Always striving to shed a different light on the life stories of those she profiles in her magazine pieces, writer Jennifer Wulff has needed a bit more time to find that light within her own story. The early chapters made getting to college seem improbable and, as an older transfer student, the narrative felt slightly out of sync. Find out how the perspective you gain from listening to others can ultimately bring out the story from within.
Guest Jennifer Wullf, Dartmouth '96, never thought she was college bound, let alone Ivy League material. But with encouragement that she was a strong writer who had the goods, she entered Dartmouth as a transfer student at the age of 23, making her time at college seem somewhat out of sync. Perhaps that is one reason the memoir she tried to write during her last year’s fellowship—though packed with a roller-coaster plot—ended up missing the mark.
She continued her journey as a writer with a quick stint at Sports Illustrated and then a ten-year career at People Magazine, where she honed her skills profiling some of the most accomplished and creative celebrities. To better suit life with a family, she turned to freelance work and now writes frequently for the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, where she still profiles some pretty amazing people. But, while she does that work well and enjoys it, it still doesn't fill her need to tell her own story.
In this episode, find out from Jen how listening to others can ultimately bring out the story from within …on ROADS TAKEN...with Leslie Jennings Rowley.
About This Episode's Guest
Jennifer Wullf is a freelance writer, most recognizable to Dartmouth folks through her many cover stories and profiles of alumni from Mindy Kaling to Shonda Rimes to our own Marsha Stephanie Blake in the Dartmouth Alumni Magazine, where she is a contributing editor. Before hitting it out on her own, she was a long-time staff writer at People Magazine. She is currently working on her memoir.
Also Mentioned in this Episode
Jen’s Dartmouth Alumni Magazine coverstories on actor classmate Marsha Stephanie Blake ’96 and Hollywood showrunner extraordinaire Shonda Rimes ’91.
Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley
Audio Engineer: Clancy Rowley
Music: Brian Burrows