Tucked in his office at Indiana University Northwest, Chancellor Arrick Jackson sips his coffee behind his meticulously organized desk.

Jackson began his tenure July 1. The office — and campus — are relatively quiet a week into his new role, but Jackson knows the paperwork will multiply and the meetings will become more frequent as he leads IU Northwest into a new chapter.

The quieter summer months have allowed him to connect with his new home: Northwest Indiana. Despite living throughout the United States and around the world, Indiana is new territory for him.

Yet, each time he’s on the Northwest campus, he feels an undeniable sense that he belongs.

“Every time I meet with a different group, I fall more in love with this campus,” Jackson said. “I just really look forward to working with my team members and accomplishing some tremendous things here.”

From Midwest to military and back

Jackson’s story began in Saginaw, Michigan, about 240 miles northeast of Gary.

His early life was shaped by love and resilience. Jackson’s biological mother passed away when he was an infant and his father passed during his childhood.

Jackson and four of his five siblings were raised by his adopted mother, Frances, who served as a rock and mentor. Through chores and constant reinforcement that “education is something you have to get to change your life,” she instilled discipline and hard work into the children. All of Jackson’s siblings have a master’s degree or higher.

At 17, too young for military service, Jackson enrolled at Delta College, a local community college in Michigan. At 18, watching his community wrestle with the challenges brought on by drugs and violence, he enlisted in the Army for two terms, where he served three years in field artillery and three years in military intelligence. Jackson also received airborne training while in the service and obtained his parachutist badge.

The military taught him discipline, but his family ignited his academic rigor. While enlisted, Jackson’s mother called to say his brother was on pace to graduate with his bachelor’s degree. Jackson’s competitive spirit – and big brother instinct – pushed him to complete two years of coursework in one to graduate before his brother.

Jackson never envisioned education becoming his career, but he embraced life’s opportunities, earning his bachelor’s in criminal justice from University of Alaska, Fairbanks, master’s and doctorate from Washington State University in criminal justice and political science, respectively.

“You just have to take the first step, you don’t have a plan all the time,” Jackson said. “Even if you do have it all laid out, life is long, and there are many opportunities, many paths to take. The main thing is to take the first step and then see where those opportunities open themselves up to you.”

This philosophy is one he shares with his own children — Khairi, Kadin and Karlee — as they embark on their own educational and professional journeys.

Jackson went on to serve in higher education leadership roles across Michigan, Texas and Minnesota, where he most recently served as the provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs at Minnesota State University Moorhead.

Beyond his desk

While Jackson certainly looks the part of a leader with his pressed suit, he’s not all business all the time.

He finds time for his passions, like logging at least 100 miles biking every week; enjoying racquetball or bowling; and whipping up Coq au Vin and chicken with plum sauce, among other complicated recipes he works on in his kitchen.

Jackson also finds joy in life’s simpler pleasures. Many might not know he was once the captain of his high school swim team, or that his go-to comfort food is an extra-large cheeseburger, or that he binge-watches “The Godfather” trilogy every holiday season. He still dreams of learning a musical instrument, a desire perhaps rekindled by his children, who play the cello and guitar.

He attends family reunions with 600-plus guests in attendance, and they are so well organized that each state has its own committees. Any leftover funds are pooled together and go toward a scholarship fund for rising college students.

His last president dubbed his “superpower” as being likable, noting how people naturally gravitate towards him. And he lights up when he talks about people achieving their dreams.

But Jackson describes himself as conscientious, a quiet leader — thoughtful and reflective — that’s also outgoing and energetic. He aims to be a visible and approachable figure on campus and in the Gary community, always ready to cheer for successes and help navigate challenges.

Leader defined by care, vision

Jackson has held various roles in his career — faculty member, coordinator, dean, vice president and provost.

In every role he’s held, Jackson’s driven by student success. He remembers the limited guidance he received when he began his educational journey; how proud he was to see students at a previous institution graduate with degree programs he helped create; and understands a university’s responsibility to put students first and give them every opportunity to succeed.

This focus is how Jackson describes his leadership style — caring. This deeply empathetic approach is rooted in his own experiences, as he knows the importance of being someone who’s there through life’s highs and lows, whether it’s your siblings, your platoon or the students you serve.

Sitting in his office less than a week into his tenure, Jackson knows the quiet summer months won’t last. The weight of the importance of his role may still be settling in, but his confidence in this campus and this community remains unwavering.

“In higher education, we do things to people, and we teach people to do things to others when they leave here – nurses, teachers, law enforcement,” Jackson said. “We need to be very professional, skilled, and knowledgeable about what we’re doing because you may need that nurse, you may run into that police officer, and all of our children need teachers.

“These people are going to have an impact on our lives, so we have to be in tune with our mission, be dedicated to our work, and understand the immense impact we have on our society from this position.”

This article was originally published on the IU Northwest website.