Tucked into the far back corner of the Social Change and Intercultural Engagement Office, Jennifer “JJ” Jones, Ph.D., works in a space layered with history—books, framed degrees and handwritten notes from students who once sat across from her desk.

For more than four decades, Jones has done more than work at Southern Methodist University. She has built her legacy one student at a time, one crisis at a time, and one “yes” at a time.

Finding SMU:

Growing up in Orange, Texas, a small town close to Beaumont, Jones never imagined she would one day build a career in a city as large as Dallas.

Her path to SMU began almost by accident.

“I met an SMU staff person who worked in human resources who told me about SMU,” Jones said. “I hadn’t ever really heard of SMU before.”

After learning about the tuition benefits offered to employees, Jones began interviewing on campus and soon landed a job in Residence Life and Student Housing.

What began as a practical job decision quickly evolved into something deeper.

Under the mentorship of her supervisor, Lillian Lovelady, then the facilities manager at Virginia-Snider, Jones developed a habit that would define her career: stepping in when something needed to be done.

“I remember Miss Lovelady went on vacation for two weeks,” Jones said. “I had been working with her for long enough to do her operations while she was gone.”

But Jones did more than maintain the office.

While Lovelady was away, Jones not only managed the daily tasks required of her but also reorganized Lovelady’s office, had the curtains cleaned and the space repainted. When Lovelady returned, she cried.

“Lovelady told her supervisor about what I did and then the trajectory just went off,” Jones exclaimed.

Jones’ academic journey, however, was anything but linear. She initially began as a math major at Prairie View A&M University, but left to help her siblings when her mother was diagnosed with cancer during her junior year.

When she returned to school, she began at SMU as a criminal justice major, but the program was discontinued after her first semester.

“I remember thinking ‘Oh my goodness, what am I going to do?’” Jones said. “So, I went to the career center, and they told me to take an assessment.”

When her assessment came back, she was told that she needed to work with people. She didn’t believe them.

Being an introvert all her life, this decision to begin working with people was nerve-wracking. However, her determination and spirit pushed forth.

Jones earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology, a Master of Liberal Arts, and eventually a Doctor of Education in higher education leadership.

Building a career one “yes” at a time:

From there, Jones’ career transformed through a series of opportunities she explained with humility and gratitude.

Over the years, Jones’ responsibilities expanded across Student Affairs at SMU. She supervised residence halls, navigated departmental restructures and helped coordinate major renovations, including the extensive renovation of McElvaney Hall.

“We renovated McElvaney, took it down, and reopened it,” Jones said. “That was the biggest task ever in my life. I don’t want to do that ever again.”

When SMU’s summer conference programs outgrew its employees, the university created a full-time position to manage them. Jones was the first person the position was given to.

At the same time, students in SMU’s National Pan-Hellenic Council asked her to serve as their advisor. Jones became the first paid part-time NPHC advisor while working full-time in housing and eventually became the president of NPHC for ten years.

Even as her resume continued to grow, her focus remained the same: the students.

For many students, Jones is more than an administrator—she is a mentor to remember.

Taylor Good, a junior majoring in journalism, shared how Jones leaves her feeling determined as a student.

“Dr. JJ is a faculty member who truly embodies all the strong characteristics of a strong leader,” Good said. “That is why I always leave her presence feeling empowered.”

A legacy still unfolding:

On Oct. 23, 2025, Jones marked 40 years at SMU—the same date she was in a car accident on her first day at SMU years ago.

“My husband was driving me to work when we got hit from behind. I had to go to physical therapy, but I never stopped coming,” Jones said.

That perseverance carried her through one of the most difficult moments of her life.

At one point during her extensive career at SMU, Jones was diagnosed with cancer. She vividly remembers the time students and staff came together to show their support.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer, my hair began to fall out,” Jones said. “I remember walking into the Student Activity Center and saw a long sign that said, ‘We love you JJ,’ and six students were getting their heads shaved.”

For Jones, this moment pushed her to keep her light shining and to continue on.

Now, Jones serves as SMU’s executive director for Student Development and Engagement while also being the director of the SCIE office.

Additionally, she is working on a book about her experience as a Black woman in higher education.

While she doesn’t know what her next chapter will look like, she knows why she has stayed.

“I love SMU. I love the good students, the bad students, because they have been the highlight of my life,” Jones said with a smile on her face.

Just as she is influential for students, her influence also touches the hearts of her colleagues.

Brandon Kitchin, assistant director for social change and intercultural engagement, has seen firsthand the dedication Jones has poured into SMU.

“She is the definition of selfless and sacrificial with her time, energy and resources, ensuring that whoever she works with or supports can succeed,” Kitchin said. “It is no exaggeration to say that Dr. JJ is a foundational pillar of this campus community.”

For 40 years, Jones has told students that they are world changers.

In truth, she has quietly changed the world one student at a time, one conversation at a time and one act of care at a time.