Savannah Maher JMS’22 chose Rutgers University-New Brunswick and SC&I to study Journalism and Media Studies because she wanted to follow in the footsteps of alumnae and NBC journalists Natalie Morales JMS’94 and Dylan Dreyer SEBS’03. “It has been my dream to work at NBC ever since I discovered what cable was,” said Maher. 

Now as a human resources coordinator at NBC, Maher discusses the opportunities she took advantage of at SC&I that led her to her dream job at her dream company.

“SC&I really provides their students with all the resources they need to succeed,” Maher said.

SC&I: What is it like being in Human Resources at NBC Universal?

SM: My team is the NBC News Group so it’s the perfect job for me coming from JMS. I work with reporters, producers, and editors daily. I spend most of my day communicating with employees from the “Today Show” and “Nightly News.” I help them navigate various pivotal points throughout their employee life cycle. My role is heavily team-work oriented, so it is rewarding to be contributing to a larger picture.

JMS pushes their students to be authentic and ambitious in their storytelling by teaching us real-life scenarios that arise in the media industry.

SC&I: How did studying JMS at Rutgers prepare you for this role and industry?

SM: JMS pushes their students to be authentic and ambitious in their storytelling by teaching us real-life scenarios that arise in the media industry. I was encouraged to go out in the field to learn how to capture, write, and handle breaking news. This was very daunting, but I am thankful for it. 

SC&I: What faculty or classes enhanced your education?

SM: I expected SC&I classes to be intimately sized. SC&I exceeded this expectation—I never had a class with more than 30 students. I truly got a great one-on-one experience with all my professors. Some of the classes that impacted me were Broadcast Writing and Reporting, Media Management, and Investigative Reporting. I liked these classes because they were difficult but prepared me for real-life scenarios working in the media industry. In Broadcast Writing and Reporting I workshopped my news stories with my professor which fine-tuned my journalism skills. Investigative Reporting taught by Professor of Professional Practice Juan González was interesting because I learned how to dig for information that is not easily presented to journalists. This class took my researching skills to a real-world level. Media Management was a useful class because it taught me how to navigate difficult managerial scenarios and media-business etiquette. 

SC&I: What experiences outside of the classroom enhanced your education?

SM: There are so many student clubs and organizations that allow students to practice journalism outside the classroom. Being a member of WRSU, the Rutgers University radio station, propelled me to be the confident journalist I am today. I encourage students to get their voices out there! There’s shows for entertainment, music, sports, and news!

SC&I: How did your internships prepare you for your career? 

SM: My classes gave me the skills that prepared me for my internships. I started out at an unpaid internship for a small TV company. I learned that any sort of experience will only add to your resume. After doing well at my first internship, I felt empowered to apply to more. I recommend applying to intern at whatever company you want to work for after college, so you already have your foot in the door. I got another internship at CNBC, which I was able to use for course credit. As an intern, I made sure to take initiative on projects and ask for feedback on how I could improve my skills going forward. I think interning is great for students to learn accountability and to see if they enjoy what they are studying in real life. I loved being a CNBC Intern, so I knew I would be happy working at NBC full time.  

SC&I: What are you career goals?

SM: My short-term career goal is to become a subject matter expert in human resources in the media field. My long-term goal is to work in leadership for the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion division at NBC. 

SC&I: What advice would you give to other students? 

SM: The media industry is known for being a hard field to get into. I used to let that stigma discourage me. I wish I could tell my younger self that if you put in the work, are consistent with what you want to achieve, and use your resources, it will happen. 

Rutgers SC&I is such a large community, so keep in contact with your professors and utilize our alumni network. I used my journalism professors for references, and they guided me to where I am today. There are SC&I graduates at every media company, so don’t be afraid to reach out and message them on LinkedIn.

Learn more about the Journalism and Media Studies major on the Rutgers School of Communication and Information website. 

Photos: Courtesy of Savannah Maher JMS’22