Renee Jackson: Helping students learn how to meet their goals in the real world

		Renee Jackson, assistant professor of merchandising and hospitality management, takes pride in her students' internship and career successes.

Renee Jackson says she doesn't expect her students to leave her class knowing everything. She just expects them to be prepared to deal with real-world situations.

"My goal is to help develop strategists so they can meet their goals," says Jackson, assistant professor of merchandising and hospitality management who coordinates the e-merchandising program at UNT.

Jackson, whose degrees are in fashion design, textile  science and clothing and textiles, joined the UNT faculty in 2000.

She takes pride in her students and invests time and energy in making sure they are successful in both her classroom and the real world. She recently spent time with a student who was working on landing a career-changing internship with jcpenney.com. After seven months of pursuit and phone tag, the student was awarded the internship. Although it was a long and tedious process, Jack-son never stopped encouraging her.

"There is nothing that makes me prouder than seeing a student get an internship doing something they have worked so hard for," Jackson says.

It's from moments like those, when she sees "students get excited about their careers," that Jackson gets her reward for a job well done. She says some of her favorite UNT memories are of commencement ceremonies and the joy of cheering for her students.

Jackson's students appreciate her teaching style because they always know where they stand, explains Tammy Kinley, assistant professor of merchandising and hospitality management.

"A student told me last week that if Dr. Jackson said the answer was ‘No' last week, it is still ‘No' today," Kinley says.

Kinley describes Jackson as a strong member of the merchandising team.

"Working with Dr. Jackson is a real pleasure. I admire her consistency, dependability, honesty and integrity. She expects a lot from her students and they deliver," Kinley says. "She is a wonderful person to know."

When she's not at work, Jackson enjoys reading, sewing and playing with Chase, her poodle. She also enjoys watching computer-animated films because she enjoys "the great advances that have been made in computer animation."

BY MAGAN HENDON kreese@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• KNTU, UNT Observatory named to D Magazine's 'Best of Big D' lists
• Leadership Texas scholarship funds available
• Faculty, staff participants needed for new student mentoring program
• Money earned by interns translates to $1 million for region's economy
• Grant supports UNT initiative to place librarians in border towns
• Student Recreation Center memberships available to faculty, staff for 2004-05
• Walkers, donors needed for 2004 American Heart Walk
• UNT scholarships available for faculty, staff
• Events planned to welcome students back to UNT
• TV networks playing it safe this fall, UNT professor says

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