Alum of the Month

March 2010

March 2010
Jamie Morris '07


Q & A:

  • What is your edge (strength)?
    My voice. I've always found it easy to communicate with and relate to people.
  • What at Hofstra gave you your edge?
    Hofstra's radio and TV programs are unlike all others. I was allowed to jump right into whatever I wanted to do in my first year. A lot of other schools make students wait until sophomore or junior year to even touch actual equipment. Because of my early hands-on training, I was getting internships over other students from different schools.
  • In one word, how would you describe Hofstra?
    Dynamic.
  • What was your major?
    Broadcast journalism.
  • What was your favorite class?
    My training class for Hofstra's radio station, WRHU.
  • What is your fondest memory of Hofstra?
    It's hard to choose just one, but if I have to:, I'd choose an internship with WCBS; I was able to report live on WRHU from the Republican National Convention in 2004 at Madison Square Garden. I saw President Bush's speech. Democrat or Republican, it's an amazing experience to be in the same room as the president.
  • What is your field of specialty, and how did you come to work in the industry?
    I always knew I wanted to work in radio, so I looked at colleges that were specifically known for their radio programs (clearly, Hofstra won!), and I got a ton of experience from interning at different radio stations in New York City. By applying everything I learned to my work, I was able to land freelance jobs, and from there, I worked my way up.
  • Who in your field do you most admire?
    This will sound weird, but I would love to fill the shoes of Ryan Seacrest. The guy does it all. He's all over radio and television across the country for so many different shows and stations. He's THE entertainment host right now. He hosts our midday show here at Z100, American Top 40, American Idol, E! News, New Years Rockin' Eve ... the list goes on and on.
  • What was your first job after graduating from Hofstra, and what was the most valuable thing you learned there?
    I worked as a freelance traffic reporter at Cablevision's News 12 Traffic & Weather, where I had wonderful and encouraging producers who taught me how to be a serious reporter without losing my personality.  My commute was horrendous and my scattered hours were even worse, but I learned that when you put in every ounce of your effort, it really does pay off.
  • What advice would you give current Hofstra students?
    Take every opportunity that comes your way. Even if you don't think it's something you want to do, just give it a try. You may be surprised what it leads to. Intern, intern, intern, network, network, network!
  • How do you balance work and life?
    I wake up very early in the morning during the week, so it does take a little bit of a toll on the social life when I am ready for bed by 8 p.m. But going to work early means getting out early, which lets me get all my errands out of the way during the day, leaving plenty of time on the weekends for family and friends.
  • Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
    I see myself being part of a successful radio show ... because no, radio will NOT be dead in 10 years!
  • What is the single most rewarding experience in your career thus far?
    When I was offered a full-time, on-air gig at Z100.  It was the most overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.  They gave me one opportunity to fill in, which was exciting enough, and they hired me immediately after. THIS was exactly why I had been working so hard for so long.
  • Do you have a favorite quote or saying that has kept you motivated through the years?
    You can never stop learning. I am constantly challenging myself to become a more polished broadcaster.
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Jamie Morris '07

The very thing Jamie Morris finds to be her edge can be heard every morning on Z100, the top-rated radio station in New York City: her voice! As a full-time traffic reporter for Elvis Duran and the Morning Show, Jamie is able to utilize the skills she learned at Hofstra as an integral member of the WRHU Radio Hofstra University staff.

During her four years at Hofstra, Jamie was heavily involved with many aspects of the School of Communication. She held multiple titles at WRHU, including station manager and news director, and was part of many different Hofstra TV broadcasts.  Jamie earned numerous awards from WRHU for her outstanding work, including "Program of the Year" for her job as lead producer of live election night coverage in 2005, and the Ed Ingles Broadcaster of the Year award in 2007.  She was president of the Association for Women in Communications, which sponsors a performance of The Vagina Monologues every year to raise money for victims of domestic violence. Jaime was also inducted into Lambda Pi Eta (the national communications honor society).

After receiving a B.A. in broadcast journalism in 2007, Jamie immediately started working as a freelance traffic reporter for Cablevision's News 12 Traffic & Weather, which serves customers in New York City, New Jersey, Long Island, Hudson Valley, and Connecticut.  She also worked as a freelance producer for Clear Channel's Total Traffic Network, providing information for Clear Channel Radio and TV reporters as well as sending data to portable GPS navigation devices.

In December 2007, Jamie got the opportunity to fill in and report traffic on Clear Channel NY radio stations Z100, 103.5 KTU, Q104.3, and WALK 97.5.  In January 2008, she was offered a full-time position.  Currently, she can be heard every morning from 5-10 a.m. as "Julie Moore" with Total Traffic reports, and also reports on the other stations when needed.  Nearly 4.3 million people hear her voice every day.  Jamie also fills in for the 103.5 KTU Morning Show, delivering news, traffic, weather and entertainment reports. 

Jamie is starting to dabble in voice-over work, and currently resides in Manhattan.