use both this parameter and , birth_date to display the person's date of birth, date of death, and age at death) --> , death_place = , death_cause = , body_discovered = , resting_place = , resting_place_coordinates = , burial_place = , burial_coordinates = , monuments = , nationality = , other_names = , siglum = , citizenship = , education =

University of Wisconsin–Whitewater The University of Wisconsin–Whitewater (UW–Whitewater) is a public university in Whitewater, Wisconsin. It is part of the University of Wisconsin System. Student enrollment in the 2014–2015 academic year was more than 12,000. The universi ...

Georgia Southern University Georgia Southern University (GS or Georgia Southern) is a public research university in the U.S. state of Georgia. The flagship campus is in Statesboro, and other locations include the Armstrong Campus in Savannah and the Liberty Campus in Hine ...

Cardinal Stritch University , mottoeng = To value the better things , established = 1937 ( years ago) , type = Private university , religious_affiliation = Sisters of St. Francis of Assisi (Roman Catholic) , endowment ...

, alma_mater = , occupation = Educator , years_active = 1994 — , era = , employer =

Beloit College Beloit College is a private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin. Founded in 1846, when Wisconsin was still a territory, it is the state's oldest continuously operated college. It is a member of the Associated Colleges of the Midwest and ...

, organization = , agent = , known_for = sociological study of "Black" names , notable_works = , style = , height = , television = , title = , term = , predecessor = , successor = , party = , otherparty = , movement = , opponents = , boards = , criminal_charges = , criminal_penalty = , criminal_status = , spouse = Sawyer (div)
Fredrick Vandyck (m. 2017) , partner = , children = 1 plus 3 stepchildren , parents = Maggie and Aaron Jackson , mother = , father = , relatives = , family = , callsign = , awards = , website = , module = , module2 = , module3 = , module4 = , module5 = , module6 = , signature = , signature_size = , signature_alt = , footnotes = Marijuana Pepsi Vandyck ( Jackson) is an American education professional. She earned a Ph.D. from

in 2019 with a dissertation on uncommon

African-American names African-American names are an integral part of African-American tradition. While many black Americans use names that are popular with wider American culture, a number of specific naming trends have emerged within African-American culture. Black na ...

in the classroom.

Early life and name

Marijuana Pepsi Jackson was born in 1972 to Aaron and Maggie (Brandy) Jackson, who chose her name. She grew up in

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

until she was 9 years old; then she moved to

Beloit, Wisconsin Beloit is a city in Rock County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 36,657 people. History Twelve men in Colebrook, New Hampshire, created the "New England Emigrating Company" in October 1836 and sen ...

to live with her mother after her parents split up. She has two sisters, named Kimberly and Robin. She first realized her name was unusual at nine years old. She said her mother told her "your name will take you around the world", and that her mother insisted on correcting a school spelling bee award certificate that read "Mary Jackson". She described being bullied in high school over her name, crediting her family with helping her learn to embrace the name. She moved out of her mother’s house at age 15, staying with friends and began to focus on school. She graduated from Beloit Memorial High School in 1990 and received a scholarship for college at

. She majored in education and became a teacher after graduation. While she taught elementary school in Atlanta, she studied for a Masters at Georgia Southern, then returned to Beloit with her young son from her first marriage.

Education

Vandyck was "most improved student" at her high school graduation. She earned a bachelor's degree from University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and a Master's degree from Georgia Southern University, before earning her Ph.D. in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service in Higher Education from

in May 2019. Her dissertation, titled "Black names in white classrooms: Teacher behaviors and student perceptions," was inspired by prejudice she saw while working as a teacher. A co-worker had complained that her upcoming class would do poorly, based on the list of students with mostly black-sounding names.

Career

Having previously worked as a teacher, Vandyck currently directs a program for first-generation, disabled and low-income students at

, in addition to owning a Performance Coaching Agency. In the fall of 2019, Vandyck sponsored the Marijuana Pepsi Scholarship for first-generation African-American students at UW–Whitewater.

Personal life

Vandyck was previously married to a Mme. Sawyer. the couple lived in Atlanta and had a son in the early 2000s. Their marriage ended in divorce and Vandyck returned to her hometown of Beloit, Wisconsin. As of 2019, Vandyck is married to Fredrick Vandyck. They live on a farm in

Pecatonica, Illinois Pecatonica is a village in Winnebago County, Illinois, United States. It is part of the Rockford, Illinois Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,195 at the 2010 census, up from 1,997 in 2000. History The village was named afte ...

, with her son and his three children from a previous relationship.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vandyck, Marijuana Pepsi Living people University of Wisconsin–Whitewater alumni Georgia Southern University alumni Cardinal Stritch University alumni People from Chicago People from Beloit, Wisconsin People from Pecatonica, Illinois 1972 births African-American educators Educators from Wisconsin Educators from Illinois