At West Chester University, Kevin Lowman is not known for doing just one thing. He’s known for showing up everywhere and somehow making it all count. Each year, WCU hosts the Student Leadership Awards in order to recognize student leaders, organizations and advisors who have made meaningful contributions to student engagement across campus. The outstanding senior leader award is an honor given to students whose leadership ability has been displayed through excellence in student organizations, academia or service. This year, senior Kevin Lowman, a Marketing major with a minor in Psychology, was named one of the recipients of the outstanding senior leader award.
On campus, Kevin Lowman is not the kind of person who can be defined by one title. One day, he may be representing WCU men’s Rugby. Another day, he is leading a meeting as president of the American Marketing Association, helping organize spaces like Brothers of Excellence, or building his own student-owned business. Wherever he is, Lowman seems to carry the same energy: purpose, movement and a willingness to help those around him.
Kevin Lowman stands with fellow executive board members of Brothers of Excellence, one of the campus organizations where they helped build community and student engagement. Photo from Kevin Lowman.
Lowman’s presence on campus stretches across different branches of student life. He is connected to athletics, business, leadership and community engagement, not because he is chasing recognition, but because he believes in stepping fully into every opportunity placed in front of him. “I think life’s too short, and my interests are too vast to only give myself one area,” Lowman said.
This past week, I had the opportunity to interview Lowman about his experience here at West Chester and the events leading up to the Student Leadership Awards. When asked how he would describe himself beyond the titles and roles, Lowman described himself as someone who is constantly moving toward the next opportunity. “I think I’d describe myself as someone who is always on the go, always looking for the next opportunity,” Lowman said. “Although I’m in these roles and positions, the reason they’re so branched out is because I don’t discriminate against opportunity.”
With many responsibilities, it can be easy for anyone to become overwhelmed. However, pressure does not erase Lowman’s purpose, and to him, staying steady means learning how to keep a good perspective when things become overwhelming. Lowman explained that “keeping a positive and a ‘so now what’ attitude and having the right support system” is what keeps him grounded. Lowman shared that seeing the positive in moments of negativity helps him keep moving forward. Instead of allowing failure to consume him, he tries to use it to learn and redirect himself. He also credits his parents and close friends for helping him stay centered, especially in moments when stress and self-doubt begin to take over. “Getting enveloped in failure or negativity is what causes you to lose sight of not only yourself but your goals and the things you’ve already accomplished,” Lowman said.
Lowman’s personal definition of leadership is rooted in service, guidance and helping others unlock their potential. “Personally, I love being in the position where I’m able to help others, whether that’s physically or with the knowledge of the things I have experienced,” Lowman said. “I think that a person’s purpose in this world is to learn and extend those learnings, so seeing anyone grow from my guidance is very meaningful to me.”
Out of all the moments that shaped his time at WCU, one experience reminded Lowman exactly why the long nights, full schedule and constant sacrifices were worth it. One of the moments that stayed with Lowman most happened this spring at the American Marketing Association’s International Collegiate Conference. In a room filled with more than 300 chapters and over 2,000 people, WCU’s chapter stood among schools from across the country. Lowman said WCU brought one of the smallest groups there, but when their name was called and their team walked toward the stage, the size of the group no longer mattered. “The younger people I brought were starstruck and in disbelief that the work they put in was being acknowledged,” Lowman said. For him, the moment wasn’t just about being recognized. It was about watching others realize that their work, dreams and effort belonged in the room.
WCU’S American Marketing Association chapter celebrates their second-place finish at the International collegiate conference. A milestone that reflected the teams hard work and growing presence. Photo courtesy of WCU AMA.
What makes Lowman’s story stand out is not just the number of things he has done, but the way he speaks about them. His accomplishments are impressive, but his focus continues to return to the people around him: the younger students watching, the peers growing beside him, and the future leaders who may one day build on what he helped start. His impact lives in the students he encouraged, the organizations he strengthened and the example he leaves behind for those still finding their place on campus. “If you have a dream and a vision, don’t let anyone stand in your way and your purpose,” Lowman said. That is where leadership becomes more than a title. It becomes a legacy.
Felicia Manful is a third-year Biomedical Engineering major. (NABJ’s SGA/MOAB Representative) FM1001289@wcupa.edu