John Wesley Lowery and Amber Racchini
John Wesley Lowery, professor and graduate coordinator for the Student Affairs in Higher Education program and assistant department chair in the Department of Student Affairs, Student Success, and Disability Access at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, was recently honored with the University College Outstanding Researcher Award at the thirty-second annual Research Awards Reception.
Highlighting both his scholarly impact and professional service, Amber Racchini, dean of the University College, shared, “John Wesley Lowery is a nationally recognized author and speaker on issues related to student affairs and higher education, with particular expertise in student conduct, where he is widely regarded as a leading expert. His contributions to the field have been consistently recognized by peers in student affairs professional organizations. I am especially proud that he continues to give back to the profession through his service as Historian for NASPA – Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.”
John has been a faculty member at IUP since 2008. His scholarship focuses on public policy and student affairs practice, particularly student conduct, where he is regarded as a leading expert. In addition to his teaching and research, he serves as historian for NASPA and regularly presents on the history of the student affairs profession.
Since the 2023–24 academic year, John has published multiple book chapters and a journal article, delivered keynote and featured addresses at national conferences, and presented at numerous state, regional, and national conferences.
His work has earned national recognition from leading professional organizations. Among his many honors, he received the George D. Kuh Award for Outstanding Contribution to Literature and/or Research from NASPA and the Donald D. Gehring Award from the Association for Student Conduct Administration. In 2020, he was named a Pillar of the Profession by the NASPA Foundation, which recognized sustained, lifetime contributions to student affairs. More recently, he was selected as an inaugural recipient of the Legacy of Excellence Award from the Raymond H. Goldstone ASCA Foundation.