Jena Heath, Associate Dean Arts & Humanities, Prof. Journalism & Digital Media, Coordinator Journalism and Digital Media minor and Program Director Digital Storytelling and Content Creation major.
Professor Heath spent 20 years in newsrooms as a reporter and editor before joining the St. Edward's University faculty in 2008. As a reporter, she covered cops, courts, local and state government and the 2000 Bush campaign and White House. As an editor, she supervised teams of education reporters at two Texas newspapers, covering public schools and higher education. Journalism and Digital Media students at St. Edward's analyze and think critically about the news. They also learn to report and produce stories for today's digital newsrooms. Professor Heath helps students learn professional skills and secure internships, jobs post- graduation and admission to elite graduate journalism programs. Her research work focuses on oral history and digital storytelling by the Chinese adoption community here at Our China Stories.
St. Edward's University Journalism and Digital Media students are learning highly transferable and in-demand digital skills. They are landing internships and jobs and heading off to the best graduate programs in the country. As important, they are learning to be discerning and engaged news consumers. Join us!
Academic Appointments
- Professor Journalism & Digital Media, Fall 2021
- Associate Dean School of Arts & Humanities, Fall 2018 - current.
- Associate Professor Journalism and Digital Media, Fall 2015.
- Assistant Professor Journalism and Digital Media, Fall 2008 - Spring 2015.
- Journalism and Digital Media Coordinator, Fall 2008 - current.
Languages Spoken
Some French, some Mandarin
- M.S., Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, New York, N.Y., 1989
- A.B., English, Smith College, Northampton, Mass., 1984
Honors and Awards
- 2012-13, University Distinguished Teaching Award Finalist, St. Edward's University
Community Service
- Nominating Committee of the Alumnae Association of Smith College.
- Smith College Alumnae Admissions Coordinator for Austin.
- Volunteer training of Journalism teachers in the Austin Independent School District.
- Helped launch Mandarin Chinese Immersion program at Doss Elementary School, Austin.
Organizations, Boards and Memberships
- Texas Oral History Association, member of the Board of Directors
- Online News Association, member
- College Media Association, member
Articles
- Commentary on the 2020 presidential race, USAToday and the failure of Texas leadership to provide help during the 2021 snow storm, USAToday
- Commentary on the pandemic and remote teaching, Austin American-Statesman, 2020
- Our China Stories, a digital storytelling site and oral history archive for the Chinese adoption community.
- Commentary on the value of oral history, Austin American-Statesman, April 2019
- Delivered paper, “The Most Difficult Story: Covering Suicide on College Campuses,” with co-author Brooke Blanton, at the national conference of the College Media Association, March 2013
- “The Voice of God is Dead,” American Journalism Review, April/May 2012
- Contributor, News Reporting and Writing, Melvin Mencher, various editions
- Contributor, News writing on Deadline, Tony Rogers.
- Contributor, Austin American-Statesman, columns on a range of topics.
Presentations
Presentations on Our China Stories, an oral history and digital storytelling project, at the April 2018 Texas Oral History Association conference at Texas A&M University and the Sixth Biennial Conference for the Alliance of the Study of Adoption and Culture, October 2016, Minneapolis.
Delivered paper, “The Most Difficult Story: Covering Suicide on College Campuses,” with co-author Brooke Blanton, at the research panel of the national conference of the College Media Association, March 2013, and at the national conference, March 2015, NYC.
Class Preparation
- For information about my classes and internships and a look at my syllabi, visit my website.
- St. Edward's University offers a Minor in Journalism & Digital Media and concentrations in JDM in the Literature, Writing and Rhetoric (LWR) and Communication majors. Professor Heath works with students in all majors.
Why I Teach
Humane, intelligent societies have the courage to tell their stories and to read, hear and watch the stories of others. Journalists tell these stories. I teach because I believe in Journalism and because there has never been a time when understanding and practicing it well has been more important. I also like my students a lot.