SRU alumnus Jamaur Law’s ‘entrepreneurial mindset’ has a wide-ranging impact on others
Jamaur Law, a 2013 Slippery Rock University graduate, teaches a youth financial literacy class in the Washington, D.C., area as part of programming provided by the Jamaur Law Foundation.
Sept. 13, 2023
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. — The Jamaur Law Foundation was established in Maryland to provide financial education programming to people in impoverished areas in and around Washington, D.C. But Jamaur Law's foundation — his motivation, inspiration and education — was established at Slippery Rock University where Law earned his bachelor's degree in business administration in 2013.
"What I was able to receive from my SRU education was not just going to class every day and retaining the course material, but developing relationships with all the professors in the School of Business," Law said. "They motivated me to do more and be more than just a regular college student. I used an entrepreneurial mindset to gravitate toward something that I was really passionate about: finances and marketing."
Law is also a middle school physical education teacher, but he continues his entrepreneurial work with finances and marketing through his role as executive director of his foundation. But that's not all Law does. He can also be found in the press box at Baltimore Ravens games working for the NFL as a video operator. Law is a former college football official who previously spent time as an instant replay assistant in the NFL.
Jamaur Law was a Big 10 Conference
developmental official.
This entrepreneurial mindset was instilled by Law's SRU professors. Among them is John Golden, assistant professor of accounting, economics and finance. Golden is the University's "entrepreneur-in-residence" and the managing director of the Sustainable Enterprise Accelerator at Slippery Rock, which assists new start-ups and existing businesses with sustainable growth opportunities.
"I researched all my professors to see what they're doing outside of the classroom, to see if they have a drive to not just be a professor but applying their knowledge by having other ventures as well," Law said. "Dr. Golden was one who really stuck out to me."
"When Jamaur was in my class, I could tell he had all the attributes of the quintessential entrepreneur," Golden said. "He was curious, conscientious, motivated and resilient. He would always approach me after class or in my office with questions or details of his dreams."
A native of Aliquippa and graduate of Rochester High School, Law attended three other colleges before transferring to SRU, which he described as quite a journey.
"I was a little bit older and more mature by the time I came to SRU," Law said. "By then I had a purpose, and I had to fulfill that purpose, but once I graduated, I was like, 'OK, this is not enough.'"
Law said he wanted to put something out there into the world and give back. In 2014, he moved to Fort Washington, Maryland, and took a job in the finance department of a public relations firm in Washington, D.C. But after three years at the firm, Law decided that education was a better outlet. He spent two years teaching in the Prince George's County School District followed by six years in Washington, D.C., at the Monument Academy Public Charter School.
"Jamaur always seemed directed to help his community, whether it was his hometown, or with youth he was sure he could help," Golden said. "He had always seen financial literacy as an important tool."
In 2018, he created the Jamaur Law Foundation. The foundation provides financial education and holistic programming intended to close the wealth gap experienced by marginalized populations.
"We have children and adults using the material we teach and then applying it to everyday life and better situations came out of it," Law said, citing improved credit scores, increased savings, budgeting to pay monthly bills. "It's not about giving away free things. We give them the tool of education."
Law said hundreds of people of all ages have benefited from in-person programs organized through his foundation. More information on the foundation is available at jamaurlawfoundation.org.
Law's interest in football officiating began two years before he started the foundation. He enrolled in a training program in Maryland operated by the NFL and by his second year he was officiating practices for the Baltimore Ravens. He then became a replay official and on-field official for the NCAA, the Big 10 Conference and high school games. He even served as the back judge at a game at SRU for The Rock's 47-44 overtime win over Cal U in 2017.
"A lot of people thought I was going to give them home cooking and there was pressure on me because of that, but I go by the book," Law said.
Law is no longer a replay official for the NFL, but he still serves as the video operator at all Baltimore Ravens home games. His duties include making sure that the video replay is capturing all the players on the field and that the game clock is correct.
He and his wife, Jasmine, have five children under the age of 10: Sebastian, Skylar, Sage, Kai and Chase. Jasmine is a lead data coach for Prince George's County School District and all their children are involved with sports and other activities. They live in Waldorf, Maryland.
Law was on campus earlier this year as part of SRU's 10 Under 10 Alumni Awards and he and Golden are still close. But there's been a noticeable change in the teacher-student relationship.
"He still seeks my advice on matters," Golden said. "But more and more, I tend to seek his."
MEDIA CONTACT: Justin Zackal | 724.738.4854 | justin.zackal@sru.edu