From professional supervisors and peers:

"Professor Thornberry's professional background in feature writing and editing and her work at a community newspaper coupled with her master's degree in journalism help give her command of the subject matter." - from Promotion and Tenure Committee Evaluation

"Class objectives were clear, materials were introduced effectively, the plan for the class was clear and there was evidence of closure which summarized the objectives." - from peer observation of a class session.

"I like the fact that Ms. Thornberry takes comments from past student reviews and uses them to improve her teaching content and style." - from department chair's evaluation

"The other half of her time is devoted to advising The Milestone [yearbook] and its staff. ... The book arrived on campus in the fall of 2009 and is quite impressive. This attests to Ms. Thornberry's ability to organize and lead the staff and to complete the task of getting the book designed and printed." - from department chair's evaluation

Jennifer is “talented, hard-working and a nice person.” - former editor of the Richmond Register

“Jennifer is very professional, self-motivated and always positive about her work.” - editor of the Winchester Sun

From students:

"Professor Thornberry does a thorough job of explaining methods and concepts used in the area of feature writing. She explains it in such a way that all majors can find something useful." - from fall 2008 class evaluation

"Professor Thornberry was always timely in returning grades. She was also more informative in explaining my mistakes clearly to me when I would receive my work back. She was the most helpful professor I have had since I started college two years ago." - from fall 2008 class evaluation

"Very nice instructor, took a personal interest in students. Even though it was an online course she encouraged personal interaction as much as possible. I hated interviewing people but I still enjoyed this class. I learned a lot, not just about the course but about interacting with people and I got to experience what journalists have to go through and I have a great respect for them now." - from spring 2009 class evaluation

"I really liked the way she graded. It was constructive criticism. She didn’t do it in a way that made you feel like she was attacking your writing style and she always had something positive to say about your work." - from fall 2008 class evaluation

"We did all the articles as if we were a reporter. We had to follow all the laws and rules of a real journalist. It was good to prepare us for real-world work." - from spring 2009 class evaluation

"I found it helpful when she gave us actual examples of both what we were learning and what we were supposed to do. I also appreciated the constructive critiques, both from her and my peers." - from spring 2009 class evaluation

Skills:

Organization and project management. I can manage all aspects of a project – including planning assignments, researching and requesting information, working with writers and photographers on story development, setting deadlines, editing stories, making photography decisions, designing pages, proofing pages and preparing pages for printing.

Editing. My above-average spelling and grammar skills serve me — and the publications I have worked for — in producing a product that is made to the highest standard possible. I edit stories to adhere to Associated Press Style. I enjoy helping writers improve their stories for brevity, clarity, organization and structure.

Page design. I have designed several formats, including tabloid, broadsheet and glossy. I think in terms of the total editorial package — not just the textual elements of a story, but also the visual elements. Good photography will set off any story, and I work well with photographers to convey what the story needs.

Writing. While the majority of my writing experience has been feature writing for newspapers and magazines, I also can write in news style or turn my abilities to other formats. In any format, I write for brevity, clarity, fairness and accuracy.

Technical skills. I am well-versed in both QuarkXPress and Photoshop, and I am familiar with many word processing programs. I work equally well on a Macintosh or a PC, and I learn quickly on most any software program. I extensively utilize the online Blackboard program in teaching my courses. I have also maintained several company Web sites, which have involved placing text and uploading photos through a software interface. I have also learned basic HTML programming for this Web site and basic video editing using Final Cut Express and Windows Movie Maker.

Qualities and Attributes:

Teamwork. I can lead a team and work with others effectively, and I understand that a team works best when everyone works together in harmony to produce the best possible product.

Constant improvement Not only do I consistently look for ways to upgrade and improve my own skills, but I also upgrade the content and design of every publication I handle, and I give feedback and encouragement to others who want to improve their skills.

Positive workplace I bring a positive attitude to my work and my workplace. I have made workplaces better by suggesting and implementing fair policies and giving my co-workers the advice and support they need to get the job done. I am not only able to supervise others, but I also accept supervision well and carry out my duties willingly.

In summary, I am an outward-focused, detail-oriented, objective, decision-maker. I am good at both talking to and listening to people and utilizing strengths to make a strong team. If there is a plan to be carried out or a deadline to be met, I am the best type of person because of my ability to coordinate the many details of a project. I like to design, talk, write and ultimately, improve my own abilities and help others improve theirs.