Steph Jackman

Steph comes from a background in higher education and education administration. She earned her BS in Recreation Management from the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University, and an MA degree in English Literature from the University of New Hampshire. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate degree in Instructional Design and Technology at Idaho State University.

Steph works for the Quantic School of Business and Technology, an online MBA program based in Washington, DC. As a Training Coordinator and Admin Lead, she provides training, administrative, and operational support to the Admissions Team, and oversees the administrative needs of select business-to-business products and services with the Valar Leadership Accelerator program.

Steph loves to learn how people learn and enjoys designing training for new hires and ongoing education for seasoned employees. She hopes to pursue a career in corporate training after she graduates from ISU. Steph lives in Idaho Falls with her husband, son, and two doggos.

Watch Steph’s Winning Short Film Below:

Our Interview With Steph

Was this the first time you entered the contest?
Yes.

How did you hear about the contest?
Social media/Aubrey Jackman.

What inspired your work?
I’ve always enjoyed history, specifically American history. I wanted to create content that was fun and engaging for a range of ages. It seems to me that media has moved from static images and written posts to videos. For instance, I’m old and not hip enough to remember when Instagram was just an app with square-shaped photos. Now you hardly see any photos – they are all just “stories” which are video clips. TikTok captured this trend and took the internet by storm. A recent survey by Business Insider found that the majority of 8 to 12 year-old Americans want to be Youtubers or social media stars. (Whereas the majority of Chinese students the same age want to be astronauts). It’s clear that audiovisual media resonates with youth, especially American youth today.

I’m very interested in how to use multimedia to bring about effective learning outcomes. (That’s what I’m studying this semester in my doctorate program). I also have a great reverence for the Constitution – how many other pieces of written word are still in effect over two centuries later? It made sense to try to create a short film to instill the same excitement I feel for the world’s longest surviving written charter of government.

What did you learn while creating your entry?
I had learned about the Constitution in U.S. History in high school, but that was a while ago. Creating the short film was a great refresher on the genius and significance of the Constitution which influences our lives in substantial ways today. I also learned how to create a short film using PowerPoint and iMovie! I had never made one before now.

How do you plan to spread the word this year to your peers about the importance of the U.S Constitution?
I’m using my short film as the basis of my final project for my multimedia authoring course this semester. I will be able to share it with my classmates and smother them with my enthusiasm for the Constitution!

How do your friends respond to history or talking about the Constitution?
Very well! Since entering the Constituting America contest, I’ve been able to bring it up more naturally in conversation.

What do you love about U.S History and the forming of our government?
I love the youthfulness of US History. Compared to many other nations, our history is brief and we have so much more left to write! I come from a more conservative religious background, and people in my faith believe that the Constitution and the forming of our government was divinely inspired. It must have taken real courage and faith to create a form of government that was practically non-existent in the eighteenth century. It also takes great courage and humility to admit when something you painstakingly created is not working. Even though the founders’ first attempt (the Articles of Confederation) did not prove strong enough to unite the fledgling nation, they learned from mistakes rather than giving up hope, and gave us the Constitution.

Which U.S. historical site would you like to visit?
I would like to visit the Lincoln Memorial. President Lincoln’s life was difficult and lonely, but he remained true to what he believed in and sealed his conviction in his blood. I can only imagine the hate and loathing he endured as he tried to keep a divided nation from collapsing in on itself.

Which American historical figure is most influential/inspirational to you?
I greatly admire Abigail Adams. When we speak of the founders of our nation, they are almost singularly male (“founding fathers”). But Abigail was a founder in her own right. She had powerful intellect, shrewd insights, and strong opinions, and she was not afraid to speak her mind. Abigail had little patience for the sexist views of what women could and should do that permeated her time. She was fiercely independent and managed the farm during John’s long absences. She was her husband’s most trusted advisor and supported him throughout his presidency.

Who is your greatest role model?
This may seem un-American, but the late Queen Elizabeth II is my greatest role model. As the longest reigning monarch, she spent an incredible seven decades on the throne. No monarch has been so well-respected and so well-loved. She balanced duty with her own moral compass and continually sacrificed her own desires to serve her country. Throughout her life she made decisions even when it was difficult, she had no personal agenda, and she was consistent in her approach. I don’t understand the draw of monarchy and the thought of bowing to someone is quite odd to me, but I can respect the love she had for her country and her people. I wish more of our presidents loved their people the way she did. Queen Elizabeth II was truly an elect lady.

What in your life are you most passionate about?
I am passionate about family, friends, and creating a good life. I love being in the outdoors away from modern distractions. I love to learn new things which is probably why I’m STILL in school and just started 19th grade! I enjoy serving others and helping those who cannot help themselves. I regularly hold supply drives for children in foster care, and blood drives for the Red Cross. I believe we come to this world with nothing and we leave the world the same. What determines our wealth is the love we leave behind.

How do you spend your free time?
With a young family and a full-time job and going to school, I don’t have as much free time these days, but when I do get a few moments of quiet (usually once everyone’s in bed!) I enjoy sewing (quilting, embroidery, you name it!) I’m also a voracious reader. When the weather is nicer and we’ve made it through the long Idaho winter, I love hiking and kayaking. My husband and I have the goal to visit all 63 national parks in the US. We’ve been fortunate to visit a few, but we still have many more to go!

What are your plans for the future?
I believe in the power of education. To me, learning is a lifelong endeavor and isn’t something that simply ends when you’ve graduated from an institution. You can learn and upskill in whatever field you pursue. Once I receive my doctorate degree, I plan to pursue a career in corporate training.

If you could do one super impactful thing to help people, what would it be?
Reinvent global supply chains. It’s astounding to me that in this day and age with the level of agricultural technology we have, so many people and children across the globe go hungry. So many children and adults in our own country experience food insecurity. The problem isn’t that we don’t have enough food. We do! The problem is getting it to where it needs to be before it is no longer viable.

Why is the Constitution relevant today?
The Constitution remains relevant today because it restricts government from obtaining too much power, provides our country with essential guidelines, and ensures rights and freedoms to its citizens. The very fabric of our nation depends on it. If we ever lose the Constitution, we lose the United States of America.

 

0 replies

Join the discussion! Post your comments below.

Your feedback and insights are welcome.
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *