Jackson College is pleased to recognize outstanding alumni and community members at the Jackson Honors Night celebration, recognizing recipients of the Dr. Ethelene Jones Crockett Distinguished Alumni Award, the Captain Zenneth A. Pond Emerging Alumni Award, and the Jackson College Distinguished Service Award.
2024 Dr. Ethelene Jones Crockett Distinguished Alumni Award
Mayor Daniel J. Mahoney ’22
Daniel J. Mahoney is a Jackson native who has served his community for more than a decade. A proud Jackson High graduate, he graduated from Jackson College in 2022 and attended Eastern Michigan University for business.
Mahoney serves as the mayor of the City of Jackson, elected in 2021 and 2023. He made his initial mark on Jackson’s southside 12 years ago founding the city’s “The Jackson Back 2 School Bash.” He commits his life to public service and launched Many Hands Community Services in 2019. The nonprofit facilitates the Back 2 School Bash, the African American Family Summit, and the Business Incubator program, The Launchpad.
Mahoney is a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and a lifetime member of the NAACP. He served as president of the Jackson County Branch NAACP, chair of the Economic Development Committee, membership chair, chair of the Street Renaming Committee, graduate of the NAACP NextGen Program, and 2020 graduate of the Professional Development Academy’s High Performance Leadership program and co-founder/co-chair of the Racing 4 Equity group.
He also serves or has served on the Lifeways Board of Directors, Community Action Agency Board of Directors, Jackson County Landbank Authority, Jackson County Fair Board Vice Chair, Chairman of the Health and Human Services Committee, Michigan Association of Counties Health and Human Services Committee and Judicial Committee, FEMA Board, the City of Jackson’s Equity Commission, and the MLK Corridor Authority.
He also is a Case Manager for Access for All, a pre-apprenticeship readiness program. Formerly, Daniel worked at Jackson College as the African American Affinity Liaison and worked in the wireless technology industry.
He is married to wife, Semaj, and the couple have five daughters, Calvena, Sophia, Olivia, Cecilia, and Ila. The family are members of the United People Community Church.
