West Palm Beach, Fla. (February 26, 2024) In honor of Black History Month, we wanted to share some exceptional stories of some of the employees at Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) whose lives and work embody the transformative power of education and faith. Today we highlight Dr. Jay Jackson, Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice at the Gregory School of Pharmacy.
An alumnus of PBA, Dr, Jackson demonstrates faith, resilience, and unwavering commitment to serving others. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Dr. Jackson’s path led him to PBA, first as a student-athlete on the men’s basketball team, studying pharmacy to being an educator.
Young Jay excelled in the classroom as a student but also found a deep sense of divine direction. “Little did I know, I would spend almost my entire professional life as a faculty member here,” he states. After graduating in 2012 as the Outstanding Graduate from the PharmD program at the Lloyd L. Gregory School of Pharmacy (GSOP), and then completing a year of pharmacy practice residency at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, he returned to PBA as an Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice in 2013. “The journey and experience he says is a reminder that “The Lord hasn’t promised to take us where we want to go, but where He wants us to go,” he reflects on his life’s trajectory, a perspective that has defined his approach to both life and work.
Dr. Jackson’s career at PBA began serendipitously. While he has always enjoyed learning and sharing knowledge, he had not initially seen himself as an educator, but he says the mentorship and encouragement from faculty at GSOP unearthed in him a passion for teaching that he had not previously recognized. “I have never been particularly ambitious in my career,” he says. “Rather, my approach has been to do my best in stewarding what has been given to me. Time after time, individuals at PBA gave me opportunities to step up and lead in different ways and by the grace of God, I was able to do so.”
Guiding Principles: Faith, Service, and Kingdom Impact
Dr. Jay Jackson is an esteemed educator who has won multiple awards for his work. He is highly respected by both students and colleagues. Despite his success, he remains humble and grounded. Dr. Jackson is known for incorporating his faith into his professional duties in a thoughtful and deliberate manner.
After embracing Christ, he says there was a need to re-evaluate aspects of his cultural heritage, striving to embody Christlike compassion, encouragement, and patience in his interactions at PBA. Guided by Matthew 22:37-39, which focuses on the mission to love God and neighbor, Dr. Jackson says that has helped anchor him in his primary purpose. This passage not only shapes his conduct but also his professional ethos as a member of the PBA community.
When asked to reflect on the contributions he is most proud of at PBA, Dr. Jackson prefers to focus on his contributions of “eternal significance.” For him, the most rewarding aspects of his tenure at PBA are not the awards or honors but the relationships forged, and the lives transformed through the university’s Christ-centered mission. “Whether it was praying with someone in the hallway, counseling a student in my office, speaking in chapel, leading a small group, having students in our home or surrendering my heart to Christ as a student in chapel, my greatest memories at PBA are the ones where the Lord has ministered to and through me for His glory.”
His advice to students and emerging professionals is profound in its simplicity and depth: “Ensure your faith is sincere.” He encourages them to seek the Kingdom first and to focus on fostering healthy habits and attitudes that will lead to success and kingdom impact.
In his personal life, Dr. Jackson is a family man. He is married to his high school sweetheart, Tiffany, with whom he shares five children. His role as a pastor in a local house church network further illustrates his commitment to service and community leadership.
The Significance of Black History Month
We couldn’t close without asking Dr. Jackson about the significance of Black History Month. For him, Black History Month is not just a historical observance, but a of the progress made toward equality and justice. He views it as a time to celebrate the “redemptive and resurrection power of Jesus Christ” in advancing civil rights and human dignity.
To learn more about Dr. Jay Jackson and the Gregory School of Pharmacy, click here.
