Jenni Gritters

Why did you choose the Journalism (MS) program?

During my senior year as a Psychology major at Bucknell University, I knew that I wanted to pursue journalism - but I also knew I didn't have a degree in communications. I'd done a few internships, but that was my only actual journalism experience. I didn't have connections within the industry, nor did I know how to "break in."

I figured I might have to do something else as a career, but on a whim, I applied to several journalism graduate programs. BU came back to me with a full scholarship, teaching opportunities, incredible professors, and the opportunity to live in Boston. The program was only 1.5 years long, so I knew I couldn't say no. Six months later, I was buried in stories in the COM building, and really happy with my decision.

How did your time at COM help prepare you for your life post-COM?

The best part of the program, for sure, was the access to incredible professors and mentors. Classes were useful (especially my science journalism classes), but every job I've gotten so far is thanks to the connections I made while I was at BU. I ran the Narrative Journalism conference with Mark Kramer during my last year at BU, and that was an incredible culminating experience for me. I got to spend time with the journalists I most admired and one of them, Amy O'Leary, eventually hired me for a job a few years later! I also use the things I learned in basic journalism classes at BU almost every day as an editor. My writers always ask where I get my tricks. My secret is that I learned most of them from BU's awesome professors!

What have you been up to since you graduated?

I still live in Boston. After BU, I traveled through Europe and Southeast Asia for a few months. When I returned, I worked as a researcher and writer on a book project about behavioral psychology. Then I ran a start up called MedTech Boston. I was the managing editor, covering healthcare innovation on a hyper-local level. During those years, I also worked as a freelancer for the New England Journal of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins Health Review, and a variety of other science publications.

Most recently, I work at Upworthy. I was the Executive Assistant of Editorial when I first started a year and a half ago, and my job was primarily to help Amy O'Leary, our Editorial Director, shift the publication from curation to original reporting. I also launched our freelance program. Now, I'm an Editor at Upworthy. I run a team of writers and also manage our freelance contributors. And I still have a toe in healthcare innovation reporting, too - I freelance when I can find the time!

Can you talk about your current position? How did you choose it? What makes it exciting?

As I said above, I'm currently an Editor at Upworthy. Upworthy is super unique, with a mission to make stories that matter go viral, and I chose the company for that reason. The past year and a half have been a "fellowship in virality" for me, and I've worked hard to study what the internet likes, why people click and share, and what kinds of emotions work best for driving reader action. It's my job to make stories on tough topics - climate change, race, gender, etc. - reach the largest audiences possible, making the world a better place one day at a time.

Upworthy is also incredible because it's a fully remote company. I can work from anywhere, and I manage a team of people who live all over the country. We also have crazy good benefits. That kind of flexibility is rare, and really important to me.

I love working as an Editor because it feels similar to teaching - I coach my writers on how to find the best stories, I spend time teaching them new writing skills every day, and I'm the champion for narrative writing on my team. It's a fun job, and one that's incredibly fulfilling. I do like writing, but I thrive on teaching and coaching, too.

What advice would you give to students in the Journalism (MS) program who will soon graduate?

Take advantage of the connections you have in COM right now. The clips you have from the program will be really important in the days to come, as will your connections to professors. It's no secret that journalism jobs are far and few between, which means knowing people who know people is key. That's how you'll "make it."

Also, don't be afraid to take a job that looks different from what you imagined when you started the program. Journalism and media are changing fast, and the best jobs I've had have been the jobs I didn't see in my future.