SHSJC Alum Produces Shows/Co-Founds Online Magazine

Stephanie Sutton, Scripps Howard School of Journalism and Communications (SHSJC) Class of ’08, fondly recalls spending many late evenings at the school working on projects for hours with "amazingly creative people." She laughs, "Nowadays, [the projects] would take me only an hour or so to finish."

Sutton, a former Broadcast Journalism major, is now a Reporter/Producer for Cox Communications Channel 11 as well as Co-Founder & Executive Editor of OliveCocoMag.com. Attending SHSJC, she says, really inspired her and opened her eyes to endless possibilities. “I always knew I wanted to work in television and attending SHSJC definitely taught me that in this field, anything can happen.”

Sutton was proactive in defining her future and took the steps necessary to position herself as the perfect new hire when she began looking for work after graduation. She completed internships in NASA Langley’s PR department, Entertainment Tonight in New York City and VBTV in Virginia Beach where she acquired solid camera reporting and producing experience. Sutton later contacted the station manager at Cox after seeing a show that sparked her interest. Though she was well prepared for the interview, a positive recommendation from her mentor, Prof. Chris Leonard, made an impact, and she was soon offered a position as a producer.

Helping to start OliveCoco - an online magazine for women of color - is just another vehicle in which Sutton displays the production skills learned at SHSJC. “I think programs like CBE (Center for Broadcast Excellence) … helped me explore my creativity and challenge myself.” She enjoys reporting and doing live streams of celebrity events, conducting interviews and producing her own segments. "Everything has been a journey!" she says, adding, "Wouldn't trade it for the world!" Sutton's advises students who share her passion and are considering following her path to never "give up on something you can't go a day without thinking about!"

According to its website, OliveCoco is "the fastest growing online magazine for every tone of woman" and is the "definitive online magazine for women of color between the ages of 18-49." The magazine reports on topics related to women of every heritage, including "African, European, Alaska Native, American Indian, Asian, Hispanic, Latina and Pacific Island heritage." OliveCoco launched September, 2010.