You might not think to look for a newspaper editor in the Naveen Jindal School of Management, but Jane Burkhardt, a marketing sophomore, takes over as editor-in-chief of The Mercury, The University of Texas at Dallas’ official student-run newspaper, this fall.
Established in 1980, it had been silent for the past year.
“While The Mercury has experienced a challenging year, I am optimistic about the future of the paper’s presence on campus,” she said. “I am looking forward to engaging with professors, staff, students and organizations to gain a better understanding of what the community wants to see addressed. Ultimately, building these relationships will allow me to serve the UT Dallas community and once again enable our publication to be trusted as the official student-run newspaper on campus.”
From an academic standpoint, Burkhardt is a sophomore, but this will be her first semester at UT Dallas. Having graduated in May from Xavier College Preparatory, a private Catholic high school in Phoenix, she brings 33 dual-enrollment semester-credit hours as well as newsroom leadership to campus, having served as editor of her high school’s student newspaper.
Jenni Huffenberger, senior director for marketing and student media at UT Dallas, serves as mentor for all UTD student media. She said she is eager to help guide the paper into a new era.
“Jane connected with us in the spring, after she’d committed to the university and as she was looking for ways to get involved on campus,” she said. “I’m thrilled to observe as she brings experience, a commitment to truth and excitement for amplifying student-led journalism to the university. I can’t wait to see all she and her team will accomplish.”
As a marketing major, Burkhardt will be able to balance aspects of the profession such as managing image and branding of a product with the core tenets of journalism, which emphasize truth-telling.
“Honesty and transparency are essential aspects of journalism,” she said. “It is my job to seek the truth and write pieces that serve to inform the public. With regard to marketing, my hope is to leverage select principles to extend the paper’s reach and build trust and rapport with existing and new audiences.”
Burkhardt also sees other advantages to being a marketing student while running a newspaper because she will be thinking in terms of target audiences and analytics.
“I am excited to learn more about relationship marketing and the importance of creating, maintaining and enhancing relationships with our readership,” she said. “I plan to do this by reaching out to different organizations, staff and professors at UT Dallas to get an understanding of what they want to see covered. I am excited to implement the elements of a good marketing strategy into my leadership and not only keep relationships with current readers but also extend our target audience.”
Campus life will be busy for Burkhardt, who is also a member of the Comets’ Division II intercollegiate volleyball team. As a student-athlete, first in high school and now at the collegiate level, she said she is held to a high standard that constantly demands discipline, motivation, grit, resilience, and time management.
“Balancing athletics and academics has taught me the importance of giving 100% effort and focus in everything I do,” she said. “My experiences on the court have taught me that pressure is a privilege, and I’ve learned how to perform in high-stress situations. As editor-in-chief, I am looking forward to implementing these core values into my leadership style to ensure constant teamwork and communication.”
Burkhardt said she is excited to further develop her communication, storytelling and research skills through her role as The Mercury’s editor-in-chief and is confident that the two roles, marketing student and newsroom leader, will complement one another.
“I believe that these skills will allow me to successfully lead a team, achieve both short- and long-term goals, track performance metrics and build a successful brand,” she said. “These skills are transferable across many areas of marketing, which motivates me to be intentional with how I approach each task.”
Since Burkhardt is leading a newsroom with students from different years and backgrounds, she recognizes that her staff will bring varying skill levels and perspectives.
“Our diversity will be one of our many strengths, and I look forward to collaborating with staff to ensure their work stands out,” she said. “I plan to set up workshops, gather teaching materials and enlist help from other university professionals to ensure that each staff member will have the opportunity to improve their abilities. As editor-in-chief, I have committed myself to attend every meeting prepared, take accountability for mistakes and attentively listen to the needs of my staff. My consistency, communication and accountability will allow me to build credibility and mutual respect among my staff to create a positive team environment that allows for growth.”
She said she will motivate her staff to see their work not only as student assignments but as portfolio pieces that can help advance their own careers.
“Working in student media for a sizable school like UT Dallas, I am looking forward to opportunities that staff will have to gain real-world experience beyond our newsroom,” she said. “I want to encourage my staff to treat each assignment as a portfolio piece so they have work that they can be proud of to show future employers. To make this happen, I plan to form connections in the media community with local papers that can turn into potential career opportunities. I also look forward to leveraging UTD’s alumni network to provide staff with resources and insights on possible career opportunities after college.”
Burkhardt plans to collaborate with other student media organizations at UT Dallas to connect with new audiences and explore different networks. One way to accomplish this will be to have a strong social media presence across multiple platforms.
“Doing this will keep the UTD community and alumni engaged and updated with all things ‘The Mercury,’” she said. “Showcasing staff’s digital art skills on Instagram and posting polls on Facebook are a few of the many ways I plan to foster engagement across campus.”
Although the idea of stepping into one of the most visible student leadership positions on campus might seem daunting, for Burkhardt, it is a matter of course.
“When recruiters or grad schools see ‘Editor-in-Chief of The Mercury’ on my résumé, I want them to know that when I set my mind to something, I commit to it fully and give it my all,” she said. “I’m not afraid to pursue the truth and lead with integrity to ensure that journalistic excellence is met and stories are covered with fair and balanced reporting. Additionally, I want my technical skills and experience to shine through my work and have a positive impact on The Mercury’s readers.”
She said that when she concludes her term as editor-in-chief, she plans to have built a team culture where the staff feel confident in the work they publish because they have resources, guidance and support.
“Regaining trust and viewership with the UTD community and larger DFW area through the production of high-quality journalism is something I am motivated to achieve,” she said.
