“One of the the greatest things about the Communications Department is the faculty. Each one has such unique qualities.”
Simmons grad, Boston native and Boston Bruins fanatic Erica Moura took time out of her crazy schedule, while on a late night bus to New York City, to fill me in on multi-media reporting, the best communications class and what it’s like to live the dream.Erica graduated in 2010 with a degree in Communications, and a focus on writing and PR. During her time at Simmons (where she lived in Smith dorm) she was heavily involved with SGA, the radio station and her internship at WGBH. She also completed a radio-centered independent study with Len Mailloux. “Len taught me the business and how to survive in it,” she said. “And Jim Corcoran taught me how to go after a story.” After reminiscing on Simmons communications memories she tells me her favorite parts, “My favorite class was Broadcast Writing, and the greatest thing about the department is the professors. Each one has such unique qualities.”
“I put my heart and soul into the radio station. It propelled my career and made me fall in love with journalism.” This passion and influence paved the way for her future. Erica ended up at Emerson College, where she received her Masters (in Broadcast Journalism) in 2012. This led her to her current job as a Multi-media Reporter for the Boston Herald. This is a position the Herald actually created directly for her, due to the demand for web-based videos and stories.
"I am the one man band — I shoot, I’m in front of the camera, I edit, I do voiceovers, and I write for the web as well as the newspaper."
Most recently, she covered the Mayors Against Illegal Guns meeting in Boston hosted by Mayor Thomas Menino. She also covered a powerful story about homelessness in the streets of Boston. She tells me, “I also covered the Sandy Hook shooting in Connecticut right after it happened, which was really hard... it stays with you.”
In 10 years she sees herself teaching journalism, doing documentary style work or even starting a non-profit. It’s all up in the air, but she is on her way and as she puts it, “I am living the dream and life is good.”
FAVORITE PART OF BOSTON:
The North End neighborhood, I love the juxtaposition of new and old, not to mention the diversity and rich history.
SOUNDTRACK TO YOUR LIFE:
Dirty Dancing Soundtrack.
FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM:
Facebook, it helps me connect to my family in Portugal.
ADVICE FOR SENIORS:
Be positive. It’s hard to do but people can sense when you have a bad attitude. Just remember that every opportunity is a learning experience.
NUMBER 1 QUESTION TO ASK DURING JOB INTERVIEWS:
I always ask, ‘Why do this?’ You see a lot of ego driven people, and yes, you need confidence in this business, but I always avoid big egos. My next question is usually ‘Do you know Final Cut Express?
Photo by Angela Rowlings.