MCC Vice President for Operations Barbara Jones, left, with MCC Phi Theta Kappa Advisor Phyllis Holladay after the awards presentation.

    Meridian Community College Vice President for Operations Barbara Jones was one of 23 college administrators named as Distinguished College Administrator Awards, presented by Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, the international academic honor society for community and junior college students.

    The Distinguished College Administrator Award is given to college vice presidents, deans or leaders other than college presidents/CEOs serving in an administrative capacity who have demonstrated a strong level of support for Phi Theta Kappa during their tenure.

    “I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award than Barbara Jones. She has long been dedicated to promoting academic excellence and community service through her involvement in PTK,” said MCC President Dr. Scott Elliott.

     He noted that Jones has recorded one of the longest tenures as MCC’s PTK chapter advisor in the college’s history. “During those 10 years our chapter was among the best in the state, if not the nation. And even after she handed off our chapter to the next advisor, she remained involved as an enthusiastic cheerleader for PTK right up to this day. She has been a positive influence on hundreds upon hundreds of lives as a classroom teacher and administrator,” Elliott said.

     Others agree. “Our chapter could not be successful without her constant support,” said Lucy Ferguson, speech instructor and an advisor to the College’s PTK chapter, Nu Upsilon. “Her dedication to Phi Theta Kappa has made a huge impact on all advisors and students who have worked alongside her. This honor is overdue,” Ferguson said.

    Another MCC PTK advisor, Phyllis Holladay, has worked with Jones as a student and now as a colleague. “Her mentorship and support to Phi Theta Kappa is invaluable. We are thrilled that she has received this esteemed honor.”

    Jones has been associated with this international academic honor society since she was a student at Meridian Junior College. “When I came to work at MCC full time in 1992, I became an advisor and served for over than 10 years as an advisor,” she said.

    Jones, who holds a bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Delta State University and post graduate hours from Mississippi State University, has also accumulated additional accolades from PTK, including the Robert Giles Distinguished Advisor Award.

    Now in her 30th year at MCC, she began as a part-time English instructor in 1982 and in 1992, she became a full-time instructor and chair for the Language and Literature division. After teaching for several years, in 2002, she was asked to fill the position of Dean of Academic Affairs and continued teaching English. She was promoted to vice president for operations in 2008. Jones worked for 20 years as a high school English teacher for the Lauderdale County Schools and was selected as a Star Teacher.

    Jones is also a board member for the Lauderdale County Schools and has served for 15 years. She is the only Lauderdale County board member who has ever served on the State School Board (one of only 20 directors across the state for the Mississippi School Board Association) and was selected for a second term.

    “I appreciate our chapter for nominating me for this year’s administrator award, and I appreciate the good leadership that they are providing for our successful PTK group,” Jones said.