Beyond What You See-Episode 18-JohnRae’ Stowers

Beyond What You See — Featuring JohnRae’ Stowers

In this episode, we sit down with JohnRae’ Stowers, a leader in college access and student success who is committed to helping students and communities grow with purpose.

JohnRae’ describes herself through her work as a caring connector — someone who builds relationships, cultivates growth, and supports others in becoming their best selves.

We talk about:
• Leading with care and connection
• Balancing multiple roles while maintaining peace
• The importance of faith, family, and grounding
• Normalizing struggle as part of growth
• Creating impact through education and community

As an educator, wife, mother, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, JohnRae’ shares how she navigates it all with intention and purpose.

This conversation will encourage anyone striving to grow, lead, and make a difference.

Because what you see… is not all there is.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to Beyond What You See. Today we are honored to go where we go beyond the story and look at the making of leaders, the story behind the making of leaders. And we have a leader here today. I'm honored to sit with someone who made a powerful impact in the college access, student success, and so much more. John Ray Styles. She knows I'll mess up her name any day. But she stands, she's so unique. You can, you know, she has a unique name. She's the entrepreneur. She's over Jazzy, Jazzy Ray. She'll talk, we'll talk about that later on. She's she's so many things. She wears so many hats. I'm almost amazed at how she can keep her peace in the midst of doing all this in her journey. And we'll talk about it. So, John Ray, she currently serves as the PI, the associate director at the Educational Opportunity Program at Marquette University for the Student Support Service Program, where she's the PI on the Fedro Trio Grant. Her journey in leadership included being a former director of College Readiness 21. She also was the director of the Emerging Leaders Program at Marquette University, Associate Director, you know, the assistant director with uh student educational services. Um had been an upper bound counselor at Marquette University. She also was uh a missions counselor and minority recruiter at the University of Wisconsin, Parkside. She brings over 14 years of experience, probably way more than that, helping students navigate education with clarity, confidence, and purpose. John Way, welcome to Beyond What You See.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Thank you, Steven. I'm honored to be here today.

SPEAKER_00 2:10

We're glad, we're glad to go beyond and see the making of this great leader that we have here today. Before we get into everything that you're doing now, we want to just go back because every leader has a story behind the story, and we want to learn a little bit more about your story. What first drew you into this work of college access and student success? And was there a moment that made was there a moment that made you realize that this was your purpose?

SPEAKER_01 2:46

I I definitely fell into this work. You know, my plan was to be Oprah. So let me be clear. I wanted to be Oprah, but um it started uh in fifth grade. I uh moved to East St. Louis, and when we were coming back here to Milwaukee, my mom was adamant that um my story and my journey was gonna look different. I am the youngest of three. My sister is 10 years older, my brother is eight years older. So at that time, you know, they're adults. And so when we were moving back, she was adamant that I was gonna go to a school that was going to prepare me for college. And so um Morris Middle School was full, John Mere was open, it said gifted and talented. She was super excited about that. Um, I ended up going to John Mere and then from John Mere I went to King. And you know, King is the school, the best school in the city of Wisconsin, if I mean. But uh went to King and you know the the whole um the whole uh what's the word I'm looking for? The whole premise of King is college-bound. And so uh I ended up going to UW Parkside for undergrad, becoming extremely involved on campus, um, and I was involved with the African American open house. From my involvement with that and bringing so many African American students to campus, when the admissions counselor transitioned, they offered me the job right away. Um, with I don't even without even an interview. Uh, and then I just knew like I had so much fun with it, bringing students who were like myself. I was first generation, I didn't know what I was doing. I I, like most black kids, was planning to go to an HBCU um because I'm like, that's where I'm supposed to be. And my mother was like, and who was paying for that? Um, so it's I just kind of fell into it and fell in love with the work of seeing students lighten up at the fact that um they could change the trajectory of their lives.

SPEAKER_00 4:41

Great. You spent your career helping students navigate complicated and complex systems. What keeps you grounded in this work?

SPEAKER_01 4:53

I think what keeps me grounded in this work is just my own story, my own journey. And I know for a fact that um it's important to keep it simple. Uh, and so when I'm working with students, you know, I just it's one, two, three. Like these are the steps. We don't need to overcomplicate it. You don't need to do, you know, this and that and jump through this hoop. I want to know the goal, and whatever that goal is, um we're gonna be intentional about getting you there. And so I think that's what keeps me grounded, and I think just my faith um in that knowing that I'm doing what it is that I'm supposed to be doing. Um, and I'm I'm always uh excited when I see students, when the light bulb goes on, when you have that moment and you're like, they get it, or I connected with them, or when they are vulnerable and share pieces of their story that you were completely unaware of. That's that's what keeps me grounded in good work.

SPEAKER_00 5:52

Great. Let's go back to your story. I I I know um, I know that uh faith, family are was huge foundations in your story. I know your your mother was great. Story John Ray, as a little girl through elementary and middle school to and high school, what tell me what was that like?

SPEAKER_01 6:19

Okay, so this gets me emotional because of course it triggers me to my mom. Um, so my nickname is sugar. So I was always known as being in sweet, the sweetheart of family. Um, I always had a lot of energy. I always was creative, which is interesting because um this will go into my story later. I used to make my own clothes in middle school. I used to sew like patches and stuff on my clothes, didn't know how to sew, but just like always being um innovative, creative, excited. Um, as a young person, I was a connector, uh, had birthday parties, everybody wanted to come to the birthday party. Um, I sung in a choir, so my faith was very early on. Um, I started singing when I was four. Uh, and still it's interesting because I'm still closely connected to a lot of people that I sung in the angel choir with. Uh so my upbringing was really just all about like church and faith and friends and family and connecting everybody. There wasn't a lot of conflict. Uh, I feel like I tell people all the time like um I grew up with love. Like I was a loved child, so chaos. I'm not I'm not comfortable or used to chaos and confusion.

SPEAKER_00 7:35

That's that's huge. That's huge. So love, chaos, faith, family, sinking, gospel choir, um, also making pet, so on making patches, right? So, John Ray, one of the things I admire about your journey is it's not just professional, it's personal, it's full, right? It's complete. Because beyond what people see in your role, you're carrying a whole life, you know. Um people, you know, you hear people saying, I'm coming for your whole life to the full till it overflows, you know. Um, so because of all that, talk about some of the things you're doing, even outside of the education, that ties into your purpose or your passions today. Talk about your purpose and passions today, and how did you get there? And where did it start in your uh in your journey and how it brought you for for how did you go from sewing patches um to being an entrepreneur?

SPEAKER_01 8:41

Yeah, I think that um the journey started with uh so my mom was huge into fashion, so let me start with that. And then when she got into ministry, you know, it kind of calmed down a little bit because you know, things changed and what she was wearing and doing and whatever changed a little bit more. But um when I started Jazzy Ray, actually that that started from me visiting East St. Louis and my cousins, they're really big into the fashion industry, and it just sparked something in me like I need to do something with this. And uh it was, you know, fashion, affordable prices. We didn't have it in Milwaukee. And at the time it was for plus size women because I was like, we need trendy clothes for plus size women. It's funny how everything connected. So I was literally driving back from East St. Louis, and everything just dropped in my head. Like, um, the name of your business is this, you should be selling this. The women, you know, that you need to contact first is it are these women. Like I already had a plan as I was driving, and it was like the like God was just dropping it, like boom, boom, boom. And I remember coming back and telling my mom, like, I'm about to start this, you know, business called Jazzy Ray. And she was so invested in in it before she got sick, and she said, Um, it's bigger than you think. And I'm like, This is just a hustle, this is hustle money, you know, a little$20 here and there,$50. You know, she was like, It's bigger than you think. And so um I started off in my basement. Women would come to my basement, and because my husband is in law enforcement, he was like, You can't keep having these random folks in and out of my house. And so I so I ended up getting a small space on Capitol Drive. It was just a little closet room where I just displayed all of my things on the wall. Um, and then women would come and they would start networking and connecting with each other, and or it will be women who haven't seen each other in a long time and they just happened to meet up at Jazzy Ray. And so our conversations were more from, you know, how have you been to how are the kids to how is your husband and the relationships and ooh, child, I'm so tired and exhausted that it became a safe space for women. Um, and so uh from there, because we were spilling out into the hallway because it was so many women talking and connecting, we were in the way basically. Um, I opened up my own spot, my own brick and mortar, and it just became the safe haven. And so women still shop the brand, it's their safe place to go. I promote other entrepreneurs, they can set up their brand at the shop. But the most important thing I think that connects it to what I do um professionally is um I was able to create a foundation in honor of my mother, the Jazzy Ray Legacy Foundation. And through that foundation, so we already have this group of women or um, you know, these followers who support the Jazzy Ray brand that now supports the Jazzy Ray Foundation because now we're looking at not just fashion, but we're looking at um uh students and sending them off to college. So I provide scholarships for students andor uh support them like when they're in school and uh you know the last dollar or if they're short or what have you. And then um we also do a big thing with cancer awareness. My mom had cancer, um, she had breast cancer, and she ultimately um transitioned from pancreatic cancer. So making sure that women are aware of um the resources and the know-how or the what to do in terms of that. So it so it all kind of connects because you know, women, we're what having children. We we generally have kids and we want them to do well, so we generally send them to college, and so it all just kind of connects. And with me being in education, I can help guide some of those conversations on um how to support and assist their their children.

SPEAKER_00 12:42

So that was a lot, it was a lot, but just like your mom said, it's bigger than just some side hustle, some money is bigger than that. And as you were driving back, God put in, it gave you the idea, the thought, the plans. It's amazing. It's amazing that there's a scripture in Proverb that says, where there's no vision, the people perish. Another translation said, where there's no vision or understanding or revelation, the people cast off restraint. And then another one said they run wild. So you see a lot of people running wild, a lot of people perishing, a lot of people doing what they want to do. It's because they don't have a clear revelation, a vision. So I, you know, so man, I'm so glad that you were, even though you didn't know the fullness, that you stepped out on what you heard and you took a step, intentional step on purpose, and see many years later, all the lives, all the people, all the students, all the women, all the mothers that you're helping, because you stepped out when God gave you an idea. You didn't know everything in its entirety, but you stepped out and you see how he's bringing it together. So, from manage, how do you manage it all, right? You're leading uh uh a program to serve over three about 300 students a year in college, getting them to and through Marquette. You're leading, um, you're hosting an annual uh diva's luncheon that you know the city to rave about, social media light up about every time, you know, if it's blue jeans or it's all white. You have all these women coming from all over the place. You're active in the community, you act, you know, you uh you run jazz E Ray, Jewry, you're a wife to Chuck D. You are mother to two kids, a grad student and a undergrad student. How do you manage everything and still keep your peace?

SPEAKER_01 14:55

Yeah, no, I think you know what's what's interesting is I get that question a lot, and I thoroughly enjoy everything that I do. Like every, like, the the stressful part is I'm like, I I want to be at everything and and be, you know, hands-on and everything. And I also say that um this is probably a bad thing, word to say, but I feel like something suffers, right? So like because I want to be at my daughter's performance, because I need to be at this graduation event, whatever, whatever, that might mean I don't get as much sleep as I would desire, but I make sure that I pace myself. Um, I make sure, you know, that I stay grounded and I take care of myself. Um, I'm very intentional. Um, I don't like adding anything to my calendar the day of because I've already planned, like, okay, I'm going to the gym at this time, I'm gonna cook at this time, I'm gonna clean at this time, and then spend, you know, whatever time with my family. Um, I have a husband who is from the south, and he is very adamant about his time with his wife. Um, and my children, we're very close family. Um, so I think it's because I enjoy everything that I do that it doesn't feel like pressure or stress. I think that if I didn't, or or or when there's you know things that are um not in line, that's when you start to feel like, why am I doing this? You know, but uh for the most part, it's fun to see the brunch come together. Um, it's fun to see my my children becoming adults and watching that and supporting that. Um, but I I also make sure I take care of myself. Um, which is why I, you know, I have a notebook everywhere I go. And if you follow me on Facebook, you know I have a backpack that goes with me everywhere because I'm always ready.

SPEAKER_00 16:56

Okay, you you talked about staying grounded. But somebody wrote, how do you stay grounded? You know, you got the backpack, you got the notebook. Um, you you said no uh day of you want to plan and be proactive. Is there anything else that helps to keep you grounded?

SPEAKER_01 17:15

Yeah, prayer and and my faith. Um, I have a wonderful pastor and first lady, but then also my circle of support. Um, I have um like my best friends uh who are a number of them are actually my sorority sisters. And you know, if I have to be at something, um, they will open a shop for me. Like I was out of town and I had a fashion show. I have friends step up and run the whole fashion show for me day of because I was out of town. Um so I think that's important too, to have people around you who support um what you do and support you and can and pick up and carry when you need them to.

SPEAKER_00 17:54

Great, great. I want to um go back to a moment, just for a moment, because your work is rooted in your own experience. Let's talk about your college journey. Yes. What what was the college experience like academically, socially, personally? Who were you during that time?

SPEAKER_01 18:22

Oh child, Steven, you're trying to trigger these tears. Who was I? Let me okay, let me say this. Oh my god, let me get myself together because you know I'm a crybaby, but I think um okay. I was young, I was the youngest person. My birthday is in November, so I started school early, so I was very young, and so I was um searching and attaching myself to people who I'm like, oh, I love this woman. She can carry me through, she can help me figure it out. Um, uh, can I drop names like Bridget Johnson? She was my missions counselor. When I tell you, I latched on to Bridget like I was her child um to help me get through college. Uh definitely I will always give her her, give her flowers. Uh, but I was so focused on getting the degree that I don't remember necessarily what I learned in the classroom. I learned people dynamics, I learned um, you know, leadership opportunities, how to grow and thrive. Um, but if you ask me what happened in the textbook, that might be a little more challenging. Um, because I was so focused on the finish line that I don't think I absorbed as much as I should have in undergrad. But in grad school, I enjoyed that journey completely. You know, it was, I get it, I'm in it, this is what I want to do. But yeah, I was very involved too in undergrad, um, involved with the Black Student Union. Uh, I was Homecoming Queen, I was in the Embody magazine, I was in RA. So I was very involved, but I was doing all the things I did well academically. I graduated Magna Cum Lati, but it was just emotions. It was just getting it done. Um, because I wanted to make sure that um I tapped into all of the experiences that I could, whether it be uh Greek life, um, you know, jobs and everything, people. Yeah, I I just yeah, degree me. I'm like, degree me. What I need to do to get the degree.

SPEAKER_00 20:46

Absolutely. What's one of the best decisions you made in college that still impact your life today?

SPEAKER_01 20:56

One of the best decisions that I made in college, I this is gonna sound really like, okay, John Ray, but it was being good to people. It was being good to people. I was I was like the mother on campus. It's funny, I'm the youngest, but I I have an old soul. So I was like the mother on campus. So when people were making decisions and things, they would come to me like, what do you think? Should I do this? Or, you know, oh, don't tell genre she's gonna be mad. Um, so I was good to people, which I think um has helped me be successful today. Like a lot of them support my brand and support me because I was good to them then.

SPEAKER_00 21:41

I'm I'm gonna ask a follow up question. I'm trying to set you up. Were there any organizations, programs, or spaces that shaped your path or changed your life? Think of the blue.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

Yes. Think of yes, oh yes. I think Sigma Gamaro's to. Incorporated. Absolutely. And I did that as a second semester freshman. Okay. I did it as a second semester freshman. Crazy, but I did it. Um, and those women shaped definitely. It's interesting because to know that one of our past international presidents um helped uh bring me in the sorority actually is an EOP alum, which is where I'm serving.

SPEAKER_02 22:30

Wow.

SPEAKER_01 22:31

I just think that's beautiful. Just beautiful. It speaks to leadership all the way around, like full circle.

SPEAKER_00 22:37

That is so good. Talk about how that experience as a second semester sophomore, where did your sense of belonging in college come from? How did that affect your sense of belonging, being a part of organizations and you know, so many organizations that you were involved with undergrad?

SPEAKER_01 22:59

I was a second semester freshman, so I was very new. I know my very first year of college. And it shaped me because the women that I engaged with, the women in the sorority, were leaders on campus. So that's Iron Shoppers Iron. So because they were leaders on campus, and as a freshman, I latched on to these leaders. I had no other choice but to lead. You know, they wouldn't, it was this what that was the expectation. And I think that um that also, like I had to carry the torch, I had a responsibility. Um, you know, they had different uh expectations and you had to meet those and adhere to it. Um, I became an RA because uh my I don't want to say the leader who helped our our our group come in, she was an RA. So she was telling me, you know, you need to pay for school, this will help you pay for school, and she helped me, you know, figure it out and order the steps.

SPEAKER_00 24:08

Wow. What would you say to a student who feels overwhelmed or unsure if they belong in school or if they can do it?

SPEAKER_01 24:18

Yeah, I think I would tell a student who is unsure to really examine the why, you know, what made you consider it? Well, you know, what were you planning to go to college for? A number of times, it's the natural next step that people think that they are supposed to take.

SPEAKER_02 24:39

Right?

SPEAKER_01 24:39

We grew up like you go, you do elementary school, you do high school, then you go to college. That's what you're supposed to do. And so it's helping students find out, find their why and find their purpose, and then be intentional about helping them get there. And so I actually have students write things down, like what's clouding your mind right now, like write everything down the cloud in your mind, and then we kind of go through it, like what control do you have over that? Okay, so we're not gonna stress about that because you can't do anything about that. Let's move on, okay. This, this, this. Um, so then I kind of walk through the steps to help them figure out, you know, like, hey, I'm stressed out about things that don't even apply or have anything to do with me. Um, and then that kind of helps to reshape their focus or reframe what it is that they're thinking. Um, but I always like to create a safe space for students so that they can be vulnerable so that I can normalize the experience. Because usually that's what they need is for somebody to normalize the experience. Like, you're overwhelmed. I get it. I was overwhelmed too. I didn't know who to talk to. You don't either, and just kind of help them figure out like this is normal, what you're feeling right now, I get it, and then kind of build them from there. But it all starts with the relationship.

SPEAKER_00 26:01

Good. If you could go back and talk to your college self, what would you say?

SPEAKER_01 26:08

If I can talk to my college self, what would I say? I would say, girl, if you don't take advantage of these opportunities, you are nuts. I didn't. Like I was supposed to study abroad. I did it because I was scared. I had never been probably further than East St. Louis at that time. Um, so I didn't. I was fearful and then I was thinking, like, who's gonna pay for it? Not knowing that you could tap into different resources. Um, I had an internship opportunity at State Farm at State Farm, making a lot of money for somebody at that age, turned it down because I didn't want to leave my boyfriend. Like, right, exactly. So it gives me great joy to talk to students now and say, if you don't get on that plane and you know, take advantage of these experiences and opportunity. I love to hear when students say they're doing less aspen. That like makes my heart smile. Um, but yeah, I was like, girl, if you don't do it, that's what I would tell my college self. I was so scared, so afraid.

SPEAKER_00 27:23

Great. When it's all said and done, what do you want your impact to be?

SPEAKER_01 27:32

When it's all said and done, I want my impact to be. Maybe let me see. I I want people to say that um she cared, she connected me as a connect to different people, resources, what have you. Um, and that um I knew that when I was with her, I was safe.

SPEAKER_00 28:15

So she cared, she connected, she cultivated, and kept you safe. Wonderful things. I I noticed you talk to a whole lot of different audience. You know, to the mothers, to the women, to the students out there, to the faith communities out there. So many times we have problems and we have situations or circumstances that face us, and sometimes we don't know how we can get through. Can you just take about a couple seconds and talk to those people that may be going through some tough times, thinking they can't they can't bounce back from a loved one's death, they can't bounce back from a divorce, they can't bounce back from you know a situation when life hit them kind of hard. What would you say to them?

SPEAKER_01 29:12

My very first thought is trust the process and embrace the journey. I think that um every feeling, every emotion is valid and it's okay. Um, but to push through every single day and to surround yourself with people who are positive, who are gonna embrace you, who are going to allow you to be vulnerable, um, and say how you feel. Um it's so important to surround yourself with people that you trust and that will allow you to just be expressive. I I just remember when I when I lost my mother and I caught myself holding it all together, and I got with one of my best friends, and that cry, when I hear it from someone else, I know that cry. It's a sound that that that's just being able to just release. Um, and I think that like normalizing just experiences of life, like there's gonna be some highs, there's gonna be some lows, all of it is part of the process, and I think that even on the bad days, I'm staying encouraged, um, staying prayed up. Um, sometimes you gotta fast and pray and disconnect, um, but just stay in the game. Yeah, that's huge.

SPEAKER_00 30:59

Thank you so much, John Ray. John Ray listening to your journey, it's clear that it's more than a row. This is purpose. We heard today is a reminder that impact doesn't always happen in big moments. It happens in consistency, in care, in connection, in cultivation, and keeping people safe, and showing up for others again and again. John Ray represents what it means to build pathways, lead with purpose, and help students not just to access opportunities, but walk in it. And that's what Beyond What You See is all about. Because what you see is not all there, uh all that there is. And I'm Steve Ryerson. Thank you for joining us. We'll see you next time.