Jenna Zibton was honored late last year as Sam Houston State University’s 2025 Distinguished Young Alumni Award.
Zibton graduated from SHSU in 2007 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Radio-Television. After graduation, she headed into the workforce, working at TV news stations.
Zibton visited Huntsville last December to accept her award and meet current journalism students.
Nik Delacerda, a current mass communication major, met Zibton and asked her questions about her career.
“I think it’s really vital to connect with alumni when they’re here and also just to get to engage with your professors in a more professional setting,” said Delacerda.
Zibton was an influential figure in Virginia. She was a morning anchor at WSLS 10 from 2011 to 2025. While at WSLS, she created 30 Days of Hope, which raised awareness regarding foster care and adoption.
“My husband and I had always said that we wanted to foster kids and potentially adopt one day,” said Zibton. “I [thought] I can do something with this for TV, to elevate the issue, right, and bring awareness to the issue. And so I started 30 days of hope.”
With this initiative, WSLS features one child in foster care each day. They tell more about each child, including their wants, hopes, and dreams, to reach out to families who may be interested in fostering.
“It has been an incredible avenue to tell stories and to hopefully bring a voice to kids that need one,” said Zibton.
She served in TV news for nearly 20 years, recently moving into a different direction. The decision to leave the news industry was not easy for Zibton.
When she worked at WSLS, she woke up every day at 2:30 in the morning for her shifts.
“I did it because I loved my job, but I missed a lot at home,” said Zibton.
Zibton and her husband have a seven year old daughter. Zibton explained that her husband would take her daughter to school and put her to bed every night.
“I missed so much… I’m going to cry,” Zibton said. “So I wanted to be home more. I wanted to be present more, and [now] I’m not a zombie all the time.”
Even though Zibton has stepped away from news, her career is far from over. She is currently working in communications at the Virginia Department of Transportation.
“So I still have a long career ahead of me. I don’t know what’s going to happen. And this is a way I can still be a communicator. I can still use all the skills that I have honed in for the last 20 years and still impact my community,” said Zibton.
Sam Houston State University is very proud of all Zibton has accomplished in her career and is honored to be her alma mater. The Department of Mass Communication is excited to see what she does next. Zibton is also excited to see what SHSU will do.
“You are just so passionate still about journalism and about your careers and your future, and that makes me so excited for the future people that are going to be graduating from here and doing great things,” said Zibton.
