News
Beyond Ben Lippen: Sumner Moorer, ’18
Sumner Moorer has been busy since graduating from Ben Lippen in 2018. As a Communications major at Newberry College, she had the opportunity to intern with the Department of Corrections Communications Division where she worked closely with the media. She has “always loved watching the news, but most importantly- writing,” and during college became more interested in the “interviewing process and the daily life of journalists.” While attending a spring media career fair, Sumner became acquainted with Fox Carolina and said she never looked back.
As a producer and digital writer, Sumner enjoys busy days at FOX where she plays a significant part in each step of the news. In the morning she spends time “stacking the show” which means she picks which stories should run that day and in which order. Then she writes scripts for the news anchors, and at the end of the day has the responsibility to “booth,” or conduct, the show from the control room. Other exciting opportunities Sumner has at FOX include handling breaking news for the digital team on the weekends, reporting stories on social media, and writing her own stories for the morning show. When asked to share a memorable experience on the news, Sumner shared about the time a boa constrictor was in the studio. She said that although her “worst fear in the whole world is a snake,” she was instructed to get video that put her alarmingly close to the reptile. Such is life in the news business!
All this experience will hopefully help Sumner achieve her goal of becoming an anchor. Growing up she remembers watching television and wanting “to be just like them.” While making this goal a reality will certainly take a lot of hard work, she is up for the challenge.
Not only does this budding journalist use her creativity in the news arena, but she is also a musician who writes most of her own songs. Inspiration comes from many places, whether “heartbreak” or a “fun day on the lake.” Sumner has already released an album Stories from the South (available on Spotify and iTunes) and is working toward her second. The newsroom is where her focus is now, but she still plays her guitar daily and looks forward to performing again soon in Greenville as the days get warmer.
Sumner is grateful for the teachers that poured into her at Ben Lippen and loved her time here. Specifically, Sumner appreciates how Mrs. Cox helped her “grow into an efficient yet think-outside-the-box writer.” On the creative side, she shared that Mr. Essig taught her almost everything she knows about the guitar. Sumner is applying the skills that she began to develop in high school, and we look forward to seeing her at the anchor desk and gracing album covers in the future!
We want to hear what you are doing Beyond Ben Lippen! Contact alumnibls@benlippen.com or on our webpage https://www.benlippen.com/alumni/update-us/ to share your story!