People behind the purple: Jana Thomas

Meet the professor developing the next generation of social media communicators

In the first installment of K-State Today's faculty and staff feature series, Jana Thomas explains her work to teach and research social media use among teens.

FFor more than 20 years, Jana Thomas built campaigns in marketing and advertising.

But what stayed with her most were the moments spent mentoring interns and guest lecturing in classrooms.

That spark grew into a calling — one that led her back to K-State, where she now prepares the next generation of communicators to think creatively and critically about the role of social media in today’s world.

As a professor of practice and assistant director of strategic initiatives in the A.Q. Miller School of Media and Communication, Thomas oversees the school's Digital Innovation in Media degree program, as well as the social media management certificate.

Read on to see, in her own words, how Thomas is helping shape the next generation of social media communicators.

Q: How did you decide to go into higher education?

Thomas: While working in marketing and advertising, I often had the chance to mentor college interns and guest lecture in college classrooms about my professional experiences. Those moments became some of the most rewarding parts of my job.

I realized how much I valued connecting with students, such as helping them bridge the gap between theory and practice, and encouraging them as they imagined their own futures. That sense of purpose made it clear to me that I wanted to contribute more directly to shaping the next generation of professionals in my field.

With that in mind, I made the decision to leave my job, pursue my master’s full time and teach as a graduate assistant. That choice marked the beginning of my path in higher education.

Q: What did you want to be when you were five years old?

Thomas: For as long as I can remember, I dreamed of becoming an astronaut.

I was fascinated by space, reading every book I could find about astronauts, visiting planetariums and space museums and immersing myself in science fiction stories about traveling through the universe.

What drew me in wasn’t just the adventure, but the spirit of discovery and exploration — the idea that there was always something more to learn, somewhere new to go and mysteries waiting to be uncovered.

Q: What's your favorite part about working with students?

Thomas: What I love most about working with students is guiding them to think more strategically, intentionally and creatively about social media.

Advertising and strategic communications are such dynamic fields, and I find real joy in helping students make sense of the puzzle pieces — whether that means brainstorming new campaign ideas, exploring creative ways to engage audiences or finding innovative strategies to connect brands with their communities.

For me, the best days are when students come to me eager to strategize, collaborate and push their ideas further. Watching them grow more confident in their creativity and problem-solving is incredibly rewarding.

As part of her research, Jana Thomas has regularly traveled and spoken around the country on the practical and responsible use of social media among teenagers.

Q: What personal accomplishment are you most proud of?

Thomas: I am most proud of building a strong, multi-faceted social media curriculum over the past six years at K-State.

When I first began teaching, there was only a single course on social media in my department. Today, that has grown into five distinct courses covering topics such as strategy and management, content development, influencer practices and personal branding on social media.

These courses have become highly sought after and serve as the foundation for the online social media management certificate program I developed and launched in 2022, which supports both undergraduates and industry professionals.

Beyond the classroom, I also created K-State Social Media Week, the university’s first-ever event dedicated entirely to social media education. Now entering its fifth year, the spring event brings students, faculty, and industry leaders together to explore forward-looking, creative and timely applications of social media, while also emphasizing its value for personal and professional growth.

Seeing how these efforts have expanded opportunities for students and shaped the program’s reputation is something I take great pride in.

Q: What do you feel is your most significant contribution to research at K-State?

Thomas: The development of an adolescent, or teen, social media citizenship scale feels like a deeply meaningful part of my academic journey.

A few years ago, I recognized an urgent need in the digital age: to help young people not just avoid the pitfalls of social media, but also harness its potential in positive, socially responsible ways.

Drawing on established frameworks in digital citizenship and media use, I created a scale that pinpoints nine key dimensions of social media citizenship among adolescents, including media literacy, identity management, problem-solving and collaboration, conflict communication, personal well-being, and more. The scale not only measures a student's social media citizenship, it also connects their motivations for using social media to positive and negative behaviors online.

Today, I’m continuing this work with schools across Kansas, using the scale to better understand students’ social media behaviors and to develop actionable recommendations for social media citizenship education.

For me, this research feels especially meaningful because it bridges theory and practice, contributing to the scholarly conversation while also equipping schools and families with insights that can help young people navigate social media spaces with confidence, creativity, and responsibility.

Q: How does your research advance your field?

Thomas: My research advances the field by shifting the conversation about social media from one that is primarily risk-focused to one that is more balanced and future-oriented.

Instead of framing young people as passive users who need only to be protected from harm, my work highlights them as active digital citizens who can learn, create, collaborate and contribute meaningfully on social media.

As parents, educators, healthcare professionals and policymakers, our role isn't just to help teens put down their phones, but to help them pick up better reasons for logging on to social media in the first place.

Q: How would you talk about your research at the kitchen table?

Thomas: When people ask me about my research, I usually tell them: “I study how teens use social media and how we can help them use it in more positive, meaningful ways.”

Oftentimes, the headlines focus only on the dangers of social media, such as too much screen time or the risks of bullying online. Those concerns are real, but they don’t capture the whole picture.

What I’ve found is that social media can also be a powerful tool for connection, creativity and even civic engagement, if young people are given the right support.

Q: What do you hope your K-State legacy will be?

Thomas: I hope my legacy at K-State will be one of inspiration — encouraging the next generation of social media managers and content creators to be both creative and civically minded in their work.

I want to be remembered not only as an educator who taught skills, but as someone who helped reframe the way we think about social media.

Too often, the conversation centers only on its risks and downsides. My goal has been to expand that narrative to also highlight its potential as a tool for connection, problem-solving, creativity and community building.

If students leave my classes with both the skills to succeed professionally and the perspective to use social media for positive impact, that would be the legacy I’d be most proud of.

###

More K-State news