From NYU Shanghai to State House: Jackson’s Journey

As an NYU Shanghai student, Jackson began laying the groundwork for a career in public service early on. Despite spending his first two years taking business and finance classes to get “a good job,” he eventually majored in Global China Studies. The interdisciplinary major explores China’s socio-economic, cultural, and political place in the world. Unsurprisingly, Jackson chose to focus on politics and international relations. “For current students, trust me when I say, take the courses you enjoy and your success will follow,” he advises.

Outside of the classroom, Jackson took on leadership roles in Student Government and spent his junior year studying away in Washington, DC. There, he took classes at night while interning with Hawaii Senator Brian Schatz as part of NYU’s Global Leadership Scholarship. The internship gave him invaluable hands-on experience in the daily workings of DC. Further, it inspired him to run for student government when he returned to Shanghai.

During his senior year, Jackson was elected director of the Student Organization Committee. With responsibility for 40+ clubs across campus, he got a crash course in management and budgeting that would prove priceless later on. “The Student Organization Committee taught me so much,” he affirms. “Running my own team and managing hundreds of students and a large budget was invaluable for my development as a leader.”

When Jackson headed back to Hawaii post-graduation, he looked forward to reconnecting with his childhood friends. However, few were returning to their home state: with the highest cost of living in the US, Hawaii was no longer a practical option. Once he was settled back in, Jackson decided to be part of the solution in his hometown of St. Louis Heights. Accordingly, he dove back into public service. He joined his local neighborhood board and began conducting outreach with local houseless communities. At the same time, he learned that his district’s house representative was running for city council. That would leave the seat open for the first time in 43 years. It felt like a sign.

Within days, Jackson energetically launched his grassroots campaign. “Hawaii campaigning is about how many doors you can knock on and how many hours you can stand in the sun waving at cars. And this is especially true for a 22-year-old fresh college graduate with no name recognition,” he explains. In August, the NYU Shanghai alum won the Democratic primary. Then, on November third, he won the election.