Members of the class of ’71 might recognize a familiar face when they tune into the Academy Awards telecast on February 22. Their classmate, Cheryl Boone Isaacs ’71, will make her second appearance as President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) during Hollywood’s most glamorous night. While Boone Isaacs now regularly rubs elbows with the entertainment industry’s A-list, the road here wasn’t always defined or easy – a reality she shared with students when she visited campus on November 13.
In a candid onstage interview with Theatre and Communication Arts Professor Jennifer Holmes, Boone Isaacs spoke of the experiences that led to her position as one of Hollywood’s most powerful figures. She described her early twenties as a period of career exploration – a time in which she lacked clear career goals but paid close attention to job aspects that worked for her and those that didn’t. It’s in this way, Boone Isaacs shared, that she transitioned from a merchandiser with Macy’s, to a flight attendant with Pan Am, to the nonprofit sector, to working publicity on Steven Spielberg’s groundbreaking film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.
“I didn’t ask about pay when they offered me the job,” said Boone Isaacs. “It just didn’t matter.”
Recognizing the intangible benefits of the job and the opportunities it offered was more important, Boone Isaacs told students, reminding them to be humble and self-aware as they enter the workplace.
“Never, ever judge someone else because of their job or position in life,” she said. “Be respectful of everyone you come in contact with because no one knows anyone’s career path.”
Following the interview in the Ruth B. Shannon Center for the Performing Arts, which was attended by more than 70 students, staff, and faculty, Boone Isaacs joined President Herzberger for an intimate and casual lunch with students at Dezember Alumni House. Students in attendance enjoyed an extended question and answer session where they received advice on job hunting, career preparation, and entertainment industry insight. Kiara Downs, a sophomore student in attendance at the lunch, described Boone Isaacs as “a very warm and inviting person,” adding that she “felt she was addressing many of the concerns I had in regards to my academic preparation and job outlook.”
