Susan Robb Jones became an Ohio State faculty member four years ago, and although her time at OSU has been short, her efforts have made a long lasting impression.
Jones is an assistant professor in the School of Educational Policy and Leadership, and is the director of the Student Personnel Assistantship Program.
During her four years at OSU she has taught classes on student affairs administration, diversity in higher education, and leadership in community service. Through her teaching, Jones has transformed the career paths of many students.
“Dr. Jones didn’t necessarily open doors for me, but she showed me doors I didn’t even know existed,” said Kristen Konkel, a former student of Jones. “The biggest impact she had on me was showing me what all was out there, and that ended up completely changing my career goals, otherwise I would probably be flunking out of Pharmacy school right now.”
Konkel now works for Project OpenHand, an organization which provides nutritional meals to people living with HIV or AIDS in Columbus.
Originally from Chagrin Falls, a city outside Cleveland, Jones left Ohio in 1978 to attend Saint Lawrence University in Canton, N.Y. where she discovered her interest in student leadership as a resident assistant.
Jones continued her education at the University of Vermont, and received her masters in higher education and student affairs. She then became the dean of students at a small liberal arts college in Vermont for 12 years, where she had her first taste of teaching.
“What I loved most about teaching was being able to integrate what I was doing as a practitioner with what I was teaching in the classroom,” Jones said. “It seemed like a natural transition to then become a faculty member and draw upon my many years of experience in the field.”
Jones received her doctorate at the University of Maryland.
Marylu McEwen was Jones’ advisor and mentor while she worked toward her degree, and still remains a close friend.
“Susan came to our program with experience in student affairs and was in tune with other people,” McEwan said. “People gravitated to her, and admired her passion for community service and diversity.”
As a doctorate student, Jones taught undergraduate students, and was asked to help develop a curriculum for a leadership course that integrated a community service component. The curriculum she developed served as the backbone for the curriculum she brought to OSU.
Jones began her career at OSU in 1998.
“Ohio State has always had a great national reputation for their higher education administration graduate program,” Jones said. “So when an opportunity to come and become a faculty member as part of a great nationally regarded program became available, I thought even if it is in Ohio, I can come back.”
As an assistant professor, Jones wants her students to learn new ways to think about their environments, themselves, and to also be excited about what they are learning.
“I am a firm believer of student centered learning, and I want students to be different when they leave the class, than from when they began the class,” she said.
The walls of Jones’ office in Ramsyer Hall are decorated with a large picture of her dog, and two marathon posters. Jones has completed the New York Marathon eight times, and has run a total of 12.
This past January, because of her work with Project OpenHand and service learning, she was chosen to carry the Olympic Torch in Columbus.
Jones’ true claim to fame is that she was one of the original ice cream makers at the very first Ben and Jerry’s in Burlington, Vt.
“I worked there while I was in my masters program. Then Ben told me that my graduate school was interfering with working at Ben and Jerry’s, so I had to pick one or the other,” Jones said. “I chose to stay in school.”
McEwen described Jones as a person with a great sense of humor, and who is very close to her family and friends.
“She is a well balanced person, which has a lot to do with being a great teacher,” McEwen said. “Perhaps what people admire most about her is that she keeps good relationships with family and friends.”
Jones said the most rewarding aspect of her job is working with talented students who share the same beliefs in education as she does.
“It is great fun to work with people who share the same commitments to students, and who want to make a contribution to the campuses they are a part of,” she said.
This past year, Jones was one of 10 faculty members presented with the 2002 Alumni Award for Distinguished Teaching. Winners receive a $3,000 cash award and a salary increase of $1,200. This is not the first time Jones’ teaching has been recognized.
In 2001 she received the Outstanding Teaching Award from her school.
“It is a huge thrill and a great honor to receive this award. It was especially exciting because president Kirwan presented it to me, and I knew him from the University of Maryland where he was president when I got my Ph.D.,” Jones said. “I can’t imagine anything greater than being recognized for something I love to do, and that I really value.”
