Turning Pages and Changing Lives: Meet Jenny Masana
Blending advising, teaching, and creative writing to empower online students.
As both an educator and an academic advisor, Jenny Masana is committed to helping adult learners and nontraditional students navigate their unique educational journeys by offering guidance, encouragement, and belief in their potential. Yet outside the classroom and advising office, she channels that same passion for people and their stories into writing fiction novels. In this Q&A, she shares how her vocation and avocation enrich one another, revealing the unexpected ways that advising students and crafting characters draw from the same well of empathy, curiosity, and dedication to supporting others.
What do you find most rewarding about working with adult learners and non-traditional students?
I love the moment when our students realize, “Hey, I CAN do this! I DO have this!” Seeing them realize that their goals are within their reach (and empowering them to keep pressing forward) is so rewarding!
How do you help students navigate challenges like balancing work, family, and education?
I often take on too much myself. I’ve been a full-time advisor, part-time faculty member, part-time student, all while raising a family and writing my second book. I share this with students, so they know I understand their challenges. When students can see themselves in you, they feel more comfortable. Many adult learners try to manage everything and become anxious when they can’t. Being present for them—listening, connecting them with college and community resources, or advising them to take one class instead of two—can make a big difference. We have excellent supports available, and sometimes simply guiding students to tutoring or being a compassionate listener is exactly what they need.
You are also a faculty member. How does that influence your advising?
The great part of being an advisor is I often hear student compliments and concerns about their classes. As I reflect on their experiences – what worked well and what can be better - I use that information to improve my own teaching practice. For example, from student feedback, I’m mindful of the importance of a prompt response time and engaging approaches to assignments. As far as the advising goes, as an instructor, I see firsthand their chief concerns with our processes and policies, and have been able to use those concerns and that feedback to work on improving our processes in advising. We focus on continuous improvement. The direct experience with students makes all the difference.
Can you share about the courses you teach?
I teach Media & Strategic Communication, Writing for Visual Media, and Creative Writing!
I love communication and writing. Teaching those classes and helping students not just find their voice but become comfortable and confident using it is always a highlight—as is when they can use what they’re doing in class directly in their work outside of class!
How do self-described “non-writers” do in your classes?
One of my students took Creative Writing as an elective—not because it was a passion, but because it fit best with her schedule. In the early modules, she was very guarded and insisted she wasn’t a creative person. But as we moved deeper into the material, and as she received feedback from me and from her peers in our workshop heavy class, her confidence began to grow. Her final piece was heartfelt, moving, and incredibly honest. At the end of the course, she shared that she had only been afraid of the challenge of being creative because she was so used to writing analytically and academically. She told me she felt she’d had a safe environment to step out of her shell and explore a different side of herself.
It was a great reminder of why I do what I do and what I love about teaching.
You are a published author. How did you get started with writing, and what role does it play in your life?
I’ve been writing since… well… forever! I love stories, storytelling, and exploring humanity, our world, and issues through stories and writing. I completed a master’s in fine arts in fiction writing and a master’s in project management, focusing on applying project management practices to self-publishing and writing. I never wanted to make a living with writing, because I love it too much to rely on it and risk resenting it. Writing for me is a way to connect with other people, and to explore different perspectives. Writing is a core part of who I am; while I don’t write for profit (though it would be nice to have some profit!) I have been able to meet so many amazing people through writing and have been able to learn so many new things. My love of writing also helps me be a better instructor, because I infuse my passion for the subject matter into my teaching.
Do you find any similarities between creative writing and advising students? How do those experiences complement each other?
For me, writing is about seeing the world differently and exploring what-ifs and if-onlys, as well as telling stories. For me, the best stories are when a character really wants something, and is willing to overcome obstacles to get what they want, even when… or especially when the going gets tough. Advising is about reminding my students about what they want, what they’ll have to overcome, and why it will be worth it to persevere. Additionally, seeing my students (advisees and in the classroom) push themselves to achieve their goals helps keep pushing me by reminding me why I do what I do.
Ready to Share Your Story?
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