OU alumna Miranda Divozzo explains how getting involved on campus gave her the skills she needed to make her career dreams a reality

For most, the future is an area of shaded gray. For OU alumna Miranda Divozzo, the future would be a little more Black.

Her journey would take her from OU to Hollywood – from Michigan to California – and it all began when she got involved with the Student Life Lecture Board (SLLB) in college.

“She was such a ball of energy and so fearless in everything she set out to do that you knew there was something extraordinary about her,” said Center for Student Activities director Jean Ann Miller.

Divozzo always wanted to tell stories, but she wasn’t sure how she was going to do it.

She graduated from OU in 2014 with a degree in communication and a minor in journalism and had a dream of going to New York after graduation, but little did she know, things wouldn’t exactly work out that way.

Divozzo knew that if she ever wanted to make it big in the entertainment industry, she’d have to build a strong foundation, and she found her opportunity to do so with the SLLB, which she chaired her sophomore year.

Her first year on the board, Blake Mycoskie – founder of TOMS Shoes – was brought to campus, sparking a fire in Divozzo that burns stronger today than ever.

“[SLLB] was my world,” she said, “and that’s where I made all my connections.”

Mycoskie was first, followed by author Max Brooks, legendary naturalist Jane Goodall and Academy Award winning screenwriter/human rights activist, Dustin Lance Black, being just a few of the notables Divozzo said she helped bring to Oakland.

“I made a valiant effort to stay in touch with every person we brought,” she said. “I knew I wanted to be a part of this world.”

Divozzo had many opportunities to meet amazing people, but when she met Black – a hero of hers – for the first time, she said something felt different.

“I knew I wanted to work for that man,” she said, immediately setting what was perhaps one of her loftiest goals to date.

“She kept in touch with [Black],” said Beth Talbert, professor of communication at OU and faculty representative of the SLLB. “She dug in deep, read volumes of material, and proved that she was willing to do what it takes to help him succeed.”

“I would send him random articles via email,” Divozzo said. “Christmas cards…just to stay on [his] radar.”

Divozzo would stop at nothing to build her professional relationship with Black, so when he emailed her saying he was in Windsor, ON having coffee, she dropped what she was doing to drive across the border and meet up with him. No hesitation.

After their “international meeting,” the two eventually had the “job” discussion as Divozzo closed in on graduation, hoping that her tireless efforts in staying in Black’s world would end with the position she’d been dreaming of.

At the same time, Divozzo was mulling over an enticing opportunity that had been offered to her in New York, but she was holding out to hear from Black.

“He didn’t end up offering me the job,” said Divozzo, “I was heartbroken.”

So she moved to California anyway.

Divozzo contacted Black shortly after her plane touched down and let him know that she had made the move, and a length of time passed before she heard from him, again, leaving Divozzo waiting with baited breath.

She secured a full-time job at Macy’s in California, unsure of what might come her way next, but she didn’t have to wait long. Two weeks later Black called.

“We had coffee,” she said, “and the next morning I was his writer’s assistant.”

“She’s loyal and willing to make success happen for herself,” said Tablert, with proof of this lying evident in Divozzo’s fearless pursuit of her goals.

Divozzo left an impression on Miller and Talbert that won’t soon be forgotten with her upbeat attitude and tenacity, but Divozzo said it was really her choice to get involved at OU that allowed her to accomplish so much, rather than relying on luck and personality to get her noticed by someone like Black.

“Getting involved with student activities changed my life,” she said. “It’s about how you get involved and what you do when you’re involved.”

“[Divozzo] is a great example of transferrable skills from OU,” Miller said.  “All of [a student’s] opportunities at OU are going to lead to something bigger and better…and [she’s] is living proof of it.”

“She was professional, authentic, and demonstrated her work ethic,” Talbert said. “[She] is going to grow into a polished and respected professional and she’s off to a great start, but success didn’t come to her — she went after it.”