Associate Professor, Professional Communication and Journalism

we/us/our

Jacqui Lowman was born with profound physical challenges. Most people with such conditions do not survive birth. If they do, they usually do not grow to maturity. With the faith and support of loved ones, Jacqui beat the odds, earning a Ph.D. in communication and becoming a professor at the University of Maine at Presque Isle. Along the way, Jacqui learned that her significant physical challenges were actually her superpower that gave her unique perspectives on life. In 2015, Jacqui founded the nonprofit BEYOND LIMITS: Awaken Your Potential. Its philosophy includes: Nothing is stronger than the human spirit; Challenge is an opportunity to come together and do amazing things; There’s always a way to get to where we need/want to go. It’s all about the Journey. Having retired from UMPI in 2023, Jacqui now devotes her time to BEYOND LIMITS, helping others tap their superpowers and realize their dreams.

Talks

Awaken Your Potential

As children, we come into the world with unlimited potential. There is nothing that we cannot do. But way too soon, we start hearing the word “can’t.” It can come from significant people in our lives: family, friends, teachers. They are older and presumably wiser. Surely they know the truth. So we internalize the can’ts, clip the wings of our dreams, and put bars on our insides.