A chance meeting with a photographer outside the University Bookstore her freshman year started Stephanie Sansoucy ’16 on her path towards a passion for journalism. Carrying a stack of books without a book bag, Sansoucy was identified as a freshman immediately and was asked to have her picture taken for The Appalachian, the student newspaper. It was through this photographer that she learned she could write for the newspaper.
Choosing to major in journalism, Sansoucy jumped right into her passion, starting on the news desk and, by her sophomore year, achieving the position of news editor. This experience would serve as a worthy introduction to the journalism courses she would take.
“When I got into the major courses, I already had some background,” Sansoucy remarked. But she insists that the program is designed so that it doesn’t bore those already familiar with journalism.
The classroom is treated like a newsroom and professors assume both a teacher role and an editor role, Sansoucy explained.
“The degree is set up so that you get experience behind the camera and in design,” Sansoucy said. Classes geared towards multi-media storytelling gave Sansoucy a diverse education by teaching her how to use the Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop and Light Room, and how to use a digital camera to take effective journalistic photos and how to frame them properly.
Additionally, a faculty-led study abroad to Paris gave her the opportunity to visit the Associated Press Bureau where Sansoucy and her peers learned valuable interview skills by conducting interviews with the journalists.
“The skills I’ve learned through journalism can translate into multiple areas of communication,” Sansoucy said. “I feel like I’m prepared for whatever.”
After graduation, Sansoucy started her career in Raleigh as a communications manager for a church and later became a public relations coordinator for Koroberi Inc. She has since returned to Appalachian to work as a communications specialist for Food Services, coordinating social media and other media platforms.