Georgia Northwestern Technical College (GNTC) has named author Jodi McDaniel Lowery as its 2024 Alumnus of the Year.
McDaniel Lowery, a Chatsworth resident, received an associate degree in Criminal Justice at GNTC in 2013 and a certificate in Crime Scene Investigation in 2022 to help her write true crime books and conduct cold case research.
“Jodi McDaniel Lowery personifies what it means to be authentically engaged at all levels of one’s community,” said Dr. Heidi Popham, GNTC president. “Whether she is volunteering with the elementary school book club she helped establish–or penning another page-turner about a cold case in northwest Georgia–she is contributing to the place she calls home.”
McDaniel Lowery has published four true crime books about northwest Georgia and has conducted extensive research and interviews with witnesses, family members and judicial figures. She uses what she characterizes as “a meticulous eye for detail and a profound commitment to truth.”
She has been featured on the “Just One More Question” and “Conversations of the Strange” podcasts. She has 13 years of experience as a middle school teacher and also authored a children’s book about a therapy dog.
McDaniel Lowery is deeply engaged in her community as a volunteer and philanthropist. She serves as a trustee of the Friends of the Vann House and volunteers with the Murray County 4H, Spring Place Community of Hope and the McDaniel Family Book Club at Spring Place Elementary. Through the McDaniel Family Foundation, she serves on the Scholarship Committee and supports, mentors and encourages GNTC students.
“Jodi and her siblings are loyal friends of GNTC,” Popham said. “Their support continues to help outstanding Murray County students realize their dream of a college education. The fact that she’s an alumnus just makes it that much more special.”
