Maury Jackson serves as Advisor to the President for Diversity and Inclusion. His efforts provide strategic direction in promoting a campus environment that welcomes diversity, nurtures a spirit of inclusion, and supports equal opportunity for students, faculty, and staff. Jackson reports directly to the president and provides insight and guidance on matters of campus climate with respect to inclusion.

Dr. Jackson combines his experience in pastoral leadership, his interdisciplinary training in theology-ethics-culture, his passion for multiculturalism, and his sensitivity to the need for nuancing complex issues that arise at the intersection of race-gender-class-age-religion. With this passion, experience and skill set, he fosters communication and leads toward strategic initiatives, under the guidance of a diversity and inclusion council. The recent objectives of the council focus on:

1. developing a diversity and inclusion scorecard that aligns with our university vision, mission, and values and;
2. making possible opportunities for workshop training in diversity.

La Sierra University, for the second year in a row, has ranked number 1 in diversity, by the Wall Street Journal. As such, we desire to build on our strengths as an institution in higher education that graduates students from all races, ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds. La Sierra University is proudly recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution.

An associate professor of practical theology and chair of the pastoral studies department, Jackson joined the university faculty in 2009. He also serves as coordinator for the philosophical studies program and was chair of the Faculty Senate in 2016.

Dr. Jackson is a board member of 2-1-1 Riverside County Community Connect.He earned a Bachelor of Art’s degree in Religion from La Sierra University, a Master of Divinity degree from Andrews University Theological Seminary, a Master of Art’s degree in philosophy from California State University, Los Angeles and a Doctor of Ministry degree in theology-ethics-culture from Claremont School of Theology.