Liberal Arts

Penn State alumna pursues entertainment career at NBCUniversal

Jamie Nguyen graduated from Penn State’s College of the Liberal Arts and Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications in the spring of 2024. Credit: Bert Davis. All Rights Reserved.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Jamie Nguyen, Penn State class of 2024, is currently pursuing her dream of a career in the entertainment industry as an NBCUniversal West Coast page. The Paterno Fellow, Chaiken Scholar and Schreyer Scholar alumna graduated with bachelor’s degrees in sociology and film production, with a minor in horticulture.

Originally from Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, Nguyen began her first rotation with the Universal Studios Group Communications and Marketing office in Los Angeles this past fall. As a page, she collaborates with publicists to promote upcoming animated releases, plan major events and manage social media coverage.

“It’s interesting because I always imagined that after graduating I would have to get a job that’s associated with what my majors were,” Nguyen said. “But then I went into this, and they saw my background and were like, ‘Yeah, we’ll just teach you what PR looks like, and the work is fast paced.’”

So far, she has worked on several projects, including university screenings for the new Peacock series, “Laid.” The show’s star, Stephanie Hsu, has had a big impact on Nguyen.

“Stephanie Hsu is one of my favorite actresses, and she’s an Asian American woman. I love her voice and what she’s doing in the industry,” Nguyen said. “It’s cool to get to see something she’s working on and promote it.”

Another part of the job Nguyen enjoys is visiting various sets at NBCUniversal.

“So much stuff is filmed on our lot, and sometimes I get to run over and observe what’s going on and what’s filming and who’s working on what,” she said.

As it happens, Nguyen said her degree in sociology has helped her navigate the entertainment industry. 

“My pulse in the industry has been uplifting voices of color and just making sure people can share their stories and have that experience,” Nguyen said.

When applying for the position, Nguyen highlighted her commitment to exploring social commentary related to issues of race, class, and gender. She emphasized her desire to use her platform to address these important topics, reflecting her passion for impactful storytelling and advocacy in the entertainment industry.

“The page program is something that is invested in making sure that there’s a diverse group, and making sure there are people who really care what film and entertainment look like,” Nguyen said. “So, when I was talking about my personal experiences, I looked at it through a lens of sociology, and that was something I think was really helpful.” 

Nguyen said her team has a diversity, equity and inclusion branch, so she works with them to make sure that shows are thoughtful in the way they approach characters of color and sensitive topics.

Nguyen said the College of the Liberal Arts provided great support during her time at Penn State, allowing her to pursue different avenues. As a student in the Paterno Fellows Program and Schreyer Honors College, she found the coursework intense, but noted the faculty and staff were always there to assist and motivate her.

Additionally, the college instilled in her a strong work ethic and a desire to share her voice.

“There were conversations I had through the college that really impacted the way I have conversations now with my peers and with my supervisors. It makes me feel like I’m competent and capable,” Nguyen said. “The college always wants to hear your voice, and they always want to know what you’re thinking.”

One of four siblings from a working class family, Nguyen said her Chaiken Scholarship significantly helped her achieve her dreams of earning a college degree.

“Because of the support it provided, I knew that I could pursue a lot of things,” Nguyen said. “Rather than needing to pick up a job, it really let me pursue both my sociology and film production majors and my minor at the same time.”

Nguyen also spoke highly of the Liberal Arts Chaiken Center for Student Success and its many resources. She described the staff as “helpful, wonderful and kind.”

“To see the space for community there and the help and support they provide was insane,” Nguyen said. “They are thoughtful about the way they interact with their scholars and students to make sure that they are really well supported.”

In the spring of 2024, Nguyen served as the sociology major marshal, an experience she described as “incredible.” Not only did it highlight her academic achievements, but also reinforced her dedication to her field of study.

“I’m first-gen and I’m the first of my immediate family to graduate, so it was nice to have that extra celebration from my college,” Nguyen said.

Nguyen had several mentors support her while she applied for student marshal, including Associate Professor of Sociology Gary Adler, who wrote a “stunning and thoughtful” recommendation for her.

“There is just so much mentorship and so many people who care about me and my education,” Nguyen said. “I think that the college does a good job at making sure their students are academically supported. It’s just a nice way to recognize the students who are putting in the hard work and really care about what they want to do.”

Nguyen was surprised when she was selected as a student marshal because her focus was geared more towards film than sociology. However, she likes to tell people, “Sociology is in everything I do just because it’s how I view and observe the world.”

Nguyen said if she were to give other Penn State students advice, it would be to try new things, because you never know what opportunities might come out of them.

“See what you like and learn what you love,” she said. “I would’ve never expected to be in a role that’s not filmed-based, and I was unsure about stepping into it. But now I love it and it’s a career that I can pursue long-term.”

Nguyen will begin her next NBCUniversal rotation with Universal Content Productions on Feb. 10 where she will support Beatrice Springborn, president of Universal Content Productions and Universal International Studios.

Last Updated February 4, 2025

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