On-Campus Training Prepares Alumna for
Television Career
As a child, Stefany Steinman-Nonnenmacher
’95SVC spent hours creating make-believe radio shows with her
family, using only a tape recorder. Later, she also dreamed of
becoming a weather forecaster.
Today, she is responsible for transmitting
television signals throughout the country as a Satellite and
Transmission Operator for Bloomberg Television.
Stefany majored in
Communication Arts at St. John’s University and received the
technical and theoretical training she needed for broadcasting
success at the University’s renowned
Television Center.
Before Stefany began her first semester at the
University, her brother had a chance meeting with a member of the
Television Club. He was attending a tennis match in Forest
Hills, NY, when he noticed the St. John’s logo on equipment the
young woman was using to videotape the event. Introducing himself,
he mentioned that his sister was interested in joining the
group.
“She told him, I should stop by,” said
Stefany. That invitation reflected the supportive atmosphere in the
club. “I was just accepted from the moment I got there.”
Describing herself as innately “technical,”
Stefany joined the Television Club as a freshman. She quickly
immersed herself in every aspect of production. “I knew I could
touch all the equipment as soon as I walked in the door,” she
said.
She gained experience in front of and behind
the camera. Although she preferred working behind the scenes, she
co-hosted “Redmen Previews,” a regular segment spotlighting the
latest films, on the student-produced “Redmen Magazine.” The
televised program was seen internally at St. John’s and on public
access television.
Stefany put those skills to work in her senior
year. Enrolling in a student video competition, she produced a
documentary, entitled Coney Island: 100 Years of
Amusement, about the neighborhood where she was raised. “It
really was a labor of love,” she said, adding that she was
responsible for all the creative work — writing, shooting and
editing. She remains proud that her entry won the Creative Editing
Award.
Like many Television Club alumni, Stefany
interned as an undergraduate. “A fellow St. John’s graduate and I
both interned at Studio 51/New York Life Insurance Company,” she
said. “They gave me access to the equipment and showed me how to
use it.” Since then, Stefany has worked on a free-lance and
full-time basis for companies such as Court TV, CNBC, NBC Universal
and the MLB Network (major league baseball).
Remaining true to her technical roots
throughout her career, Stefany specialized in satellite operations
and transmission — her current focus at Bloomberg Television. Her
department is responsible for bringing in transmissions from
sources such as satellite feeds and fiber optic systems, along with
quality control and troubleshooting. She strives to keep current
with the continual technological changes in her field.
To excel in the field, Stefany said, recent
graduates need to focus on networking and developing a solid
reputation among their peers. For example, a fellow St. John’s
alumna helped Stefany secure her job at Bloomberg Television: “She
trusted me. She knew who I was and my background.”
Recalling her days with the Television Club,
Stefany called it a special community. “We lived and breathed it.
Whenever we weren’t in class, we were there.” Stefany tried to be
as welcoming to new members as her predecessors had been to her.
“If someone was standing around, you’d grab them and show them
something.”
Ultimately, she added, “I’m proud of my
career. And I’m grateful to my fellow St. John’s alumni for their
support. I wouldn’t be where I am without them.”