BEHIND the SCENES

By: Stephanie Howard, Class of 2019 & Leigh Phillips

College

Fellow and soon-to-be University of Louisiana at Lafayette graduate Emma Lacy has taken advantage of every opportunity offered to her in college in order to discover her perfect future career in flm production. But Emma’s journey to flm production was neither straightforward nor easy.

Deeply affected by her mother’s untimely death and family fnancial diffculties, Emma credits her College Mentor, Bree, with keeping her grounded during her trying high school years. “Had (God) not used mentors to impart wisdom in my life, I probably wouldn’t be as far as I am now,” Emma said. Emma’s circle of support included her pastors, to whom Emma’s mother gave domiciliary custody before her death. Emma overcame the signifcant emotional and physical transition of living under a new roof and with an adoptive family, graduating from Mentorship Academy as her class’s salutatorian.

Emma has come a long way since then, never forgetting her past but very much focused on her future. Originally a creative writing major, she is now poised to graduate in a few short months with a Bachelor’s in Communication with a focus on broadcasting. While many students don’t discover their dream careers until months or years after graduation, if ever, Emma discovered hers by connecting with hands-on experiences in her chosen feld.

During her senior year, she has produced several news packages alongside her classmates and Lafayette-area broadcast professionals, including a Christmas show that aired on KATC3, one of Acadiana’s primary news channels. Another local outlet, AOC Community Media, ran three of Emma’s video packages on a live newscast and has since offered her an internship she will undertake in the spring of 2019.

But Emma’s stories don’t just have a local reach. She’s submitted her work to television stations around the country to receive feedback and connect with professionals in her feld. Emma’s most interesting piece involved investigating a Lafayette cold case murder from 1974. Her journalistic excellence, conveyed through a series of her published and unpublished works, recently earned her a $2,000 scholarship from the Press Club of New Orleans.

Although a talented journalist and writer, Emma has discovered she most enjoys being behind the scenes. She loves every aspect of the technical side of broadcasting, from photography and videography, to sound-mixing and running the teleprompter, and everything in between. She admits to dreading the painstaking nature of editing but is willing to do anything to gain experience. Just this year, Emma has volunteered on flm sets for The Nightmare Shark, Raging 13, and The Stick-Up to sharpen all skills that will prepare her for future opportunities.

Following her May 17, 2019 graduation, a date Emma instantly and proudly shares, she will apply to the Disney College Program, a Walt Disney Company internship that would provide her with professional development in the entertainment realm.

Emma cites work ethic and tenacity as the main sources of her success. “My major, although liberal arts, wasn’t necessarily easy,” Emma explained. “You have to be willing to put in the work and time and effort and patience because nothing comes easily. That’s what I’ve learned throughout the course of my academic career and is why I’ve been able to be successful.”

While Emma would prefer not to appear on your television screen any time soon, you may well fnd her name in the credits of a future blockbuster.