The Department of Communication's "Graduate Spotlight" for the month of November is Jackson Treece.

Name: Jackson Treece

Hometown: Carbondale, Illinois

Classification: Second-year graduate student in the Department of Communication

B.S.: sports management with a minor in business from the University of Arkansas

Why did you attend the University of Arkansas: I wanted a new environment where I could feel at home, and receive a high discount on out of state tuition!

Career Ambition: Working in a communication department for a professional sports team; team operations and scouting; or working for a college athletic department.

Fun Fact: Treece has busted his lips twice, and remains with an unfixed broken finger.

Who is he?
Treece is a second-year graduate student in the Department of Communication with a focus in mass communication. He holds a graduate assistantship with the Department of Communication, teaches Public Speaking, and assists in Film Lecture.

What does he want to do?
After graduation Treece hopes to get a job in the sports field. His interest in sports sparked once he became involved as a kid and continued throughout his high school career. Treece shared his favorite three sports are "football, baseball, and basketball." His ultimate career ambition would be to land a job in Phoenix, Arizona, because he enjoys the consistently sunny weather. He added, "If I had a choice, I would want to work for the Tampa Bay Rays or the Arizona Diamondbacks."

How has he been influenced?
Treece said there are two teachers who have given him the most inspiration and they are professor Ron Warren and Tom Frentz. He said that he has had involvement and mentorship from both professors and admires how knowledgeable and personable they both are. He also said, with a smirk, how grateful he is to be under the guidance of both and credits his advanced writing skills to them.

Advice for future communication majors?
Treece wants all communication majors to know that, "During the process you will be challenged, you will question if you have what it takes, but just know you can not only grow as an individual — but as a mature adult that will be successful, as long as you try."