Heather Jackson, an instructor in the Department of Communication and Media Studies, has been a Southeastern Lion for as long as she can remember. From growing up half a mile down the road and attending the laboratory school as a child, to now teaching at the university that shaped her into the woman she is today.
Jackson teaches various communications classes, including COMM 2570 Introduction to TV production, COMM 3630 Televised Reporting, COMM 4980 Senior Capstone and a dual-enrollment version of COMM 2570.
Although she teaches many different courses, Jackson said, “I really don’t have a favorite. I enjoy all my classes because each class has something special to offer. It’s all just another opportunity for me to get students out of their shell and help them find ways to showcase their creativity.”
As new students rotate through her classes, she has the chance to help showcase their growth. By taking different varieties of her communications courses, students can gain hands-on experience and skills through her class assignments.
Throughout all her work with students across the department, she said, “I feel like I can give back to others what Southeastern has given to me.”
What she loves most about working with students is helping them see their true potential. Her goal by the end of each semester is to teach her students not only the skills they need for the future but also how not to get in their own way of their success.
“I am most proud of watching the progress of students from their first project to their last,” Jackson said.
In Louisiana, only 37% of college instructors are women. Being a woman in academia for Jackson means that she wants “to be an inspiration to others.”
In the future, she aims to continue working effortlessly to increase enrollment and keep growing the department, particularly by implementing mentorship programs and outreach initiatives to encourage more women to pursue careers in academia. She said, “I am so proud of the department we have on campus, and I am really lucky and honored to be a part of it.”
