Jessica Bragg
Jessica Bragg is living a life in bloom right here in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Originally from the Midwest, Bragg has been living in the Upstate for over two decades. For the past 20 years, she’s been working at Spartanburg Methodist College, where she first began as a biology and environmental science teacher.
Science has always been a passion for Bragg, and she remains actively committed to Spartanburg’s environmental health as a volunteer with the Native Plant Society.
“I’ll go out and help pull invasive plants, that kind of thing,” she says. “I’m a real advocate of trying to plant things that are native and otherwise help wildlife, like supporting pollinators. I help with native plant sales in the fall and spring, and I’ve gone to the greenhouse and helped out, which I love. Being hands-on is really fun.”
She’s also helped get the word out through media support, serving for several years as the social media editor for the Upstate chapter of the Native Plant Society. She also has written newspaper articles getting the word out about the chapter’s activities and events.
For Bragg, the Spartanburg area has been the perfect fit for her passion for the outdoors. “I love how much the community has done to maintain the green space near downtown, and all the paths that PAL has put in through the nature preserve.”
However, it’s not just the plants that keep Bragg calling Spartanburg home — it’s the people.
“It’s such a diverse and welcoming community,” she says. “Just going to the Y, you see people from all walks of life.” She’s also built strong relationships with the team at Spartanburg Methodist, particularly as she’s made the transition from working as a teacher to working as an administrator.
“I get really excited about administration,” says Bragg. “I’m not a performance person, I’m more of a behind the scenes type of person, and I really enjoy supporting the knowledge in that way. Most teachers will tell you that they hate administrative work, and it was the complete opposite for me. And the strong sense of community here is so nice, being at a small school. You feel very supported by your colleagues, and it’s just a very family-friendly, supportive work environment.”
Bragg is quick to say that the best part of her job is seeing students succeed. “We have a professional development program where students do internships and learn to speak in front of people and network. Seeing them do their capstone projects and do so well, do so many good things in the community, it’s so rewarding. We have a large population of students who come from less means, and it’s great to see them get these opportunities.”
These days, Bragg is back in the classroom herself — but this time, as a student.
“I’m pursuing a doctorate in Professional Leadership in Higher Education at Converse,” she shares. “It’s a really cool program. It’s a mix of educators and people from the professional world, and everyone comes from so many different backgrounds with so many diverse experiences.”
She’s excited to take all that she learns back with her and continue pouring into the next generation of students and leaders. “It’s helping me learn so much about leadership, and my research is heavily focused on the leadership of assessment. It’s really interesting, and has been such a fantastic experience.”
