By Elisabeth Costanzo Stewart
Recent SUNY Broome graduate Emma Rotella (CM’ 26) has never been one to shy away from hard work – Her eclectic array of part-time jobs is a testament to that fact. As a Communications and Media Arts student, she eagerly sought out real-world industry experiences, landing opportunities with WIVT News 34, and the College’s Office of Marketing & Communications (MarCom). Bound for SUNY Cortland this fall, Rotella leaves SUNY Broome not just with a degree, but with a robust resume and impressive digital portfolio.
Rotella grew up in the rural Village of Margaretville, New York, where she was one of just 25 students in her graduating class. But small-town living didn’t stifle her naturally eccentric and outgoing spirit. A quintessential theater kid with an artistic eye, Rotella spent her days reading, writing, painting, and performing.
SUNY Broome first popped up on Rotella’s radar via her cousin, an alum of the Dental Hygiene: A.A.S. program. A campus tour solidified the College’s ideal “away, but not too far away” location. Coming from a small high school, Rotella was comforted to learn that, even with an enrollment of nearly 6,000 students, Broome maintains personable, small class sizes. After scrolling through the Communications and Media Arts: A.S. curriculum, she instantly knew that she was meant to be in the creative sphere.
“Every class seemed so fun and interesting,” Rotella reflected. “I’m equally comfortable in front of the camera and behind the scenes, so I was excited to see that there were courses designed to develop my strengths in both areas.”
As Rotella honed her skills in Public Relations, Media Announcing, and Video Theory and Production, she excitedly looked for opportunities to test her burgeoning abilities in the real world. She stumbled upon a post for a paid internship with WIVT News 34, Binghamton’s ABC and NBC outlet, and applied. While the rest of her classmates went home for the summer, Rotella remained in the Southern Tier to fully immerse herself in the local 24-hour news cycle.
“I ended up getting to do a lot of local coverage for events like the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open and Spiedie Fest,” Rotella explained. “I learned how to manage a fast-paced work environment and create content in a quick turnaround time, all with the added benefit of getting to learn about my new community.”
“I’m equally comfortable in front of the camera and behind the scenes.” (Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers)
Fate intervened when Rotella was assigned to cover a story at SUNY Broome’s Culinary & Event Center (CEC). Her confidence and professionalism throughout the media event quickly caught the attention of members of SUNY Broome’s Marketing & Communications (MarCom) team. She left not only with a story for that evening’s broadcast, but with an invitation to apply for a student assistant position in MarCom.
Rotella returned for the Fall 2025 semester ready to tackle a full schedule of comms classes and a 20-hour-a-week position in her field. A typical day included bouncing from classes in Mass Media and Photography back to the MarCom suite to help record interviews, film short-form content, or proof early drafts of BROOME Magazine. She honed her skills in video editing with Premier Pro, CapCut, and Lightroom, and applied her proficiencies in the Adobe Creative Cloud (CC) to campus design projects.
When challenges arose throughout her college years, Rotella’s job in MarCom kept her motivated to be the best student she could be.
“I genuinely loved coming to work every day, and getting to be part of sharing an authentic student voice for SUNY Broome,” Rotella said. “I became so comfortable on campus that I was never nervous to ask the College’s president, vice presidents, or faculty members for help with content. Everyone made me feel so welcome and appreciated, and I didn’t want to miss a single minute of it.”
Though Rotella’s unparalleled work ethic meant that she was game to help with any MarCom task, she developed a true passion for curating short-form, campus-based content. Her time at News 34 fostered a love of man-on-the-street interviews and interactive posts. But while she expected to love the creative side of social media, she was surprised to discover an equal appreciation for the math and science behind strategic marketing. Who knew that the student who admittedly dreaded math class would develop a fascination with performance data and analytics?
While Rotella is fully prepared to embark on the next phase of her academic journey at SUNY Cortland, it’s bittersweet to leave the college where she inadvertently became its biggest cheerleader – in person and on all platforms. Thankfully, any time she feels a bit nostalgic, all she has to do is scroll SUNY Broome’s social media accounts to review a digital yearbook of her time at the College that encouraged her to shine academically, personally, and professionally.
“Working in MarCom is literally my dream job. I’ve been given creative freedom and the autonomy to tackle trends and projects that I think will resonate with our audience,” Rotella beamed. “This job really developed my love for social media. I’m someone who loves to learn, and learn quickly, which is perfect for the rapidly changing world of digital media.”
Learn more about Communications and Media Arts at SUNY Broome!
Rotella leaves SUNY Broome not just with a degree, but with a robust resume and impressive digital portfolio. (Photo Credit: Matt Ebbers)
Tags: Communication and Media Arts AS, Liberal Arts Division, MarCom
