Career development

Madeline was on her way to becoming a published author before she completed her MFA. She shares how writing her debut novel, The Golden Season, became a form of liberation for her navigating the intersection of queerness and faith, and how her forthcoming novel, Today, Tonight, Forever, showed the lessons she learned on becoming traditionally published, how she freed herself through writing, and advocating for the LGBTQ+ community personally and artistically. Recorded on March 22, 2023.

You may think "lawyer" and know exactly what this episode will be about. Marc Douthit is, indeed, a lawyer, but he's also a person in a world that tends to overthink itself and underestimate everyone else. You'll be surprised to hear how Marc ended up at Emerson, into Law and even into the role of Dad in a very unexpected way. Recorded on February 10, 2021.

Maurene shares her journey from journalism student to acclaimed YA novelist as she and Terri discuss her need for a deadline, writing for comic book heroes and how she never dreamed of becoming an author...or did she? Recorded on March 6, 2020.

Ballard C. Boyd is a director and segment producer at The Late Show with Stephen Colbert but before he made it to late night television or won any Emmys, he was making ice cream in his hometown after graduating from Emerson. The path to what we want is rarely linear and he shares his journey with Georgette while giving us a glimpse into how he eventually made it in New York and what kept him going even during the so-called tough times. Recorded on April 4, 2023.

Felicia Pride may consider herself to be a "late bloomer" but she's certainly hit her stride now as a writer on "Grey's Anatomy" and the founder of "The Create Daily", just to name a few of her accomplishments. Felicia shares her perspective on not just being a writer, but the great importance of finding her form. Recorded on January 27, 2021.

You'll love Jaimee Hall's take on the legal world as she explains how she ended up there after starting out as a theater student, what brought her to LA, and then back again, and why she decided to start an Alumni Chapter in St. Louis. Recorded on April 13, 2020.

John is a unique alum in that he never set foot in Boston while earning his Masters in Global Marketing, Communication & Advertising. John and Terri discuss how he's made a career overseas teaching leaders how to lead, whether they be in the energy industry or sports, and why he thinks Emerson has always been on the cutting edge of innovation and played a critical role in his life. Recorded on August 4, 2021.

Sarah Spiers, like so many Emersonians, had a life changing trip to the Castle. It was there that a conversation with a friend inspired her to pursue her love of video games. A few years later, that passion landed her on Forbes 30 Under 30 in the games category! Sarah discusses being your own biggest cheerleader and how her unconventional path prepared her for her current role at Electronic Arts. Recorded on September 8, 2023.

Dr. Rik Lemoncello knew he wanted to be a speech pathologist but never expected his love of baking to also play a huge role in his future career. Dr. Rik shares how he came to be the founder of Sarah Bellum's Bakery and Workshop, a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing return to work opportunities for adults with brain injuries, and of course, delicious treats. Recorded on January 18, 2021.

Emersonians may know Edwin as one of their professors, but the outside world knows him as the critically-acclaimed writer of mystery and crime fiction who penned the popular Hester Thursby series. But Edwin wasn't an overnight sensation. He and Terri chat about what finally inspired him to be a full time writer after a long career in the publishing industry and why he encourages his students to break the rules of writing. Recorded on August 5, 2021.

Manny and Terri chat about how the pandemic has affected the world of comedy, why he cared way more about his fellow Emersonians' spec scripts than his own and their mutual love of Six Feet Under. Recorded on May 13, 2020.

Nyla Wissa has been making an impact through storytelling since her Emerson days. As one of the founding members of Flawless Brown, Nyla created a space where marginalized stories could be shared, and has continued to do that work at major companies like Buzzfeed, Shondaland, and most recently as a Brand Manager at Nike. She gives Hunter all the details about the origin of her business “Juice Bitch”, and how she leads a fulfilling life. Recorded on September 13, 2023.

Growing up in Guatemala, Winnie never imagined that she’d find herself as a film executive at a top Hollywood Studio. Winnie shares with Georgette how she remained steadfast in wanting to assist international students like herself and was very honest about how she learned some things the hard way during her time in school. On this journey, we're often reminded to stay flexible and Winnie did just that. Recorded on April 13, 2023.

Chrystee knew at a very young age, she was meant to perform and has done just that with roles on Scrubs, Passions, and most recently, Monogamy. She gets real with Georgette about her time at Emerson, how she's easing her way back into acting after a brief hiatus, and how keeping up with the current trends in her industry has kept her gainfully employed. Recorded on April 19, 2023.

Hear how Janice O'Leary went from designing pens to writing about private jets and the best whiskeys out there, how she learned how to edit in her workshops in Emerson's MFA program, and why she hated having to get dressed up for Boston Magazine parties, but still loved her job there. Recorded on April 30, 2020.