{"id":12603,"date":"2026-09-01T12:00:24","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T16:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/?p=12603"},"modified":"2026-09-02T09:19:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T13:19:52","slug":"owning-your-stage-sharing-the-spotlight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ww2.georgiasouthern.edu\/news\/magazine\/2026\/09\/01\/owning-your-stage-sharing-the-spotlight\/","title":{"rendered":"Owning Your Stage, Sharing the Spotlight"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One Georgia Southern Graduate\u2019s Pursuit of Joy Uplifts Local Community<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Teresa-Michelle Walker Jackson (\u201904) is designing a world where everyone feels seen and heard. Today, she serves as the Savannah Black Heritage Festival\u2019s executive director, executive communication advisor of Walker J Consulting and a local director, producer and actress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Jackson has been developing her skills since she was a young girl growing up in south Georgia. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cComing from Waycross, I wasn\u2019t used to seeing a lot of people like me in my own community, let alone on the stage,” Jackson said. \u201cI am Black and Korean, and the only person I knew with that identity in the area other than my brother.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Career options appeared limited in the close-knit community. For Jackson, it seemed as though there were two paths most students chose: agriculture or teaching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAlthough they are dutiful professions, I felt drawn to a creative lifestyle, but many of the people around me felt that that lifestyle was supposed to be more of an after work hobby than a dedicated career path.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But after a high school English teacher introduced Jackson to the art of theater, a quiet, but persistent song began to echo in the back of her mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt started with just reading classic literature, but she presented the idea of theater, and my world began to open up,\u201d she recalled. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

An educator, mentor and inspiration, Jackson\u2019s high school teacher became the spark that motivated her toward a life of directorship, acting, creative career coaching and uplifting Savannah\u2019s most vibrant communities. But before leading productions of her own, she began her bachelor\u2019s degree, choosing Georgia Southern University\u2019s Communication Arts program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It was in college that the familiar song, and embracing the power of creative expression, began to grow louder. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackson explained, \u201cIt wasn\u2019t until I came to Georgia Southern that I discovered the dynamic, and ever-changing world of Black theater. I don\u2019t remember reading a play by Black playwrights until I was introduced to it by Dr. Mical Whitaker.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whitaker served as the first African American instructor for Georgia Southern\u2019s theater program and would go on to retire as a Professor Emeritus in 2005. However, his legacy remains inspirational for students like Jackson through the Mical Whitaker Scholarship for the Study of African American Theatre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDr. Whitaker transformed classic theatrical productions like Shakespeare or Greek tragedies and reimagined these works to reflect Black experiences and vocal expression,” she said. “He made me realize, as a student, that I had the ability to connect with stories not only from other backgrounds and cultures, but throughout the ages.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After graduating from Georgia Southern with a bachelor\u2019s degree in Communications and Theater, Jackson continued her education by applying for graduate school at The Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). She asked Whitaker to write her recommendation letter for her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Media and Performing Arts application. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe told me, \u2018You\u2019ll be a great director someday,\u2019\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She corrected the local theater legend, affirming that her true passion would always be acting. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs I said, a great director,\u201d Whitaker responded. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackson became a professor at Savannah State University (SSU) at the age of 24 after completing an MFA. During her 15 years in higher education, she served as the associate dean of SSU\u2019s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, became a tenured faculty member and developed and directed the school\u2019s theater program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the world shifted for everybody in 2020. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t that I was unhappy in my role, but part of me wanted to return to a more active place in the industry where I was back in the middle of it all with the people that fueled this passion in the first place,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jackson decided to make a bold move. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was still directing and producing plays at Savannah State, but I hadn\u2019t had the opportunity to work in that capacity fulltime. So despite being tenured, I took a bet on myself again,\u201d Jackson thoughtfully recounted. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A single phone call would be the catalyst for the next chapter in her story. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI got a call one day from someone in my network asking if I was still interested in working in the film industry,\u201d said Jackson. \u201cThe role, at first, was supposed to be for two days to fill in for someone who was out. Before I knew it, I was working on \u201cJuror #2\u201d directed by Clint Eastwood with Warner Brothers, Ava DuVernay, owner of the independent distribution company, ARRAY, and also \u201cFellow Travelers,\u201d a Showtime series with Jonathan Bailey and Matt Bomer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 2023, the SAG-AFTRA strike changed the industry. The lack of work did not deter Jackson, however. She was soon presented with another exciting opportunity: coaching creatives on their communication and networking skills at SCAD through SCADamp. This brought her back to the realm of higher education while still working regularly with industry experts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While cultivating creative talent in Savannah, Jackson also accepted the role as executive director of the Savannah Black Heritage Festival. She has served the city for six years, fostering vibrant storytelling of African American communities through performance art, exhibits and activities that attract people from all walks of life to celebrate Black excellence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe festival is presented by Savannah State University and is sponsored annually by the City of Savannah\u2019s Department of Cultural Resources. We\u2019ve had incredible opportunities to bring in diverse talent, including the Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Ensemble, among many other fantastic creatives. The crowds continue to grow each year, and it\u2019s great to see so many people appreciate Black cultural arts,\u201d Jackson said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, Jackson is always ready to jump back into the director\u2019s chair when called upon. In April 2026, she directed a production of \u201cSweat\u201d by Lynn Nottage, which she produced for Georgia Southern\u2019s Main Stage Series in Statesboro. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her return to Georgia Southern\u2019s Statesboro Campus years after graduating highlighted one of the many ways the University left a lasting impact on Jackson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cGeorgia Southern opened up my world to other people,\u201d she explained. \u201cWhile completing my undergraduate degree, I met students from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds, from big cities and small towns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, as Jackson continues to direct, inspire and celebrate the richness of Black culture in Savannah and beyond, she remains guided by the lessons of her journey. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking on her newest role as founder and executive communication advisor of Walker J Consulting, she works with organizations and executives to strengthen leadership communication, presence, and alignment while serving as a strategic partner who guides initiatives, shapes culture and drives results from within. Additionally, Jackson is also completing her Ph.D. in psychology through National University, demonstrating her ongoing commitment to learning and higher education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy time at Georgia Southern helped lay the foundation for me to tell the important stories \u2013 even if they aren\u2019t mine. Ultimately, when I tell these hard stories and help people become the best they can be, my goal is to ensure that no one ever feels like they don\u2019t belong in this world,\u201d Jackson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

True joy is not found in owning the stage alone, but also in sharing the spotlight with others and amplifying the songs inside all our hearts that drive us forward into greatness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014 Emily Dietrich<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One Georgia Southern Graduate\u2019s Pursuit of Joy Uplifts Local Community Teresa-Michelle Walker Jackson (\u201904) is designing a world where everyone feels seen and heard. Today, she serves as the Savannah Black Heritage Festival\u2019s executive director, executive communication advisor of Walker J Consulting and a local director, producer and actress.  However, Jackson has been developing her […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":12604,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[93],"class_list":["post-12603","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-features","tag-summer-2026"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t