Immersed in the Michigan Law community first as a student and later as the leader of the Law School’s development and alumni relations team, Jonathan D. Lowe, ’76, credits the school with shaping much of his life—and he is still paying it forward.
Lowe has spent his career fostering meaningful connections between individuals and institutions, and he is a true believer in the impact of philanthropy. He and his wife, Beth, recently gave a $100,000 gift to the Law School to establish the Jonathan D. Lowe Scholarship Fund.
“It’s a small token of our appreciation,” he says. “The Law School is foundational to who I am and how I’ve approached my career—it’s a part of me.”
From legal practice to fundraising
Lowe comes from a family that has connections to the University of Michigan dating back to the 1940s. He skipped a grade in elementary school and then completed his undergraduate degree at Oakland University in two and a half years; he was the youngest in his cohort when he entered Michigan Law as a summer starter at age 19.
“I was thrust into this class of brilliant people, most of whom were older than me,” says Lowe. “I studied alongside professionals who had life experiences I couldn’t even imagine, and it was fascinating.”
Lowe entered private practice after graduating from the Law School and specialized in probate and estate planning at Clark, Klein, Winter, Parsons & Prewitt (now Clark Hill PLC) and later at Sommers, Schwartz, Silver & Schwartz (now Sommers Schwartz PC). However, an unexpected call from Roy Proffitt, ’48, marked a new direction for his career.
Proffitt, a double Wolverine, served Michigan Law for 30 years as a professor and administrator whose accomplishments included helping to create the Law School Fund, the oldest annual fund at the University. He enlisted Lowe to help with fundraising efforts. Lowe, eager to support his alma mater, balanced his legal practice with volunteer fundraising for a number of years until Proffitt announced his retirement. Then, the Law School asked Lowe to fill Proffitt’s role as assistant dean for Law School relations, a job he held for a decade.
“When I returned to the Law School as a full-time employee, it was a different ballgame,” he says. “I got to sit in the faculty lounge listening to Jerry Israel and Yale Kamisar, both of whom were my professors.”
Lowe built strong relationships with alumni throughout his tenure at Michigan Law and increased donor participation to nearly 50 percent of the Law School’s alumni network. He also helped facilitate building support, which led to named spaces like the Squires, Sanders, and Dempsey Classroom.
After a decade at the Law School, the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit recruited him for fundraising. Throughout his three decades with the federation, he and his team established crucial social services for the Jewish community, including the Dorothy and Peter Brown Adult Day Program for individuals with Alzheimer’s, which operates two facilities in Oakland County.
“It’s been a wonderful career, both at the Law School and the federation,” he says. “I enjoyed practicing law, but I find it most satisfying to help people match their desires with the goals of an organization.”
Jonathan D. Lowe, ’76The Law School is foundational to who I am and how I’ve approached my career—it’s a part of me.
An everlasting legacy
Despite facing significant health challenges in recent years, Lowe remains positive and continues to inspire those around him. As a retirement gift, his team at the Jewish Federation of Metro Detroit assembled a book with dozens of gratitude letters, showing their appreciation for his positive impact on the community. He believes this gift, in some way, has given him the strength to overcome challenging moments.
“In dealing with the reality of my illness, I spoke with one of my rabbis,” Lowe recalls. “He said, ‘The only thing you can take with you is what you’ve given away.’ I found that inspiring, especially when I reflect on my life and career.”
