Home School of Journalism and Mass Communication 25 things you may not know about our new faculty member, Jennifer Glover Konfrst

25 things you may not know about our new faculty member, Jennifer Glover Konfrst

This fall, Jennifer Glover Konfrst will join the  School of Journalism and Mass Communication as an assistant professor, teaching public relations and also a few courses within the SJMC core curriculum. We asked Professor Konfrst to share 25 things about herself, so that we could all get to know her better. Here’s the list:

1. I lived in a funeral home for a couple years growing up. And no, I don’t believe in ghosts. 

2. I lived in 9 cities before I was 9 years old, and I’ve only lived in 3 since. 
 
3. I am quite unpleasant to be around if I haven’t had a Diet Dr. Pepper for the day. 
 
4. I was born on Christmas Eve. Yes, I sometimes get combo gifts. 
 
5. I recently had a cornea transplant for a genetic condition that affects the cells in my eyes. I was awake for the procedure, so I’m not in a hurry to have the other eye done. 
 
6. I met my husband the basement of G-K the first month of college, and we’ve been married for 17 years. 
 
7. I am obsessed with electoral maps, and my predictions are often pretty solid. 
 
8. I’m pretty nerdy. (See #7)
 
9. My daughter recently turned 13 and my son is almost 11. 
 
10. When I was 7 I had an emergency tonsillectomy after swallowing a toothpick buried in a handful of snow I had eaten. 
                                                                                                                        
11. Our family motto is “Words Matter.”
 
12. I’ve met nearly all the candidates running for president since 1988, but I was most excited about meeting Nate Silver from fivethirtyeight.com and legendary wrestling coach Dan Gable. 
 
13. My dad was a reporter with the Associated Press for more than 30 years, and I grew up alternately inspired by and cynical about politics. I decided to stick with “inspired.” 
 
14. My favorite place in the world is Louie’s Backyard in Key West. 
 
15. I would give anything to write like Aaron Sorkin or talk like his characters. 
 
16. I’m a sucker for Colin Firth in Pride and Prejudice
 
17. I have never in my life lived in a home without a cat. 
 
18. I find The West Wing to be television perfection. 
 
19. My favorite movies are The American PresidentBroadcast News, When Harry Met Sally, Pride and Prejudice, and Love, Actually.
 
20. I like pretty much any kind of music. Concerts I’ve attended include: U2, Hank Williams, Jr., Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, The Who, Clint Black, New Kids on the Block, Bush, Matthew Sweet, and Milli Vanilli. I don’t necessarily still like all those artists, but the concerts were fun. 
 
21. I worked in television for 12 years and my kids are the ones with an Emmy.
 
22. At the 2012 Iowa State Fair I milked a cow and threw a Rubber Chicken (receiving the coveted “participation” ribbon!) – for work. 
 
23. I really, really love shopping at Staples.
 
24. I am an excellent joke teller. When I remember the punch line I’m even better. 
 
25. One of my favorite quotes is by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson: “I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday, and lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised at how far that gets you.”