Dr. Jennifer Jackl is a professor at The University of Wisconsin-Superior. Jackl focuses on communication within and around interpersonal and family relationships. “I declared communication as my major and the rest is history,” said Jackl.

In 2005, Jackl graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in public relations and creative writing, at The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. “UW-La Crosse was wonderful. I started as a student in 2001, 18 years old straight out of high school,” said Jackl.

“It all boiled down to the connections and relationships I was building,” added Jackl.

Jackl knew she was going to college, but it was only a matter of where. “I finally made the decision to go to UW-La Crosse. . . it was about five hours from home which was far enough away to be inconvenient, but not too far away that I couldn’t get home if I desperately needed to,” said Jackl.

In 2013, Jackl applied to graduate school, and attended The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, working as a teaching assistant, she graduated with a Master of Arts degree in interpersonal communications. “It was huge. This campus goes for days,” said Jackl.

She felt like she was on the right path to what she wanted to do and who she wanted to be. “It all clicked. I am in the right place, studying the right thing, and working towards exactly what I want. I want to do this thing, in this room, with these people, for the rest of my life,” said Jackl.

Jackl also attended the University of Iowa where she later worked to get her P.h.D. in interpersonal communications, and was also a teaching assistant there, too. “It was the best four years… if I could go back to a phase in life, I would pick the four years I was at Iowa,” said Jackl.

“It feels really great to be back in the UW-System, back in Wisconsin, and to be the college professor I always hoped I could be,” added Jackl. Jackl has learned the balance between being excellent, and being excellent where she belongs.

“I have a really hard not succeeding. I am a perfectionist at heart. I don’t like failure… I have some competitiveness… that put me in position to be spinning way too many plates.
at the same time,” added Jackl. Saying no has allowed Jackl to say yes and do the things she should be doing that align with what she truly wants to achieve.

“I am not done yet… I am still learning… I am still growing,” said Jackl.