From Student to Faculty

Jamie Conrad Strom’s path to becoming a decorated assistant professor of business at Lenoir-Rhyne University began at Gaston College.

“It was close to home, and I was not yet at a point in my life where I was ready to leave home,” Strom said. “I knew the degree that I was going to pursue and felt it would be best to stay home and work on my degree in a place where I was comfortable doing so.”

Strom enrolled at Gaston College in the fall of 1993 and attended through May 1995 before transferring to UNC Greensboro where she earned an Accounting degree in 1997. Aiming to return to College as a professor, Strom later obtained her MBA from UNC Charlotte in 2003 and a DBA from Liberty University in 2018.

Strom is a great example of where momentum can take you. “My goal was to teach in higher education,” Strom said. “My initial career goal was to become an instructor at Gaston. I was able to teach there for ten years and also served briefly in the role of Associate Dean. I have such fond memories of my time as a student at Gaston, as well as my time teaching there.

“My journey from student to faculty member has been a powerful testament to ‘owning my momentum’ in life,” Strom said. “As a student, I absorbed knowledge, embraced challenges, and developed a deep curiosity for my field. Years later, returning as a faculty member, I found myself applying those lessons—now shaping minds, driving meaningful discussions, and continually evolving in my expertise.”

Strom maintains a strong interest and passion for learning and education today. “I am now a professor at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory. I would like to pursue additional research in the field of Management and Marketing and plan to continue to do so throughout the next few years.”