DATE: March 20, 2008

CONTACT: Wanda Johnson-Stokes, (864) 656-3038
wj@clemson.edu

WRITER: Angela Nixon, (864) 656-0382
anixon@clemson.edu

Clemson hires broadcast public information director

CLEMSON – Clemson University has hired Wanda Johnson-Stokes as its new broadcast director for public information in the office of News Services.

Johnson-Stokes previously worked as the public information manager for the City of Greenville, where she managed the city’s cable access channel, media relations and internal and external communications. She brings to Clemson more than 23 years of experience in the broadcast industry. 

She accepted the job as executive news producer for WHNS-TV in 1999 where she worked six years before taking the job with the City of Greenville. Prior to working for WHNS, she worked as senior producer for NBC affiliate WCNC-TV in Charlotte. She got her start in broadcast news at WCSC-TV in Charleston, and also has worked for SCETV in Columbia and WSPA-TV in Spartanburg.

Johnson-Stokes says she’s come full circle with the job at Clemson.

“I’ve always wanted to work on a college campus. College is where I caught the fever to work in TV news. I worked in the audio-visual department as a student at Charleston Southern University and realized the impact of show and tell. Sometimes we really do need to see it to believe it,” she said.

She also notes how fitting it is to work at Clemson.

“I remember telling one of the main news anchors in Charlotte that I’d like to do what I do at a college because the spirit of learning and teaching is always fresh and alive. My friend probably doesn’t remember talking about that, but I’m sure she and her father will be pleased to know I’m working for one of the finest universities in the country,” she said. “You see my friend, the anchor, is Sonja Gantt, and her dad is Clemson’s first African-American student, Harvey Gantt.”

Johnson-Stokes says her experience in broadcast news has taught her many lessons about people and what moves them. She says her goal at Clemson is to continue generating and producing stories that matter.

“I think the standard should always remain the same,” said Johnson-Stokes. “I believe our stories should reflect Clemson’s values, purposes and contributions as these are the founding principles and attributes of the university.”

Johnson-Stokes is a native of Woodruff and mother of two daughters: Emily, 13, and Lelia, 9.

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