Jarrad Henderson
Bio
Jarrad Henderson is a respected industry leader who seeks to democratize journalism by empowering diverse voices to share their stories. A 4-time Emmy Award-winning visual journalist, multimedia alchemist and inspirational educator, Henderson has produced impactful content in large newsrooms for over a decade — specializing in access to visual storytelling education, documentary filmmaking, photojournalism, video editing, media entrepreneurship, media literacy, mentorship and professional development.
His previous leadership experience includes serving as the Academic Representative for the National Association of Black Journalists - Board of Directors, multimedia judge for the Hearst Journalism Awards, and as a past member of the Filmmaker Development Council for the Video Consortium. Henderson is currently a 2023-2024 Artist in Residence for the School of Journalism at Michigan State University’s College of Communication Arts and Sciences.
During his 2022-2023 Knight-Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan, Henderson founded Pop Up Docs™, a pop-up style storytelling workshop that provides skill-building courses for aspiring non-fiction filmmakers from underrepresented populations.
As an educator, Henderson has been described as a relatable, energetic presenter able to simplify complex concepts into digestible pieces. He is at his best when teaching students how to research, document, edit and share stories.
Henderson credits his mentors, and organizations like NABJ, for being a catalyst in his professional development and a source of inspiration to pass along the torch. In his previous role as Senior Multimedia Producer at USA Today, his work was honored by organizations such as the Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Excellence in Journalism, Livingston Awards for Young Journalists, Sidney Hillman Foundation, News Leaders Association, and National Press Photographers Association.
When he is not teaching or creating, Henderson can be found at your local roller-skating rink, jamming to his favorite 90s R&B and Hip-Hop hits.
Roles
Instructor for JRN 310: Photojournalism I
JRN 310 covers the basic skills needed to make engaging photographs for use in print and on digital platforms with an emphasis on developing the skills needed for meeting deadlines aligned with photojournalistic publication. Assignments include topics such as camera operation, composition, motion and depth of field work, producing news, human interest and feature photographs and building a simple photo story/essay. This course highlights best practices for visual communication, camera operation and editing publish ready photographs with industry standard software.
Co-Instructor for CAS 112: Story, Sound and Motion
CAS 112 provides an introductory understanding of the techniques of storytelling, visual representation, filmmaking, sound acquisition and design, basic shot acquisition and editing of moving images in settings, as well as technical, artistic, and aesthetic fundamentals. Explores the central role of storytelling in human communication from the earliest oral traditions to contemporary mediated communications.
Research and Teaching
- Access to visual storytelling education
- Documentary filmmaking and video editing
- Media entrepreneurship
- Media literacy
- Mentorship and professional development
