Brookdale student selected as MTVU VJ

Middletown — Following open auditions held at colleges and universities across the country, MTVU has selected Brookdale Community College student and Manalapan resident Sophia Parola as its next on-air VJ.

Photo by Brookdale Community College. Sophia Parola, of Manalapan, has been selected as MTVU’s newest on-air VJ.

Parola, who was selected from more than 300 total applicants for the role, will host a series of paid video projects for the college-oriented cable network over the next year. Her first project was filmed on Brookdale’s Lincroft campus on Nov. 3.

“I am so honored and so excited,” said Parola, an aspiring actress. “I was speechless when I found out I had been selected. I’ve never done anything like this before, but I’ve learned to just work hard and say yes to every opportunity. I’m so glad I did, and I can not wait to get to work.”

Parola applied for the role during an open audition held for Brookdale students on the college’s Lincroft campus on Sept. 12. A 2016 graduate of Brookdale, Parola is currently studying radio and television at Monmouth University while completing a special project in communications media at Brookdale.

She also serves as an on-air host for Brookdale Television and is an active member of Brookdale’s theater program, appearing in the college’s annual Summer Shakespeare Ensemble, FestiVALL student showcase and Haunted Theater.

MTVU, a college-focused sister channel of MTV, is viewed by more than 9 million students at more than 700 college campuses across the country.