Henry Jackson awarded USM’s highest honor for public service

By Pamela Gorsuch on September 18, 2024

At age 44, Henry Jackson was a successful financier, running one of the top money management firms in the country. Then he went blind.

A condition called keratoconus caused Jackson’s corneas to thin, reducing his eyesight until at one point he was seeing 20/400—double the threshold that’s considered legally blind. Doctors at multiple clinics said his best option was a full corneal transplant—an invasive procedure with a long recovery time and a 62% 10-year success rate. Struggling to manage a jampacked workload alongside his new disability and with little hope for a long-term resolution, Jackson released his clients and closed his firm.

Two years later, Jackson’s wife was flipping through a magazine when she noticed a story about the Boston Foundation for Sight, a clinic offering innovative treatment for Jackson’s condition. He booked an appointment. Within days of starting treatment, he began to see again.

New beginnings

With his vision restored, Jackson had a new lease on life—and he decided to use it to pursue his passion for science. He went back to school for lab certification and secured a job at the TU Center for STEM Excellence, a K–12 outreach program that prepares Maryland students for college and careers. Jackson has now been the center’s lab technician for 13 years. He maintains operations, trains staff on lab techniques and takes extra care to help the center’s visitors—many of whom come from underserved communities—see a future in STEM.

“He excels at mentoring students and interns that need a little extra support,” says Mary Stapleton, director of the TU Center for STEM Excellence. “He helps build their biotechnology and workforce skills, grow their confidence and realize their potential while addressing and acknowledging the challenges they face.”

To date, Jackson has directly mentored more than 50 of the center’s students and interns. He takes time to demonstrate lab procedures, teach them professional skills and demystify techniques to build their confidence. Many of Henry’s students never thought a STEM career possible. For those that show interest, he goes above and beyond to put them on the path to success.

“He used his day off to take me to the BioTechnical Institute of Maryland so I could learn more about their laboratory training programs,” says Chakya Browning, one of Jackson’s mentees. “As a direct result of that visit and Henry’s mentoring, I am currently a student in the institute’s laboratory technician training program and on my way to a career I couldn’t have even imagined a year ago.”

The USM’s highest honor

This summer, Jackson’s legacy of mentorship earned him the University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents Staff Award for extraordinary public service to the university or greater community. It is the highest honor bestowed on staff members by the USM.

Jackson says he was stunned the USM chose to honor him out of more than 40,000 employees, and he’s quick to credit Stapleton for supporting his efforts. Ultimately, he says helping young people is his way of giving others the second chance that he got.

“It’s a special thing to watch young people realize they can succeed in this field,” Jackson says. “I’m honored to have an impact on their lives.”

about the awards

A legacy of excellence

TU is home to 20 past and current Board of Regents Staff Award winners. Learn more about them and get information on award criteria and eligibility as the fall nomination period approaches.