In our alumni spotlight series, learn about Harvard graduates' most meaningful experiences from college, and how Harvard impacted their professional and personal paths after graduation.
Hometown & Current City: My hometown is Blue Bell, Pennsylvania and I currently live in New York City
House Affiliation: Eliot House
Concentration: English
What was your professional path after college?
During my time in college, I had a few internships working in the news industry. When I got an internship at The Colbert Report after my junior year, I assumed working at a comedy show would be a fun detour before I got back to hard news… I’m now in my eighth year working for Stephen Colbert, and I couldn’t be happier my career took this surprising turn. After graduation, I got a job as a talent assistant at the brand-new iteration of The Late Show when Stephen took over for David Letterman. I spent a year organizing calendars, cleaning the dressing rooms backstage, greeting the interview guests, and supporting the talent department however I could. After a year, I started working on the guest interviews as an associate producer. Now, I’ve spent the past three years working as one of four segment producers on the guest interviews. In the role, I write interview questions, pre-interview the guests on the phone, prep both Stephen and the guest for the chat, and manage any production elements like props, graphics, wardrobe, etc. Every day working on a late-night show is totally different. One day I could be producing a politician, the next a movie star, and the day after that a cat circus (yes, that actually happened…) There is one constant though: we laugh a lot every day.
What fills your time now - professionally and personally?
When I’m not outlining the interviews or brainstorming possible questions, most of my professional time is spent researching the guests I’m assigned. That means watching their movies or TV shows, reading their books, seeing their plays, listening to their podcasts, etc. In other words, sometimes I get paid to watch TV, which is pretty cool. When I’m not working, I try my best to fill my time by reading, running, and cooking new recipes. But for the sake of transparency, I also spend a lot of my free time re-watching Gilmore Girls and online shopping. We can’t be productive all the time, right?
How did your academic experience at Harvard guide you in your post-grad pursuits?
When I decided to become an English major, it felt like an indulgent choice. I knew I wanted to take classes that let me talk about books, but I wasn’t sure how that would translate to a career. Reading, writing, and public speaking felt like "soft skills" that wouldn’t be as useful or impressive as the expertise I could develop in more practical majors. Now, as a producer, I spend my days at work reading, writing, and presenting. I know I never would have gotten the job I love if I hadn’t honed those skills in the classroom.
What is a favorite memory of Harvard House life?
My roommates and I basically lived in Eliot dining hall. We spent our days chatting and laughing around the tables, enjoying each other’s company as much as we enjoyed the endless supply of cereal.
What advice do you have for someone going to college?
When you get to school, try to take a few “wildcard” classes that interest you rather than sticking entirely to the classes you think you have to take for your resume or transcript. Some of my most rewarding academic experiences were classes that I was drawn to even though they felt a bit random at the time. Discover your path as it unfolds rather than forcing it towards a certain destination.