From interviews with big-name celebrities like Will Ferrell to assisting with casting for hit television shows like \u201cThe Summer I Turned Pretty,\u201d Jenny Austin \u201912 is living out her dreams.<\/p>\n
Although she was initially drawn to acting, she came to understand that a fulfilling career doesn\u2019t have to follow a single path.<\/p>\n
\u201cI intentionally explored different paths to discover where my skills could have the greatest impact. My journey has included talent management, radio, entertainment journalism, event production, casting and acting,\u201d said Austin.<\/p>\n In a way, Elon found her. Alumnus Royall Spence \u201942 (for whom Spence Pavilion is named) was a beloved member of Austin\u2019s extended family and is the real reason she looked into the school.<\/p>\n \u201cHe always spoke so fondly of his experience at Elon and that was why it was one of the first schools I seriously considered,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The Raleigh native pictured herself at a smaller university where she could get to know her classmates and feel connected. She explained. \u201cWhen I visited Elon, it just felt right. It had the close-knit community I was looking for, along with strong academics and opportunities to get involved from day one.\u201d<\/p>\n She was torn between two passions, communications and theatre, but Elon had strong programs for both. After touring the facilities and speaking with faculty, she knew Elon was the place for her.<\/p>\n As a student, Austin majored in media arts and entertainment with a focus on broadcast journalism, and she minored in theatre arts. Outside of the classroom, she hosted a radio show on WSOE 89.3, Elon\u2019s student-run radio station. She also hosted two television shows and participated in Elon in LA, studied abroad in London and immersed herself in other opportunities that allowed her to tell stories and connect with people.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of my favorite parts of WSOE was finding and booking guests to interview. I\u2019d track people down on Facebook and through other creative channels, and more often than not, they were happy to help a student journalist,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n One opportunity at Elon that greatly impacted Austin\u2019s career was her experience with Elon in LA. She credits this program with introducing her to new places, perspectives, and for giving her the confidence to pursue an entertainment career.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the program, I interned with a talent management company representing film and television actors. Through that experience, I visited production sets, attended industry meetings and got a firsthand look at how Hollywood operates. For someone who had dreamed about working in entertainment since childhood, it was eye-opening,\u201d said Austin.<\/p>\n Following graduation, she moved to Los Angeles almost immediately to build her career.<\/p>\n \u201cLike many young people pursuing creative industries, I took a variety of jobs while figuring out where I fit best. Each experience taught me something valuable and ultimately helped shape the career I\u2019ve built,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n She started her career working behind the scenes at press junkets for major studio films and eventually transitioned from helping reporters to becoming one herself. Later, she joined the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the organization behind the Oscars. There she worked on screenings, events and public programming, and she attended Academy Award ceremonies.<\/p>\n In 2020, she returned to the Southeast to be closer to family and to pursue opportunities in the region\u2019s rapidly growing entertainment industry.<\/p>\n \u201cI joined Fincannon & Associates Casting, where I worked on projects including \u2018Outer Banks\u2019, \u2018The Summer I Turned Pretty\u2019, \u2018The Righteous Gemstones\u2019, \u2018The Walking Dead\u2019 and other major productions filming throughout the Southeast,\u201d said Austin.<\/p>\n One of her favorite memories from her work was her first major press junket interview with Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.<\/p>\n \u201cDuring the introduction, the production assistant announced me as \u2018Jenny Austin from CBS Sacramento,\u2019 and Will Ferrell immediately joked, \u2018Jenny Sacramento from Austin.\u2019 It instantly broke the ice and put my nerves at ease. Moments like that reminded me that even some of the biggest stars in the world are often just people having fun,\u201d Austin said.<\/p>\n She\u2019s also interviewed other big-name celebrities, like Zoe Saldana, Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis, Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer, Chris Evans and Shay Mitchell.<\/p>\n Most recently, she took on a new endeavor, launching an interview platform highlighting entertainment professionals in the Southeast alongside her friend and former Fincannon & Associates colleague, Kimberly Wistedt. They\u2019ve titled the platform The Peach Tea<\/a>. While it\u2019s still a new project and they\u2019ve already landed some big interviews with celebrities, such as rapper T.I., they are hopeful for what the future holds.<\/p>\n Austin speaks fondly of the variety of work she\u2019s been able to do, but she says that the most rewarding part of her journey has been the relationships she has made. Some of her closest friends today are people she met at Elon, and professionally, relationships have been equally important to her growth.<\/p>\n \u201cNearly every major opportunity I\u2019ve had, from entertainment reporting and casting to launching The Peach Tea, has come through connections, mentorships and friendships developed over time,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n She credits Elon\u2019s experiential learning opportunities for giving her the practical experience, confidence and willingness to take risks and build these relationships.<\/p>\n \u201cElon in LA was the first time I realized that all of these jobs I\u2019d dreamed about were held by real people, and that maybe one day I could be one of them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n It also gave her the confidence she needed to go after her dreams. The challenge, she said, was \u201crealizing that I didn\u2019t have to fit into one neat box. I could be an actress, a reporter, a casting professional, a filmmaker and an entrepreneur all at the same time. Once I stopped trying to force myself into a single lane, my career started making a lot more sense. Sometimes your path only makes sense when you look back and connect the dots.\u201d<\/p>\n Austin encourages Elon students to find what makes them happy and pursue it wholeheartedly, and to pay attention to the people who light up when good things happen for you, saying that these are the relationships that are most special.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I love most about Elon. It encourages students to explore broadly, take chances and embrace experiences that may not seem connected at the time,\u201d she said. \u201cLooking back, those experiences ended up creating my story. My career hasn\u2019t followed a straight line, but every experience has led to the next, and I wouldn\u2019t have it any other way.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/eloncdn.blob.core.windows.net\/eu3\/sites\/74\/2026\/06\/on-stage-w_-degree.jpg\")
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