The last four years have been a whirlwind for Jameir Jackson. He graduated high school early to enlist in the U.S. Army. He quickly climbed the ranks, got married and had a daughter. Now he's going back to school and becoming a commissioned officer.
The final steps are made possible in the University of Dayton ROTC program where Jackson is in the Army's Green to Gold Program that provides enlisted soldiers in the Army the opportunity to earn a commission as officers.
"This is possible at UD," said Ron Johnson, director of UD's military and veterans services. "Contact us, and we will do a comprehensive transfer credit evaluation, explore how our majors can work for them, create a path to graduation, and then do what we can to support you reaching that goal."
"We often hear 'UD is unaffordable,' 'I can't get my degree from there,' 'My military credits aren't going to transfer,' and it's just not the reality. UD is a welcoming place for military service members, veterans and family members."
UD has Ohio's Collegiate Purple Star designation for being supportive and inclusive of military-connected students.
Talk to Jackson for a little bit and you can sense immediately he's not one to shy away from a challenge or busy schedule.
Jackson said he initially aspired to serve as an air traffic controller in the Army. After completing the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery, he learned he qualified for several military occupations, though air traffic control was not available based on the required score. He ultimately chose field artillery, because he said it offered opportunities for discipline, growth, challenge and the chance to travel the world.
"I've always been competitive, chasing all the opportunities the Army offers," Jackson said. "Now I want to pivot from field artillery to something that can transfer outside the Army, which is why I'm making this change."
So he applied to the Green to Gold program, got accepted and set out to find a school that suited him, preferably close to his hometown of Lima. He toured UD and "saw the community and the activity on campus." He said UD made quite the first impression, which included a full-court press during the recruiting process with a personal touch.
UD beat out 12 other schools.
Jackson said his experience during his first year at UD has been "lovely to him and his family." Everyone has been welcoming. He said he doesn't feel like the "new kid" among his fellow cadets, most of them recent high schoolers who have been in the program for at least two years. They have accepted Jackson as one of their own, not as an outsider with active military experience.
In turn, Jackson can offer fellow cadets with a sounding board only someone with his experience can provide.
"When cadets have someone like Jameir who is a peer but also coming from active duty, he can answer questions we may not be able to answer or answer questions other cadets feel more comfortable asking him," Lt. Col. Donald Dyer, professor of military science and chair of UD Army ROTC said. "We also can lean on Jameir to help confirm to his fellow cadets the lessons they are learning in the classroom are happening in the field."
As if juggling a family, school and military service isn't enough, Jackson throws himself into activities on campus. He's volunteered to help organize the UD Military and Veterans Services Col. Paul M. Kelly Memorial Day 5K race and is a regular in the UD Military and Veterans Services office, participating in the office's "faculty in the foxhole" program where UD's military-affiliated students share stories about military life.
"He's just the perfect representative. He just has a different level of leadership about him," Johnson said. "The more Jameir Jacksons of the world we can attract to UD, it's just gonna make the experience for all of UD better."
Jackson is pursuing a career in cybersecurity, building hands-on experience in University of Dayton’s Center for Cybersecurity & Data Intelligence and the University of Dayton Research Institute.
"You can get a quality education to become a commissioned officer in small, personalized classes," Dyer said. "You also get a community that has made Jameir and his family fall in love with UD."
Asked what he would tell others considering UD, Jackson said, "Do you want to be a name or a number? If you want to be someone who stands out, someone who is going to be pushed to be the best, and be in a community that wants you there, Dayton is the place for you.
"I think you come here, and when you leave here, you want to come back."
For interviews, contact Shawn Robinson, associate director of news and communications, at srobinson1@udayton.edu.