It could be called “The Changing of the Guard.” In late April, Dr. William Blow said his goodbyes to the Brewton and Atmore campuses of Coastal Alabama Community College and re-entered into the retirement that he left in January of 2015 to serve as Interim President of then Jefferson Davis Community College and Interim Provost of the Brewton and Atmore campuses of Coastal Alabama Community College.
David Jones, Dean of Student Affairs for Brewton and Atmore, was tapped by Dr. Gary Branch, Regional President of Coastal Alabama Community College, to serve as Provost over those campuses.
A native of Atmore, Jones lives in Brewton and has served as the Dean of Student Affairs and Athletic Director on the Brewton Campus since January 2005. Dr. Branch made the announcement of Dean Jones’ appointment in a College Assembly on Tuesday, May 2, on the Brewton Campus.
“Mr. Jones has many years of experience in community college administration,” Dr. Branch said. “He expresses a great amount of loyalty for Brewton and Atmore, and I have the utmost confidence in his ability to serve in this new role.”
Before becoming Dean of Student Affairs at Jefferson Davis Community College, Jones was no stranger to the Alabama Community College System. He served for two years as Assistant Dean for Extended Day Programs / Admissions / Financial Aid at H. Councill Trenholm State Technical College. Before that, he served at Trenholm as Dean of Student Development and also at John M. Patterson State Technical College as Interim Dean of Students, Interim Coordinator of Student Services, and Assistant Dean of Instruction for Extended Day Programs. Prior to coming to John M. Patterson State Technical College, Dean Jones was a Vocational Technical Math Instructor at J.F. Ingram State Technical College and an Adult Education Instructor at Jefferson Davis Community College.
Jones earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physical Education from University of Montevallo, where he attended on a baseball scholarship, and Master of Arts in Teaching Degree from Livingston University. He remains active in professional organizations, such as Alabama Deans of Student Affairs Association, Alabama Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, Alabama Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, and Southern Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.
“As a native of Escambia County, Alabama – and having grown up with two parents who were educators in Escambia County, Alabama – I am extremely grateful to President Branch for giving me the opportunity to serve the people in this community as the Provost for the Brewton and Atmore campuses of Coastal Alabama,” Provost Jones said. “I am excited to continue working with an outstanding and dedicated group of faculty and staff to provide excellent education and enhance the quality of life for the people in our College’s service area.”
Jefferson Davis Community College, Alabama Southern Community College, and Faulkner State Community College consolidated to become Coastal Alabama Community College officially on January 11, 2017. Coastal Alabama has an enrollment of more than 10,000 students, has 15 campuses and instructional sites, has more than 100 programs of study and covers nearly 9,000 square miles in south Alabama.