From COM to Career: Q&A With Kaylee Benson, MS Television

COM: What does a coordinator do at NBC Studios?

Kaylee Benson: I work with the studio spaces themselves. Anytime someone not part of the show staff or crew is entering or exiting—tours, audiences. When shows are not in production, the studios host events like book signings, talent appearances, and corporate town halls. I’m basically the middle person between the studios and any external guests coming in for any reason involving NBC Studios – mostly tour groups and audiences. I make sure tour schedules align so people can enter studios without issues. I teach the pages how to give proper tours and handle audience services. I work with the Tonight Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live, and The Kelly Clarkson Show—the four main ones. I mostly work with the entertainment studios and coordinate with the retail store downstairs for book signings, talent appearances, and guest engagement.

COM: What did you do before Boston University and NBC Studios?

Kaylee Benson: I went to a small school in Virginia, the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, majored in Communication and Digital Studies. Their communication department was still developing; we had no radio or TV studios. I always had a passion for television production, so when I graduated in 2020 during the pandemic, I took a year off before grad school. I worked as a nanny to save money and focus. That year off made me want grad school even more, so then I jumped right in.

COM: How did you end up finding Boston University’s COM, and why did you choose to come here?

Kaylee Benson: I remember Googling grad programs and finding BU because they advertised a class all about NBC. I had an affinity for NBC, so I wanted to learn everything about it. I applied, attended an admitted students day with my dad, and was one of the only attendees at a panel with three professors. It was a great experience. I spoke to a professor from Virginia who connected with me, and I left feeling like I really wanted to come here. I felt very lucky to have such a great experience.

COM: What was most memorable about your time here?

Kaylee Benson: The friends I made. Being in a grad program with people who share a passion was amazing. We clicked right away. We helped each other learn and had active discussions far beyond class. We took every project seriously but also had fun. Everyone wanted to gain new skills, whether audio, producing, or other areas, and that passion made it easy to stay excited about learning. By the end, we were eager to keep going and grow.

COM: How did you end up at NBC?

Kaylee Benson: I feel really lucky. I applied to the NBC page program three times before I got in. BU helped me enormously in preparing for and succeeding in the page program. After graduating BU, I joined the LA-based page program, which is a year and a half long.
The page program is an early-careers rotational program at NBC, similar to Kenneth on 30 Rock. For the first year, every four months you rotate to a different NBC department, like HR, ad sales, PR, or production. My rotations were cable marketing, unscripted PR during the writer’s strike (which was lucky timing), and remote production—helping film shows outside their home studios. Concurrently, you’re an ambassador for NBC, handling audience services, giving tours, and working shows like Today, Saturday Night Live, and The Tonight Show. After the rotations, there’s a four-month grad period focused on audience services and job applications, with lots of support on resumes and interviews. It’s a fantastic program.

COM: Thinking about your time at COM, what specific skills did you learn that applied to the page program or your current position?

Kaylee Benson: COM taught me essential skills and gave me a strong foundation. They started at the basics—like how cable was created—and moved to the current industry landscape. It provided a deep understanding of how the industry works and how everything connects. This helped me tremendously, especially in the page program, which looks for well-rounded candidates. COM helped me understand the big picture and develop good habits, like reading industry trades and comprehending their impact even if it seems unrelated.

COM: Was there a particular professor who had a major impact?

Kaylee Benson: Professor Sheila Sitomer was life-changing. She was always available to answer questions and incredibly knowledgeable. I loved picking her brain, and I still keep in touch. From the first class, I knew she was someone I wanted to learn from. She taught me valuable skills in many industry areas that I deeply appreciate.

COM: Was there a moment during COM or your career when you thought, “I’m on the right path”?

Kaylee Benson: It was a mix. I came in passionate, and through COM I discovered new avenues and met amazing professors, which solidified that this was exactly what I wanted. The community we built, with passionate conversations inside and outside class, really confirmed my choice.

COM: Was there anything unexpected you learned or experienced at COM that had an impact on your career so far?

Kaylee Benson: Many things come to mind. Sometimes I’m in a meeting or interview, and I realize skills I learned at COM apply without me consciously thinking about them—like working in fast-paced environments or studio settings. I also appreciated learning in a student environment that resembled real studios, which made me more grateful for my current opportunities. Honestly, many COM lessons are foundational and resurface later in ways you don’t expect.

COM: Where do you see yourself in the next decade?

Kaylee Benson: I love the studio. I want to stay in studio management and production management. I’m not drawn to writing, but I love understanding everything from lighting to set design. I enjoy working closely on the floor with studio managers and constantly learning from them. Studio management and production management are definitely where I’m aiming.

COM: What’s one piece of career advice you’d give someone interested in communications or television?

Kaylee Benson: Reach out and communicate—cold emails are an art and very important. You never know what a single connection might lead to. People generally want to help and talk about their careers. Be sure to follow up and send thank-you notes—which are essential. Be honest about what you want even if you don’t have exact titles or roles figured out; the industry changes, and jobs evolve. Just keep learning, connecting, and staying open.