Rev. Debora Jackson has been part of Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s administration for nearly a decade, having served on the university board since 2012, but it wasn’t until her appointment to business school dean in January that her influence at the school and in the Greater Worcester community really took off.
WPI has been putting a greater emphasis on having a more inclusive student body and faculty while focusing on its experiential and project-based learning, and Jackson – the first woman and person of color to be WPI’s business school dean – offers plenty of real-world STEM experience from her long career, which included IT and software engineering at companies like Digital Equipment Corp. and becoming chief operating and chief information officer at an e-commerce energy services provider.
In her short time as dean, Jackson already has engaged with several organizations to strengthen WPI’s ties to the community, including Worcester Interfaith, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, Diverse Professionals Roundtable, Black Families Together, Yes We Care, the Worcester Pipeline Collaborative, and the Black Excellence Academy.
What do you think the future holds for Central Mass.? “The future is bright. The pandemic has demonstrated societal inequities that are yet to be overcome, but given an undeniable awareness, we are positioned to create a culture of care for all people. We are motivated to make a more inclusive society where all can prosper.”
A thalassophile: Jackson loves the ocean.
