Kelly Pompa '24: From Eastern to Emmy

Kelly Pompa ’24 was in her element: at work in the control room during NBC Peacock's streaming broadcast of the 2024 Paris Olympics. This was her dream job, a moment she had worked toward throughout her time at Eastern.

During this exciting time, however, she faced a devastating loss. In the middle of a workday, she received a phone call that her father had suddenly passed away. Instead of stepping back, she chose to keep moving forward. After a brief absence to be with family, she promptly returned to NBC Sports' Stamford headquarters to complete her Olympic assignment.

Pompa and her team at NBC later won an Emmy Award for their coverage, another dream come true for the young sports broadcaster. More than a professional milestone, this award is a testament to perseverance.

This ordeal throughout the Olympics left Pompa with many life lessons. “It taught me attention to detail and how to be okay with making mistakes. I learned how to communicate, be adaptable, stay disciplined, manage stress, and most importantly, be resilient.”

dream job

Shortly after graduating in the summer of 2024, Pompa found a posting for an entry-level role in the control room for NBC’s streaming service, Peacock. Pompa took a leap of faith that landed her in Stamford to help bring the Olympic Games to audiences worldwide.

“I remember feeling so proud of myself and excited because this wasn’t just any job," she said. "I got to work for the Olympics, something that I have always dreamed of doing."

Pompa’s first assignment was a fully remote job uploading Olympic imagery that would be on the landing page of Peacock. “That's when I realized I wanted to dive into the creative world because it never gets boring, there is always something more to do, or a way to enhance it, and that’s what I really enjoyed.”

In June, she began training to work with NBC’s new “Multiview” platform, an innovative, multi-screen viewing experience created for the Paris Olympics. The new feature allowed audiences to watch four events at once, while NBC’s Olympic experts provided real-time on-screen updates to highlight key moments.

Pompa’s training included adjusting her whole schedule for the Olympic games. Her days began at 4 a.m. and did not end until 5 p.m. “The energy in that building during the Olympics was unmatched and so fun to be around,” she said. “That is what kept me going.”

Resilience through tragedy

During a workday in the midst of the Olympics, Pompa received the phone call that her father had passed away. In the middle of what should have been the most exciting part of her career, she was suddenly facing one of life's hardest moments.

“I remember feeling like the world stopped,” she said, “even as everything around me kept moving at full speed.”

Pompa refused to let her grief hold her back. Rather, it became the ultimate test of her strength and resilience, one she met with perseverance and grace.

“Balancing the intensity of that job with such deep grief was incredibly hard, but it taught me resilience and perspective,” she said. “I carried on, not because it was easy, but because I knew that’s what he would have wanted, (for me) to keep showing up on the hardest days”.

Pompa’s courage did not go unrecognized. She was greatly supported by her team at NBC. “One of my bosses told me that the resilience I showed by coming back proved what an incredible worker I was,” she said. “That’s something that’s always stuck with me.”

This past September, Pompa and her NBC Peacock team received an Emmy for their Olympic coverage.

“Winning an Emmy at such a young age is surreal and humbling,” Pompa said.  “I wish my dad could have been here to see it; I know he would be proud. I’m grateful to have my mom and sister share these special moments with me, and I could not have done it without my incredible team. This moment will always remind me of the hard work it took to get here.”

Eastern: building foundations

Pompa has always been an avid sports fan. A love passed down from her father, who made sure she was cheering for the Mets, Steelers, and Rangers from the day she was born. This love of sports inspired her to be interested in sports media during her time at Eastern.

During her sophomore year, she joined ETV Sports, Eastern’s sports television station. “ETV Sports helped me in so many different areas of my life,” she said. She said the experience taught her about leadership, communication, working in a fast-paced environment, and learning from mistakes.

By her senior year, Pompa was promoted to director at ETV Sports, where she mentored the camera crew and announcers during live broadcasts. “That role made me more confident in my ability to make decisions, talk to people, lead a group, mentor others ... things I don’t think I would have been able to do without being in a role like this,” she said.

Where is Pompa now?

Pompa has been fortunate to continue her career with NBC’s Peacock Partner Solutions Team.  This team is tasked with making sure content gets put on the platform seamlessly.

Pompa also began attending Sacred Heart University this year to pursue a master's degree in strategic communications and public relations, continuing to build on the foundation she started in the communication program at Eastern.

Pompa wants Eastern students to know, “You really must go for what you want to get what you want.”

She continued: “There is no one beside myself who can push me harder to go for what I want, and I’ll always be grateful that I put aside the worry and fear to get involved with things that I didn’t think I’d be good at.”