Prior to his time at UIC, Jewell was an associate professor of African American Studies and Department Chair at Loyola Marymount University.
At Loyola Marymount, Jewell came to the African American Studies Department following the lead of John Davis and Ronald Barrett.
He published Race, Social Reform and the Making of a Middle Class: The American Missionary Association in Atlanta, 1870–1900, (Rowman and Littlefield, 2007).
Jewell's addition to the LMU community brings expertise and a wealth of new initiatives; however, he also sees it vital to acknowledge the former heads of the department.
As I do so, I am aware that I stand on the shoulders of giants: Dr. John Davis and Dr. Ronald Barrett have served the department and the African American community at LMU with distinction.