Stacey Plaisance Jenkins, BA 1998

Multimedia Journalist, Associated Press

A 1998 grad with a degree in Liberal Arts with a concentration in Journalism, Stacey got her start as a print reporter with the Associated Press in 1999. But as the digital age took shape, her job training and responsibilities expanded to include video production. Stacey’s primary role at AP is shooting, editing and producing video news stories for television and online clients across the globe, and the audio is used by AP radio service clients across the globe.

Plaisance and camera

Learn more about Stacey:

Why did you choose to attend Southeastern?

Honestly, it was affordable, close enough to New Orleans that I could still visit friends and family on weekends, but most importantly, Southeastern offered me a paying job at the college newspaper, The Lion’s Roar, upon my being accepted. LSU didn’t offer paid positions for incoming freshmen at their newspaper. I checked! But I did have previous reporting experience, both with my high school newspaper and the community section of The Times-Picayune.

Is there one thing or iconic place on campus that reminds you of your time spent at Southeastern?

Hands-down the newspaper office under the bleachers at Strawberry Stadium is the most iconic place for probably any student who worked for The Lion’s Roar or the Le Souvenir yearbook. Offices for both publications were located in the stadium, and countless sleepless nights were spent there working under deadline to get stories written and the newspaper published. Back then, we had a light table where the pages were laid out and stories and photos manually “glued” with a spray glue to the spreadsheets and then delivered to the office of the Hammond newspaper, The Daily Star, where it was published.

Did a Southeastern professor inspire you? Who was that and how was that person inspirational?

This will hands-down be Dr. Joe Mirando! He was that teacher who challenged me and many of us to be better, do better. Every day the school newspapers hit newsstands around campus, Dr. Mirando was not without the occasional compliment, but he was more known to point out – to the entire journalism class – what we did wrong or could have done better. There was no room for “feelings” in his classroom. You can check your feelings at the door. This is the news business, and he taught us to put feelings aside, do what we think is right, even when it’s hard, and for God’s sake tell the story and tell it right. Nobody pushed me like he did, and I’m all the better for it.

How did your Southeastern degree prepare you for success in your career?

My degree and the professors, teachers and leaders in the field at Southeastern all contributed to my successful career by giving me that early, hands-on experience in conducting interviews, building my confidence to go on and interview famous people and people in positions of power without being intimidated. My college experience also made me more excited about my field – more willing to learn, eventually leading to me expanding my journalism interest from just print and radio to video and television.

What unexpected experience or event has shaped and/or influenced your current professional life?

Hurricane Katrina certainly changed the trajectory of my career. I was on a print-based path before Katrina, but when the storm’s destruction brought so much world-wide attention to New Orleans, the AP offered me the opportunity for training in video journalism. I jumped at the opportunity and haven’t looked back.

Has something about your Southeastern education surprised you since graduating?

I guess the only thing about my education is that I wasn’t sure what kind of job I’d get after college – how long I’d make it in the business – but the roots instilled at Southeastern have allowed me to flourish for decades in this industry.

What advice would you give to a driven college student about to enter the "real world"?

The only thing that’s consistent is change, so be willing to adapt. This industry isn’t the same as it was when I was in college, but I’ve allowed myself to grow and change with it. That’s how you make it in this business and probably most others

What advice should they ignore?

That journalists are the enemy of the people. Those who do their jobs accurately and well are public servants, vital public servants.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

I love spending time with my family in New Orleans and the surrounding area. Whether we’re walking nature trails or walking the French Quarter, I’m grateful to have the family I do and live in the thick of this beautifully flawed city.

Do you have a fun or interesting fact that you would like to share about yourself?

Just that I believe in leaving this world a better place. That’s one of the reasons why my husband and I bought a more than century-old historic New Orleans home. We knew it was going to be a lifelong labor of love to renovate and maintain, but we’re in the thick of renovating now and can’t wait to see this beautiful old gal shine bright again. Our little way of preserving a piece of the history of the city we love and call home.