From Reality TV to Washington, DC: Nyree Berry '05

Nyree Berry '05 has travelled across many states and fields—from TV production to communications—thanks to her career. But it all started while she was a student at the University of Maryland.

“In my senior year, a close friend and I started a television show,” Berry recalls. “We interviewed everyone from T.I. to Bradley Cooper.”

Many of the celebrities participated, Berry says, because of the university’s reputation, specifically that of the Philip Merrill College of Journalism. It was the start of Berry’s career in TV, which she took to Philadelphia after graduating and, eventually, New York.

“I was challenged greatly by the curriculum at the College of Journalism and I used those skills to luckily land a job shortly after graduation,” Berry says. “I started with an entry-level position as a production assistant in Philadelphia at a sports news station.”

She worked her way up at the station to producer, before deciding to take her talents to New York City. There, she entered an increasingly popular genre — reality television, winning a Primetime Emmy Award from the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences in 2015.

“I was fortunate enough to work with a lot of reputable television networks, which have included A&E Networks, Bravo and Food Network,” she explains.

Now, Berry has returned to the D.C. metropolitan area to pursue her next career move. She is currently serving as the communications manager for the Intellectual Property Owners Association, helping to increase the organization’s visibility.

“All that experience as a producer, writing, being behind the camera, deciding how things go in front of the camera, led me to where I am now,” she says.

Being back in D.C. provides more opportunities for Berry to connect with her alma mater, from attending Maryland Day to Homecoming celebrations.

“It's nice to be so close to the university and see all the changes that have been made since I graduated,” Berry says. “I'm proud to have gone through the curriculum at Maryland, and gotten to where I am.”