Middle Georgia State MVP: Austin Jones
Author: News Bureau
Posted: Monday, May 19, 2014 12:45 PM
Category:
Finding Greatness
Macon, GA
Full Name: Austin L. Jones
Age: “I’m 33!”
Hometown: Dublin.
Residence: Dudley.
Family: “I love all my family! I have a twin brother named Justin. My sister, Kellie Jones Holt, is a nursing student at MGSC! In addition, my cousin Carmen Thompsen is a biology major here. My grandparents have been a major inspiration and of course, I love my mama! LOL!”
Current Employment: “I’m a tutor of mathematics in the Academic Resource Center at the Dublin Campus. I’ve been doing that for a couple of years now. I’m a fence builder by trade.”
Degree Objective: Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Class Rank: Junior.
Primary Campuses: Macon and Dublin.
Activities: Student Affairs Committee, Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society alumni and former chapter president, Student Affiliate with the APA.
Career Goals: “I plan to pursue an M.S. in research and psychometrics. My dream is to earn a Ph.D. in cognitive behavioral psychotherapy. I can see myself starting out in a career doing testing or some other form of research before settling into a career as a therapist. Every psych major dreams of helping others in some way.”
He chose Middle Georgia State College because … “Convenience wasn’t the only reason I chose Middle Georgia State. It was more than just the campus in Dublin being there that brought me here. I somewhat always knew I would go to school at the campus in Dublin. My grandfather, Henry L. Smith, went to the former Middle Georgia College, and I wanted to go where he went. Fate brought me to Macon. The campuses merged and the bachelor’s degree in psych was my next move anyway so I slipped right on in the back door and blew the front doors wide open.”
The one thing that surprised him about Middle Georgia State was … “The amazing professors here really surprised me. All of the psychology professors have amazing credentials. Also, the new rec/wellness center is amazing!”
His favorite professor is … “Dr. Laurie Walters gets this distinction because she’s been my advisor since I started college. She made the transition of being a non-traditional student easy for me and helped me strive to achieve my full potential. I took all my A.S. psychology classes with her. Dr. James Collins showed me how cool the brain is in biopsychology! He also turned my attention towards a career in research. I learned so much from Dr. Charles Cliett that I’ll never forget him, even though I only got to take one class (behavioral statistics) from him. I can’t leave out Dr. Paul Gladden because I keep having to take all his classes. Seriously though, they’re all awesome professors.”
His favorite place to study is … “I like to study somewhere quiet with music playing. I know that’s an oxymoron but both conditions are necessary. I get stuff done in the computer lab in Dublin, but most of my studying occurs at home. I do not study on Saturdays. That’s my day, has been for four years. Seems to work, too.”
One thing people don’t know about him is … "I want to write a novel.”
His friends make fun of him because … “I’m hilarious.”
The one person he’d most like to meet is … “I’m too much of a thinker to even begin to answer this question.”
Five years from now he sees himself … “Immersed in a pile of paperwork and statistical analyses. I should be deeply involved in some type of cognitive behavioral experiment working towards my Ph.D. Speaking of research. I got this awesome internship opportunity through the Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute. I’ll be going to the Washington D.C. area for 10 weeks and staying at either George Mason University or George Washington University. I haven’t decided yet. This internship is an amazing opportunity to experience the world of research as it happens.”