Jordan Hensley worked for the East Tennessean in many roles: Arts and entertainment reporter (2015-16), social media editor (2016), and news editor (2016-17). She graduated from the ETSU in 2017 with a degree from the Department of Media and Communication, where she concentrated in journalism.
After graduation Jordan began reporting at the Hickory Daily Record in Hickory, North Carolina, where she worked from July 2017 to October 2019.
Now she works at The State Journal newspaper in Frankfort, Kentucky, as a city government and investigative reporter covering city meetings, courts, crime and more.
We asked Jordan about her career and how working for the East Tennessean prepared her for it.
Q: What do you enjoy about your job?
A: I’ve covered government meetings before, but this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to do that full time, and I’m enjoying it. I like seeing how local government works. People in Frankfort really care about local elections and local government, and that enthusiasm is contagious. Overall, I love being a reporter. It is a privilege to tell other people’s stories.
Q: How did the East Tennessean prepare you for your current role?
A: The ET gave me the opportunity to explore different beats and find where I thrive. The ET is a great place to try and fail and grow as a writer. Being news editor was so much fun and taught me so much about myself as a writer and what it means to be a leader in a newsroom. I have a feeling I’ll be an editor again one day. My only regret is that I didn’t join the newspaper staff until fall of my junior year.
