Career Insiders: E.M.B.A. Student Rebecca Wang and Classmates Tour NBCUniversal

Photo: NYIT students on the set of the Maury show at NBCUniversal.

Rebecca Wang, an Executive M.B.A. candidate from Beijing, China, talks about her experience on a tour of the Maury show at NBCUniversal, organized by Career Services.

On November 4, I and 25 schoolmates headed to NBCUniversal for a tour of the Maury show. The trip was organized by Career Services to help students market themselves more effectively to future employers. I was very excited for the excursion and it proved to be every bit as special as I had expected.

For me, as an international student, this experience was quite a novelty. There is a huge cultural difference between eastern and western countries. The Maury show is known for its outrageous topics—like those that involve paternity tests and lie detector tests for cheating spouses or unruly teenagers. We Chinese would never expose a family scandal. But I like the western approach to dealing with these types of issues. I’d call it open-minded.

What really impressed me was the set and the energy that was reverberating throughout the broadcasting room where our tour began. Adrian Bermudez, a communication arts senior at NYIT and intern at NBCUniversal, helped us get settled and then we watched two episodes of the Maury show. Afterwards, Paul Faulhaber, the executive producer, gave an inspiring talk about the television industry. He explained that with the younger generation focused on the Internet, traditional television seems to be in a vulnerable position. He expressed his hope that more young people will join the industry.

Faulhaber closed his talk by leaving the group with this thought-provoking question: What kinds of programs will attract the younger generation? He added that young people should be the future of this industry. And I agree. I love old traditions such as reading the newspaper, physical books, and sending greeting cards, but I also believe television media is a cultural heritage and I hope it will last.

At the end of the tour, we met with NYIT alumna Jessica Bloom (B.A. ’10), production coordinator for the Maury show, who talked to the group about available internships. She collected our résumés and we are now waiting to hear who from the group may have a chance at an internship. This was the nicest surprise of all.

Although I am not a communication arts student, the tour opened my eyes to a new field. And even though I would love to work in the marketing department of a financial company, I went on the tour to learn more about American culture and what types of jobs are available in my area of interest within media. I very much appreciate the opportunity offered by NYIT. This experience has definitely broadened my outlook.