Stefon Greene ’14 is, at his core, a storyteller. Since his days as a student at Le Moyne, he has been moved by the power of a story to teach, to inspire, and to entertain in ways that other mediums simply cannot. The story informs people. It binds them to one another. To that end, Greene has embraced storytelling as a way to shape public discourse and give back to the community.
A communication major on the Heights, Greene traveled with Professor of Communication Michael Streissguth and several classmates to Quito, Ecuador, where they created
Hopeful Girl, a documentary that tells the story a young Ecuadorian student named Natalia whose academic promise may alter her role in society. The experience taught Greene that he wants to tell stories that are “dramatic and emotional” and reflect the human experience. Hopeful Girl was screened at the 2015 Ignatian Family Teach In in Washington, D.C.
Greene recently
created a short video that chronicled his experience working on the documentary.
Today Greene is an associate producer at WCNY Public Broadcasting, where his responsibilities include working on the community affairs shows Insight and Connect: NY, as well as special programs, including the regional competition leading up to the National Spelling Bee. On a typical day he may be found booking guests, editing footage, conducting research for an upcoming show or out in the field filming. Among the issues he recently tackled on Insight were the proposed merger between Onondaga County and the City of Syracuse and the opening of a new Native American Cultural Center. These are topics Greene feels it is important for people to be educated about, and the show’s 30-minute format allows him the space to delve deeply into them.
Greene’s ultimate professional goal, he said, is to tell stories that make his audience "think and feel" and to grow and evolve as a professional. He said that he draws every day on the lessons that were taught to him at Le Moyne, including how critical it is to be a lifelong learner, particularly in a field that is as competitive and ever-changing as his.
“I always want things to be impactful,” he said. “Once you are finished with something, then it becomes a part of history. It is important for people to remember where we came from and how that has impacted us. I hope one day to teach students either directly or through my work and, in that way, to leave a legacy.”
Learn More:
Communications & Film Studies at Le Moyne
Request More Information