Student Spotlight: Nadira Jackson

By Nadira Jackson, FCLC ‘15

Without Career Services I would have never known about Fordham University’s originally produced television program called Fordham Nightly News (FNN).

A year ago, I was a sophomore sitting in Holly Rotchin’s office, the Associate Director of Career Services. As I made the appointment a few days earlier, I would have never known that appointment would be the flame that would ignite such an awesome firestorm of endless opportunities and possibilities.

I sat in Holly’s office, a clueless Communications major with a Concentration in Radio & Television but with no real experience I could put on my resume relating to my field. She suggested I become a part of Fordham Nightly News. I had never heard of it, but I went on the Fordham website and read that it is a part of Electronic Information Center (EIC-TV Television Studios) located on the ground floor of the Walsh Library at Rose Hill. Upon further reading, I found that FNN was a student run originally produced television program that offered students an engaged and hands-on educational experience in television broadcasting. I was sold. I had to get on FNN someway; somehow.

Fast-forward to a year later, as a junior, I decided to audition to be a part of Fordham Nightly News. It is not just simply signing up. I had to do a screen test for an On-Air position on EIC-TV programming, which was intimidating because I had never done anything like that before. Then, I had to attend two writing workshops with Amy Westerby, a Fordham Professor and Producer, Writer and Editor at CBS News. The writing workshops were intense, and everyone auditioning to be on FNN had to write a package script. These two factors determined if you were going to make it on FNN. I put my all into the audition process and hoped for the best. I finally received an email from Matthew Schottenfeld, the Television Production Manager of EIC-TV Television Studio at Fordham University. The email read, “WELCOME TO FNN!” I had made it on Fordham Nightly News!!!!

Now, as a part of FNN, every Friday I am either a Reporter, Anchor, Interviewer or doing an Editorial (because the positions rotate every week). It is quite an experience… and I love every bit of it. To be able to have awesome, real, professional experience is amazing; and without Career Services I would have never even known about Fordham Nightly News.

Now, I am one step closer to my dreams, and if you want to be as well, I definitely recommend going to Career Services. No matter your major, they will help you find an internship or on-campus experience in any field you want to go into. They are amazing and will help you reach the next step to achieving your dreams!

Fordham Nightly News airs weekdays at 5:30 -- EIC Channel 10 and live online at: www.library.fordham.edu/livestream.html

Also follow us on Twitter! @FordhamFNN