Retis Receives Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award
Original story can be found at https://sbs.arizona.edu/news/seven-sbs-faculty-receive-2025-university-distinguished-faculty-awards
Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Award
The Graduate Teaching and Mentoring Awards are the highest honor presented by the Graduate College in recognition of faculty who excel in their teaching and mentoring of graduate and professional students. Awardees are recognized for their long-standing commitment to excellence in graduate education, including mentoring, professional development, and a dedication to creating a learning environment in which all graduate students thrive.
Jessica Retis, Professor, School of Journalism
In their letter of nomination, journalism faculty and staff praised Jessica Retis, professor in the School of Journalism, for her wide-reaching impact.
“Through her visionary leadership, commitment to multilingual and multicultural education, and a mentorship style that is both rigorous and compassionate, Dr. Retis has profoundly shaped the academic and professional trajectories of countless graduate students,” wrote Kendal Blust, associate director of the School of Journalism, and Jesse Tellez, outreach coordinator. “Her work has not only elevated the field of journalism but redefined what inclusive, impactful graduate education can look like.”
Retis served as director of the School of Journalism from 2022-2025 and currently directs the school's Master's in Bilingual Journalism program — the first graduate program of its kind in the country. Her work focuses on bilingual journalism education, Latinx media, and transnational migration. Retis has been recognized at the U of A with awards for outstanding mentorship and inclusive excellence. Retis’ past U of A awards include being named a 2021 CUES Distinguished Fellow, for her research project, “Bilingual Journalism Education in the United States: Development, Implementation and Assessment.”
Retis is recognized for her longstanding commitment to graduate education as an educator and mentor, helping students in produce original work that engages with urgent social issues and elevates underrepresented voices.
“The letter of support from 16 current and former graduate students in Dr. Retis’ nomination packet were profoundly moving and demonstrated the lasting impact she has had on these students,” wrote Kirsten Limesand, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Graduate College. “Her contributions to graduate student teaching and mentoring truly embody the goals of the Graduate College.”
Retis’ students describe her as a dedicated mentor whose support has shaped their growth, confidence, and sense of belonging in bilingual and bicultural journalism.
“As a recent graduate of the Master in Bilingual Journalism program, I can personally speak to the transformative impact of the program she founded and continues to lead with extraordinary vision, integrity, and commitment,” wrote Dawn Page, a student in the Master’s in Bilingual Journalism program. “Thanks to her leadership, I left the program feeling ready for the next chapter in my career — and most importantly, reminded me of why this work matters and to continue elevating Latine voices in mainstream media.”