Reggie Jarrell, instructor of communications at Southwestern College, will be the featured speaker at Southwestern College’s annual Honors Convocation Thursday, April 21, at 4 p.m., in the Richardson Performing Arts Center.  There is no admission charge and the public is welcome to attend.  

The title of his presentation is “Build your Bridge.”

Although this is a traditional main campus program, professional studies learners who qualified for the Dean’s Honor Roll for fall 2021 will be recognized on the printed program. Students will be recognized for a variety of honors and awards, including the announcement of the 2022 Masterbuilders.  The honor of Masterbuilder is given to graduating seniors who best typify the spirit of Southwestern. 

Jarrell has worked as a pastor, lawyer, communications professional, and university professor.  He has recently had a book published, “31 Days (Nights): Memoir of Living Black in America.” The book is a collection of snapshots in the form of essays that allows the reader to see the scenes from the world that he experiences. 

His professional experience includes teaching at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa; Southern University in New Orleans; and Alcorn State University in Lorman, Miss., as well teaching at two community colleges in Iowa and Illinois.

His legal experience includes work as an assistant public defender, Rock Island County, Illinois, and staff attorney, Prairie State Legal Services, Rock Island.

His communications experience includes but is not limited to the following: television production staff, Family Radio, Oakland, Calif.; newspaper staff reporter, The Moline Publishing Company, Moline, Ill.; and television news reporter, WHO-TV, Des Moines, Iowa. He has also worked as a janitor and shoe salesperson.

His ministry experience includes serving as interim pastor, Progressive Baptist Church, Davenport, Iowa.

He has earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Iowa College of Law in Iowa City, Iowa; master of divinity degree from the American Baptist Seminary of the West in Berkeley, Calif.; master of science degree in mass communication and journalism at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa; and a bachelor of arts degree in communication from The American University in Washington, D.C. Jarrell recently completed work on a doctor of ministry degree from The Berkeley School of Theology, formerly American Baptist Seminary of the West.