Doug Jones, a 1990 graduate of Kennesaw State University (KSU), credits his Master of Business Administration from the Michael J. Coles College of Business as a key factor in his professional achievements. In the 1980s, while working as an engineer for Georgia Power and living in Cobb County, Jones decided to pursue an MBA at KSU to develop business skills that would complement his technical background.
“I only had two rules going back to school,” said Jones, who is now a trustee with the KSU Foundation. “No summer school and one class per quarter.” Although this approach extended the duration of his studies, he graduated shortly before his son was born. He later retired as executive vice president and chief production officer at Southern Company Services, attributing much of his career success to the education he received at KSU.
“It certainly served me well,” he said. “It helped me understand not just the technical side, but the business side of the company, and that made all the difference.”
Recently, Doug and Anna Jones established the $100,000 Anna and Doug Jones Master of Business Administration Scholarship at KSU. The scholarship aims to support MBA students, especially those whose undergraduate degrees are outside business fields.
“We’ve been fortunate in our careers and wanted to give something back,” Doug Jones said. “KSU was at the forefront of that decision.”
Anna Jones added: “I would hope it does for someone what it did for Doug. Give them that extra leg up to succeed in whatever path they choose.”
Doug Jones’s involvement with KSU has continued beyond graduation through service on the KSU Foundation Board of Trustees—a role he accepted after being introduced by former Coles College Dean Tim Mescon.
“At the time there were so many people around me getting involved in external activities – some had roles with chambers of commerce and others on individual boards,” he said. “I saw this as an opportunity to be involved with the school, and that made it very attractive. I was already a part of that community and was watching it change before my eyes.”
He remarked on how much KSU has grown since his student days: “When I walk on campus today, I almost need a map to get around.”
The first award from the Anna and Doug Jones Master of Business Administration Scholarship will be given out during the upcoming fall semester. The couple plans to meet recipients personally and hopes their contribution will eventually support several students each year.
“Wherever it ends up 10 years from now, I hope it’s good for the community and good for those students in the program,” Doug Jones said.
