Jacquise Jackson

Jacquise Jackson

Written by Fiona O'Malley '20

Before she knew where her journey would take her, Jacquise (Jaci) Jackson knew her calling would be to serve others. For the past 25 years, she has been doing just that in the University of Dayton’s IT department where she leads from a place of compassion and empathy. As the Assistant CIO Client Relations & Executive Director IT Services, she serves students, faculty, and staff every day. Jaci first started working for the university at a time when UD was one of the earliest adopters to give each student a personal computer upon arrival at campus. She immediately saw the need for a centralized support system and this sparked the idea for the first official IT call center at UD. On the surface, it may seem like IT is not a field with the priority to serve others, but Jaci’s efforts in Client Relations affirm that serving others is at the forefront.

Though Jaci’s journey has not always been leading her to IT, she shares that her experience in IT and her years at UD have been incredibly enjoyable and transformative. She truly appreciates the environment where her management style and Christian faith are both embraced. Jaci has degrees in Business Management and Organizational Management and a Masters in Education, which serve her well in her current role. However, it is her passion for helping others that distinguishes her leadership style.

Every day Jaci works to improve IT services and, in doing so, she also works to improve the climate for women in IT. At the end of February, the Women in Technology group had its inaugural event to build a network of students, faculty, staff, and alumni. As founder of this group, Jaci hopes to empower women in technology at UD as well as inspire young girls to discover the excitement and opportunities in technology. She also envisions this group providing a supportive network of education, scholarships, and professional development.

Jaci shares that throughout her life different women have influenced and inspired her, especially her mother, but today she finds most of her inspiration in all the women around her. She shares that every day she sees women creating, leading, and birthing new ideas, and exclaims, “We are so powerful!” The successes and even the struggles of other women are empowering and give Jaci new motivation each day. She says that as a woman in a male-dominated field, her successes have come from the relationships she has built, her eagerness to take opportunities as they emerge, and her willingness to recognize her own growth without comparing herself to anyone else. She encourages all young women pursuing careers in technology to find inspiration in each other and compare themselves to no one!