Robin Newton’s ’07 time at Elon led her to both the Republican and Democratic National Conventions on behalf of C-SPAN.
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A communications career was always in the cards for Robin Newton ’07. But first, Newton wanted to attend a small college with a robust communications program and an active campus community. When her mom researched colleges using those criteria, Elon appeared. It was the perfect fit.
She wasted no time getting involved in the community she sought out.
“While at Elon, I was a student ambassador, copy editor for The Pendulum newspaper, an executive board member of the Black Cultural Society (now the Black Student Union), a DJ for WSOE and a member of the Elon Gospel Choir. I can’t sing, but they took me anyway,” Newton said. “I also pledged Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. my senior year.” She loved campus traditions like the Black Excellence Awards dinner, which always brought her family to campus.
Newton was also a broadcast communications major, practically living in the McEwen Communications Building and editing labs.
“One of the most challenging, yet rewarding, classes at Elon was a communications writing course,” she said. “Every day, we were assigned a different newspaper to read, and then we were quizzed on any content from our reading. Little did I know, staying on top of news and current events would become a necessity for my professional career.”
Even with all this experience, Newton’s post-grad transition was not ideal. Since she graduated during the financial crisis, jobs were hard to come by, and uncertainty was high. However, her unexpected time living at home and working a seasonal job at Kings Dominion did not last long.
“Within three months, I moved to Washington, D.C., started a job at WTOP News, and enrolled in graduate school at Trinity Washington University,” she said. “Looking back on it, I’m so glad I went home for those three months. That’s time I’ll never get back with my family, and I’m thankful for it now.”
After receiving her master’s in communications and working in local news for eight years, Newton was ready to venture into national news. She joined C-SPAN in 2015 as a media relations specialist, where she’s responsible for getting the word out to journalists, Capitol Hill press secretaries and the public about all matters C-SPAN. This position has proved fruitful for Newton.
“The most rewarding parts of my career are the people I’ve had the opportunity to meet and the places I’ve had the opportunity to go,” she said. “With C-SPAN, I’ve been in rooms I’ve dreamt of and traveled to many cities and towns around the country, some for the first time.”
Those travels included the Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention this summer. There, Newton was responsible for recording video testimonials from attendees for C-SPAN’s Voices 2024 campaign.
“C-SPAN’s skybox was full each night with special guests from cable affiliates and reporters to former C-SPAN employees and interns,” she said. “I enjoyed meeting so many new people and reconnecting with others I hadn’t seen in years.”
Newton’s career has not been without its challenges, the greatest being the long days.
“News is constant, and although I have normal working hours, anything can happen at any time which requires my team’s attention,” she said.
Luckily, she was well prepared for her career, thanks to Elon.
“Writing and public speaking are major components of my job, which I did a lot of at Elon,” said Newton. “Much of the skill-based knowledge that I learned in my communications classes I am still using today.”
She recommends that current students similarly take advantage of the core Elon Experiences.
“Do an internship and go the extra mile,” she advised. “I interned at BET the summer after my freshman and sophomore years. Then, the summer after my junior year, I stayed on campus and did the Summer Undergraduate Research Experience program. Having both of those on my resume and stellar professional references helped me land my first job in news.”