Nancy Utley Jacobs (Xi/Northwestern) is President of Fox Searchlight Pictures. She has overseen some of Fox Searchlight’s most successful films garnering Golden Globe® and Oscar® nominations. Some releases include The Descendants, Crazy Heart, Slumdog Millionaire, Little Miss Sunshine, The Last King of Scotland, Sideways, Napoleon Dynamite, and Bend It Like Beckham.
Nancy is first recipient of this award to have two daughters who are currently in collegiate chapters. Her daughter Hannah is a collegian at Phi Alpha/George Washington University while her other daughter, Katy, is a collegian at Beta Alpha/U of Pennsylvania. Hannah is able to join in the Convention festivities to honor her mom in person this evening.
Chi Omega sat down with Hannah to ask her a few questions about growing up with a mom in the movie business, Chi Omega Sisterhood, and the most valuable piece of advice her mom ever gave her.
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| Nancy Jacobs sharing a laugh with her daughter, Hannah. |
What has been your favorite movie that your mom has ever been involved with?
I am not sure I can pick a favorite movie. What I do like is the common thread in the Fox Searchlight Films; they all have heart. They consistently transport me somewhere else and make me care about where I am. It produces characters and stories that make you think, learn, feel, and grow. What more could you ask for from a film?
Growing up, what do you remember your mom telling you about Chi Omega?
I’m not sure I understood what a sorority was or what being a member entailed, but I knew from her excitement and enthusiasm about it, as well as the bond she still shares with her Chi Omega Sisters that it was something important. I knew I wanted to find something that I would be that passionate about, too.
How did her Chi Omega experience influence you to join Chi Omega?
My mom’s experience inspired me to join Chi Omega because I saw the real friendships and Sisters she made, and still keeps close. Her experience made me realize that sororities are more than just a way to get involved on campus. The chapter you choose shapes so much more than just your college experience; it really is a Sisterhood for a lifetime.
What line from The Symphony describes your mom best?
“To work earnestly, to speak kindly, to act sincerely.” I know the reason my mom is so successful, not just at her job but in life, is because she possesses these three qualities. She works harder than anyone I know to be a strong working woman, as well as a full-time mom for my family. You will not catch her complaining. She is kind and patient to everyone around her and her actions are consistently genuine and selfless.
What did you think when you heard your mom was going to be honored as a Malinda Jolley Mortin Woman of Achievement?
I knew that no one deserved this more than her. I am so thrilled that my Chi Omega Sisters are as inspired by her as I am.
What has been the most valuable advice your mom has given you?
The best advice my mom has ever given me is advice given to her from her mother; “don’t put your name on something unless it is your best work.” As I enter the working world, I will hold this to heart and always make sure I am doing my best because I have seen that having a work ethic like that pays off.
Fill in the blank: My mom inspires me to ____.
My mom inspires me leave the world better than when I came into it. She has not only changed the lives of her family, friends and Chi Omega Sisters, but has touched the lives of millions through film and made their world a little bit better, too.
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