November 10, 2000

Communications professor brings experience and expertise to class

By Raymond Willhoft, A'00, Intern in the Offices of Public Affairs and Publications

Communications Professor Lisa Martin is a woman of many talents and a prime example of where a college education can take someone. As college professor, news producer, and now businesswoman, Martin takes her experiences and uses them to educate the future professionals of tomorrow.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Martin began work on her bachelor of arts degree in mass communications at Loyola University New Orleans. She began her extensive career in the television industry with an unpaid internship at WDSU-TV. "Whatever you don't know you have to learn fast," says Martin. "You have no idea what the television industry is like until you get out there."

Before graduating from Loyola, Martin was hired by WWL-TV, where she spent five years working as a television news producer. She worked with many other Loyola graduates as she learned the ins and outs of producing news segments for television. "It was a great working environment. Everyone took care of everyone else like one big family," she emphasizes.

Martin's next move was to Miami where she worked as a series and special projects producer for WTVJ-TV. While there, she produced news segments focusing on subjects such as battered women, adoption, hurricanes, AIDS, and crack-cocaine. She even won an Emmy for producing a series titled "The Great Florida Honesty Test."

Martin eventually moved to Chicago and served as executive producer of "Travel & Adventure," a nationally syndicated travel show hosted by Arthel Neville. After completing the contracted 13 episodes, she left the show and spent several years traveling abroad. She journeyed around the world to places such as Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, several European countries, and the Caribbean.

Martin returned home to the United States and Loyola where she completed her master's degree in mass communications in 1995. Shortly after, she was asked to become a faculty member and has taught classes in the Broadcast Journalism sequence including: Introduction to Mass Communications, Communications Writing, Introduction to Broadcasting/Film, Beginning Reporting, Broadcast News 1, and Media and Society.

Since she has worked extensively in the television industry, she is able to invite guest speakers from the television industry such NBC's Hoda Kotb, and WWL-TV anchors/reporters Dennis Woltering, Eric Paulsen, Michelle Miller, and Bill Capo to her classes. She also is able to instruct her students as to what challenges await them after graduation.

It is her vast experiences and her desire to succeed in everything she does that make Martin an effective teacher. "I believe my experiences have made me the professor that I am," says Martin. "I enjoy finding the truth and portraying it accurately in media, and try to emphasize that to my students."

Becoming a full-time faculty member hasn't slowed Martin down. She has interviewed Farrah Fawcett and Robert Duvall for "Access Hollywood," and has spoken with the entire cast of "Baywatch" and all of the big talk show hosts for E!. She has even chatted with a self-proclaimed vampire from the French Quarter for "Strange Universe." In addition, Martin has continuously produced programs for WLAE such as "H-Minus," which focused on the D-Day Anniversary, and "Apostleship of the Sea," which focused on Evangelism and seafarers. She also has done on-air work for both the annual tuition auction and the WLAE Membership Drive.

Martin also manages to donate her time to the New Orleans Association of Black Journalists, which teaches black college students and graduates the skills they need to get jobs in the media.

Martin's most recent undertaking has been the creation of her own business, SmartMart Communications, in which she provides services such as researching, consulting, advising, and book editing. So far, she has created a beauty magazine for salon-owner John Jay and edited WWL-TV newsanchor Sally Ann Roberts' book Angel Vision. When asked about her new line of work, Martin joyfully responds, "I'm loving it. I am learning so many new things and am really enjoying everything I'm doing."