Alumni Spotlight: Morgan Parmet Gaffney

Morgan Parmet Gaffney (B.A. ’09) is this week’s featured alum in our new Alumni Spotlight series for the This Week at Meadows e-newsletter. Each week, a different Meadows alum will be highlighted for their accomplishments post-graduation.


When viewers tune in to TODAY, NBC Nightly News, Meet the Press, or NBC News Now, they see the finished stories delivered on screen. Behind every broadcast, however, is an extensive operation ensuring journalists and editors have the footage they need to tell those stories. Division of Journalism alum Morgan Parmet Gaffney helps make that process possible as Director of Media Operations at NBCUniversal.

Gaffney leads the team responsible for moving video from the field into the hands of journalists and editors, an essential step before footage can be edited or broadcast. She compares her team to the chefs in a restaurant: viewers may never see everything happening behind the scenes, but that work provides the foundation for the finished product.

“Every piece of footage has to move through our team before it can be edited or broadcast, so while our work happens behind the scenes, it is an essential part of the news production process,” says Gaffney. “Every day brings a new challenge, and I love knowing that my team plays a critical role in helping journalists tell important stories accurately and efficiently.”



Though her career has taken her beyond traditional reporting, the skills Gaffney developed in Meadows’ journalism program remain central to her work. Learning the fundamentals of reporting, writing, critical thinking and communication prepared her to enter the industry with confidence and gave her an understanding of newsroom operations that continues to inform how she leads.

Just as important as the skills she developed were the relationships Gaffney formed at Meadows. She has remained in touch with several professors since graduating and continues to value the support and encouragement they have provided throughout her career.

Today, Gaffney is extending that same sense of connection to current students as a Meadows Mentor. She meets with students to discuss career goals, review résumés, prepare for interviews and help them navigate the transition from college into the professional world.

“Serving as a Meadows Mentor has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career,” she says. “It’s a reminder of the impact that encouragement, guidance, and investing in others can have, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to give back to a program that played such an important role in my own journey.”



For Gaffney, that impact has already come full circle. One of the students she mentored eventually interned on her team at NBCUniversal, and the two have remained in touch. The experience reflects the kind of lasting relationships she first found at Meadows and now has the opportunity to build with another generation of journalism students.

While Gaffney’s journalism education began with the fundamentals of reporting and storytelling, it ultimately helped prepare her for a behind-the-scenes leadership role that she may not have envisioned when she first entered the program. That unexpected path has allowed her to grow her journalism career while contributing in a way uniquely suited to her skills.

“I hope students know there isn’t just one definition of success in this industry,” she says. “There are countless ways to build a meaningful and fulfilling career, and sometimes the most rewarding path is one you never expected.”

Learn more about the Division of Journalism here.