Her Story
About Jennifer
Jennifer Duncan serves as an Associate Professor of English at Georgia State University. Her career path began with aspirations of becoming a lawyer, but a pivotal conversation with a professor at the University of South Carolina led her to pursue English literature instead. After completing her bachelor's and master's degrees there, she started at Chattanooga State Technical Community College before transitioning to fully online instruction at what is now Georgia State University, where she has honed her expertise in online pedagogy and course design over the past 15 years. She is a member of the Two-Year College English Association Southeast and the Online Learning Consortium. Beyond her professional work, Duncan volunteers with the RISE UP! after-school program for character education development in the metro Atlanta area. She attributes her success to God's blessing and the people who have poured into her life, emphasizing values of integrity, dependability, hard work, kindness, compassion, and grace rooted in her faith as a follower of Christ.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jennifer
01What do you attribute your success to?
My success is a result of God's blessing on my life and the people who have been willing to pour into me. I take the good from situations I encounter and leave behind things that won't make my life or someone else's better.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be patient with yourself and be kind to yourself. You can't have everything, but you can have the things that matter, so prioritize what matters and pour your time into those things. Kindness doesn't cost extra.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is shifting education from a transactional experience focused on diplomas and jobs to valuing education beyond employment skills. We need to focus on why what we do in the classroom matters and why each student matters, helping them see how it fits into their bigger life plan.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My faith as a follower of Christ is most important, and I need to represent that well in family, community, and job. This leads to integrity, being dependable, hardworking, kind, compassionate, and showing grace because I have been given grace. Work and personal life cannot be separated.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.