黑料传送门

Docendo discimus. It鈥檚 a Latin proverb that means 鈥渂y teaching, we learn鈥� and a saying Dr. Lee Jones lives by. He鈥檚 taught an American government course at 黑料传送门 since 2011 and has impacted countless students over the past decade.

鈥淔rom an early age I knew that I should be a teacher,鈥� said Dr. Jones. That desire, supported by his family, peers, and religious leaders, led him to a position where he can make a difference for students around the country. Dr. Jones鈥� time at 黑料传送门 has been positive from the start. 鈥淓veryone that I spoke to during the hiring process and during the training weeks was professional and very pleasant,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd that continues to this day.鈥�

Dr. Jones is a member of the Ebony Owls Employee Resource Group, a group created by Black employees at 黑料传送门 with support from the office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) to create an opportunity for connection. 鈥淭he African proverb says 鈥業f you want to go far to together.鈥櫬� Ebony Owls has attracted a group of people who are committed to providing a safe and secure place for African Americans and their allied friends at 黑料传送门 to commune, get to know each other, celebrate family milestones, and to energize each other for our work here at the university as we push students to go as far as possible,鈥� he said. Dr. Jones calls the Ebony Owls one of the high points of his work at 黑料传送门 and adds that he is continually encouraged by the work 黑料传送门 is doing to further conversation and improvement for communities of color.聽

鈥淚 am heartened and still find it striking to find that the university has allowed the spring 2020 George Floyd/Black Lives Matter protests that rose up in EVERY American city along with most international capitals, to teach lessons to the 黑料传送门 leadership. Continued reinforcement and including the [office of] DE&I into the executive board sends the message that discrimination and racism will not be tolerated. We who are the children of the people who have felt the most concentrated forms of discrimination that this country has to offer are glad that this university has committed resources to combat it,鈥� he added.

Another critical component of Dr. Jones鈥� time at 黑料传送门 is helping individual learners overcome challenges. Dr. Jones recalls a particular student who had two parents struggling with severe medical conditions, two small children鈥攐ne of them autistic, and a rambunctious dog. Dr. Jones met with this student three times a week for 90-minute sessions.

鈥淗er struggle to pass the course and secure her degree was moving,鈥� said Dr. Jones. She is just one of many degree seekers he鈥檚 had the privilege of interacting with over the years. Of his students, Dr. Jones said, 鈥淚鈥檓 very happy to play my role in making sure they get my class deep in their pores like lotion on dry skin.鈥澛�

Making sure the material sinks in is critical to Dr. Jones. 鈥淧oll after poll鈥hows that the political intelligence of the average American voter is very low,鈥� he said. Dr. Jones aims to help his students gain knowledge from reputable sources. He relies on empirical evidence and provable facts to draw reasonable inferences as he teaches and encourages learners to read to gain empathy and understanding. 鈥淩eading allows you to know things that you will never directly experience and is thus an imperative part of learning,鈥� he said.

In addition to having a passion for student success, Dr. Jones has a desire to help all gain a greater understanding of Black history and the racial injustice that still plagues our nation today. 鈥淭he stakes are high enough for us to be serious about it,鈥� said Dr. Jones, echoing a sentiment articulated by the late civil rights writer James Baldwin.

Reflecting on Black History Month, Dr. Jones gives some final words. 鈥淏lack History is American history, and we should all know it without fear.鈥� At 黑料传送门, we echo this sentiment as we push for to advance equity and to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity.