Jena Martin
Jena Martin (B.I.S. ’25) made her way to Georgia State to pursue a degree in film. Though her major changed, her focus on leadership and community hasn’t.
Interview by Zohra Basmadjian
Tell me a bit about yourself and why you chose Georgia State.
I was raised in Kankakee, Ill., and Tuscaloosa, Ala., and I got my bachelor’s degree in media entrepreneurship this spring.
I applied to colleges during the pandemic, so it was difficult figuring out where I wanted to go. I ended up coming across Georgia State. At the time, I was interested in film, and I thought GSU would be perfect for that. I investigated the school more and ended up applying. I was accepted into the school and the Honors College.
How did you decide to change your major?
I wanted to go into the arts and media field, but I wanted to have a bit of a business background. My adviser recommended media entrepreneurship to me when I was a first-year student. I looked into the program and took a class to see how I would like it and ended up changing my major. I liked the well-roundedness of it and how it had a business foundation.
What organizations have you been a part of at Georgia State?
I am an alum of the Zeta Tau Alpha (ZTA) sorority, and served on the ZTA and Panhellenic executive boards.
I also worked for the Honors College through the University Assistantship Program. Through that, I was an Honors ambassador. I was also a resident assistant, which was a great way for me to get involved and make connections with students.
How has GSU helped you achieve your educational goals?
GSU has allowed me to become a leader and taught me how to be confident and solve work conflict. There are a lot of opportunities for leadership and professional development here.
What are your plans after graduation?
This summer, I plan to intern in student affairs at the University of Tennessee. I have a lot of experience working with students and I love working with them. I’m excited to continue doing that.
This August, I will be returning to Disney and will be doing their college program. I’m hoping to take both my experience working with students and in the media field and combine them to succeed in my endeavors.
Tell me more about your experience with Disney.
I moved to Orlando, Fla., and lived on property at Disney World, working at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park at DinoLand U.S.A.
I was a cast member there and did merchandise. I also took classes through the Disney Programs Office. They had a lot of leadership classes and professional development opportunities, such as LinkedIn workshops, resume workshops and Q&As with hiring directors.
What advice do you have for GSU students?
Take advantage of the opportunities here. There are a lot of things GSU offers that you probably won’t get to experience after graduation. I also recommend doing the Panther LEAP program, which is the training course through University Housing. I took that as a first-year and it opened my eyes to different perspectives and how to be a good leader.
What were your biggest accomplishments at GSU?
I was awarded the Marlene Conrad Dunbar Endowed Scholarship through my sorority two times. It’s a national scholarship that I got based on my grades and my leadership in the chapter.
In what way do you hope to impact the world?
From the lessons I learned while I lived at Disney’s Animal Kingdom and the conservation efforts that they taught me, I hope to continue to spread those through my community and volunteer to make a difference in our environment and in animals’ lives.
