Pack IDEAs Student Spotlight: Jamison Lowery ‘22MED

In each edition of Pack IDEAs (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access), a newsletter released by the NC State College of Education Change Agent Task Force, we highlight faculty, students and alumni who have expertise and experiences that align with advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) within the college. In becoming an anti-racist college community, we must deepen our commitment to creating and sustaining a healthy teaching and learning community that uplifts the humanity of all people, but especially Black, Indigenous and people of color, who due to structural inequities are marginalized in education and society. The spotlight feature offers a counternarrative that celebrates and showcases the brilliance of individuals within our college community.

Jamison Lowery ‘22MED
Higher Education Administration Program
Educational Leadership, Policy, and Human Development

Jamison Lowery ‘22MED thought he wanted to be in the medical field, but soon realized what he really wanted to do was work in a field where he could help people in a different way. After exploring several options during his undergraduate studies, he discovered that through the education field he would have the opportunity to help people in multiple ways.

Having had many mentors in the education field, Lowery was inspired to assist students like they did. Now, he is in his first semester as a master’s degree student in the higher education administration program within the NC State College of Education.

As a graduate student in the college, Lowery says diversity, equity and inclusion in education is important because many students in educational settings search and look for individuals who have similar backgrounds and experiences as them, and who are able to best guide them through the challenges and difficulties that come with higher education.

“Having those folks you can look up to inspires you to be able to persist and keep on doing what you aspire to do. This is especially true when you don’t share the same advantages as those around you,” he said. “Not everyone comes from the same place or has had those same educational experiences. As an administrator, you can think about what needs students have and how to best meet them.”

It’s also important, Lowery says, to understand the role that history plays as well. And as a proud member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, his advice to the college is: “I would ask that the College of Education continue its work concerning social justice and to further the indigenous themes of reciprocity and collectivism in order to better our community as a whole.”