Brenda Jones
I am a Livingston native, spending my entire childhood and adolescence as a student athlete at Sumter Academy. I attended college in Birmingham, met and married my husband Ken, a college football coach, and had the opportunity to be a part of many different college campuses in the Southeastern United States. Along with our two sons, Nick and Ethan, we even spent a summer in Hannover, Germany, coaching American football. I also obtained my B.S. in English from Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee, and went on to teach high school Reading and English in inner-city Pensacola, Florida. This experience was pivotal for me, and became the guiding force in launching my career in education, where I most recently served as a School Counselor in the Pensacola area. I am currently pursuing a master’s degree in Counseling. Of the many schools I have been associated with, none comes close when measuring up the level of hands-on education, coupled with genuine care and concern for student success, offered by UWA. Regardless of where one hails from, I hear some version of this sentiment repeated over and over as I talk to students, “UWA felt like home.” I am proud to represent an institution whose entire campus administration, faculty, and staff work together to create a school community that truly does feel like family.
Favorite Place on Campus:
The Alamuchee Covered Bridge is my favorite place on campus because I have special childhood memories there. My mother used to let me collect and freeze our unused loaves of bread until I decided we had enough to feed the ducks and fish from the bridge. It makes me happy to see students still using it as a thoroughfare to come and go on campus.
Favorite UWA Tradition:
The Homecoming Parade is my favorite UWA tradition - it provides an opportunity for the entire town to come together and celebrate our university. What do you love the most about UWA: Roots. UWA provides the root system of not only Livingston, but also the entire Black Belt region. My family roots are here as well. It was here I learned how to form strong personal relationships, the value of being genuine, and how to put others first. It truly is where I learned to “Do Something that Matters.”
Piece of Advice for Prospective Students:
I spend a considerable amount of time behind a recruiting table explaining the wonderful opportunities, academic, athletic, and social, available at UWA. This is only half of the equation. Students need to think about what they have to offer on our campus as well. Their unique personalities, skills, and experiences are what make our university diverse, vibrant, and impactful for all.
Brenda Jones
bjones@uwa.edu
205.652.5431
