathrooms in the resident halls (I’m not lying) were the reason why I chose William Paterson. As I was looking at other schools William Paterson’s name kept coming up in terms of their great Communications program and brand new TV studios, and that intrigued me. I took a tour of campus and instantly felt at home. I knew that I would not be commuting so looking the resident halls were really going to make or break my decision. Once I saw them though, I knew this was the place for me. The rooms were a decent size for being a dorm room and each room had a bathroom you only had to share with 3 other people and not the whole floor. The school quickly became my favorite because it had everything I was looking for, a great program for me to really excel in, and resident halls without community bathrooms. It wasn’t until my first semester here when I started becoming really involved in the TV club that I knew that I without a doubt made the right decision of coming here.
HC: What was your favorite memory of joining your sorority?
JG:I have a lot of favorite memories since joining the sorority. From bid day (the day you accept an invite to join an organization) to all our events and sisterhood hangout sessions I’ve attended throughout the past year and a half. But, if I had to pick just one memory, it would have to be a recent memory from my cousin’s wedding. My cousin, who attended William Paterson, recently got married to her college sweetheart. She, just like me is a sister of Theta Phi Alpha. At her wedding she invited a bunch of sisters. At one point of the night “Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey came on and for anyone who knows the Beta Xi chapter(Willy P chapter) they know that, that’s our song! So, the song comes on we all run to the dance floor, create a giant circle, and starting belting out the words to the song. That memory still makes me smile just thinking about it. Everyone in Greek Life always says, “Its not for 4 years, its for life” and I never believed them until that moment. Even though my cousin is graduated and married, she knows that she will always be a Theta Phi. My friends joke with me all the time and say, “Theta Phi till I die”, but its so true, that’s what I love about being in a sorority, its for a lifetime.
HC: How did you get involved in Greek Life?
JG:Greek Life is something I never ever considered joining before I came to William Paterson. Just like my reasons for not wanting to come to Willy P, my cousin was actually in a sorority when she attended school here. Every week at Sunday dinner she would preach to me how cool Greek Life was and how when I go to college I should join. I would tell her she was annoying me and eventually she would leave me alone. It wasn’t until the end of my first semester and then beginning of my second semester here that I realized I totally wanted to go out for recruitment! At the time in my life I just wanted to be more social, meet new people, and I figured joining would help me make a lot of connections. Once, I went to interest meetings and met sisters I knew that I had found a place I could be myself and where I belonged. I have never been more proud of my decision, because being in a sorority is making me a better person and leader.
HC: What do you have to say to girls who are considering going out for a sorority?
JG:I typically tell girls that are interested in going out for a sorority that it so cool to join and instantly gain so many friends, but their not just friends they are a support system that will help you out no matter what. You might not always like all your sisters, but they will always be there for you. There is a saying that says, “I wear my letters on my front, because I know my sisters have my back” and it is so true. I also explain to girls that it’s not all about social outings and parties like you see on TV and in movies. We actually focus a lot on academics, being involved on campus, and helping out within the community. I tell a lot of girls that it is very much a business. I also tell them that by joining you learn how to be a better leader, how to time manage, craft gifts and how to have good social and communicational skills. A sorority can be all fun, but you have to be willing to put in some work as well, because if you do it will make you a better person.
HC:How did you become interested in being a student ambassador? What do you enjoy about it?
JG:I am the kind of person who absolutely loves talking about things I am passionate about, some people like to say I just love talking in general and that’s true, but regardless being a student ambassador allows me to do what I love, talk to people about William Paterson. When I was applying to school and going on tours at different universities I always found the tour guides interesting and always said it was a cool job. When I came to Willy P and I wanted to start getting involved every time I saw something about volunteering for open houses I also participated. I liked being to talk about the campus and to show them everything we had to offer so I found out how to apply and I became a student ambassador. I recently got a promotion so now I am the Group Coordinator, which means I communicate with schools or organizations that want to bring a large group to see the campus, I also get a cubical which is pretty awesome. Being a student ambassador is a really rewarding job on campus because you are helping people make a really important decision in their lives.
HC:What was your experience like during your years in TV club from freshman year to being president now?
JG: My experience in the TV club is why I love William Paterson and Hobart Hall so much. As a freshman during my first semester I was able to start learning how to use all the equipment. I had some knowledge from high school since I had a great program there, but college was a whole new ball game. The equipment was bigger and much more expensive, and also very NEW! I was picked right away for one of the training sessions and quickly began to learn how to use all the equipment. It was incredible because as a freshman I wasn’t taking any of the TV Studio classes yet, but because of the club I was learning so much that I knew I was going to be super advanced when I did take them. I quickly found out that I really like being the technical director and wanted to some day become a director. I just started going to all the shows I could and become a familiar face. I don’t think how I become President it sort of just happened. I was the secretary my freshman year because I wanted to get super involved and learn as much as I could and once everyone saw how dedicated I was they all told me I should run for President so I did and I won, still can’t believe it and now I’m the president. It’s still a little scary because I have so much responsibility now, but it’s a good scary, I’m excited for this year. #TeamHobart
HC:What do you see yourself doing after you graduate?
JG:After I graduate I see myself working for some sort of network or Production Company, hopefully producing TV shows. My ultimate goal is to creat my own TV show.
HC:If you could pick any actress to play you in a movie, who would you choose?
JG:I would love to say Jennifer Lawrence because she’s my girl, but she’s about 10 feet taller then me so I don’t think it would be very convincing, but I would still want her to play me.