Brittany is a 2009 recipient of the Gutenberg Award, which recognizes distinguished professional achievements of Journalism and Mass Communication Department alumni. Recipients of Gutenbergs must have been alumni for at least 10 years to be considered for the award.
Q&A with Brittney Huckabee
What is your hometown?
Vallecito Lake, Colorado.
What are you doing now?
I live in Boston, where I work as an independent documentary filmmaker. My latest film, The Mosque in Morgantown, premiered nationally on PBS this past June.
What do you like most about your job or career?
I love being out in the field, exploring how people live and think, then sharing that with others.
Tell us some fun facts about you:
I hear it's OK to admit this these days at ACU: I'm very into wine. I've traveled to quite a few wine regions around the world, and I even have a wine television series on the backburner.
How did your JMC experience help prepare you for your career and life?
All the hands-on access to equipment was huge. Plus the department's holistic approach to the media and communications fields - I believe we were on the leading edge of that at the time - really prepared me to be an all-around player in my field.
What do you think set your ACU experience apart from other universities?
I left ACU with a depth of knowledge about religion, both textual and cultural, that I couldn't have gotten many other places. It helps me understand a large portion of the country in a way I think a lot of my colleagues don't, and has focused my work and interests as a filmmaker.
How did your experience at ACU shape you as a person?
My time at ACU made me a master of deadlines. Between JMC and art projects, English and philosophy papers, and an often full-time job at a local TV station, I also learned the art of staying awake for 48 hours straight! And I had some truly excellent professors. They fueled an intellectual curiosity that is a key part of who I am today.
What advice would you have for JMC students wanting to enter your field?
Be willing to work for free. Make yourself indispensable, and make sure your colleagues like you. That's how I got my first job.
Would you recommend ACU's JMC program to someone else who wants get the same degree you did?
Of course! But I'd also emphasize the importance of seeking out a broad education in the humanities along with your professional education at ACU.
