University of Phoenix alumna , Ed.D., MBA has been named president of Oklahoma Community College where she promises to usher in “a new era of growth, opportunity and exceptionalism.” Jones will be the first woman and first person of color to serve as the college’s president and the first Black woman to serve as president of a non-HBCU in the state.
Dr. Jones has had a distinguished career in academia since earning her MBA from University of Phoenix, including a previous role as vice president of institutional advancement and external affairs at Langston University, Oklahoma’s only Historically Black College and University (HBCU). She was also president of the Langston University Foundation.
“I am grateful for, and humbled by, the confidence the Board of Regents has instilled in me,” said Dr. Jones on accepting the position. “For the last half-century, Oklahoma City Community College has played an essential and transformative role in educating our citizens, developing Oklahoma’s workforce, and serving our community.”
OCCC was founded in 1972, and Dr. Jones serves as the college’s eleventh president.
Leading with Integrity
Dr. Jones’ career has been marked by recognition, leadership and dedication to serving the Oklahoma community. She is part of numerous civic organizations including serving on the boards of BancFirst, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Stitch Crew, Oklahoma Watch, American Mothers, Inc. and the Civic Center Foundation, among others. Her recognitions include being named one of the Journal Record Book-of-Lists Power players, an honoree for Hundred Magazine and the recipient of the J.A. Reed Spirit of the Community Award. She was also named National Mother of the Year and Oklahoma Mother of the Year in 2021. She is married to U.S. District Judge Bernard M. Jones II and has three children.
University of Phoenix MBA Provided Key Business Insights
Dr. Jones credits University of Phoenix, and specifically its practitioner learner model, for instilling skills she needed to thrive in leadership roles. “The practitioner model that I encountered in the MBA program was exceptional,” she said. “My experience yielded great insights and opportunities in business, all of which have been integral to both my personal and professional development.”
University of Phoenix offers two online accredited MBA degree program options that can give working adults an added advantage in the workplace and the job market. The first is the traditional Master of Business Administration (MBA), a 16-month program for students who may be looking to transition into a business career and who hold a bachelor’s degree but have not yet studied business. This MBA is eligible for transfer credits.
The second is the competency-based MBA degree program (MBA-CB) designed for students who already hold a bachelor’s in business or management and who have at least three years of professional business experience. The program takes a year to complete and is largely self-governed. The MBA-CB tests student competency through theoretical tasks like creating competitive advantages for a mock business or developing business strategies.
The MBA degree programs at University of Phoenix consist of four courses at a time over a 12-week period and are taught by faculty with an average of 28 years of industry experience who can provide real insight into their fields and career opportunities.
Advantages of an MBA
Dr. Jones has leveraged her education from University of Phoenix to build a career where she both leads and inspires. An MBA from University of Phoenix can be a stepping stone to any number of advanced degrees and leadership roles, whether in academia, as Dr. Jones has done, or within corporations, nonprofits or the public sector.
Compared to other graduate degree programs, an MBA is nearly always a wise investment in the future. A Wall Street Journal analysis of federal student loan data from 600 schools found that college graduates with MBAs from 98% of universities with MBA programs typically made more money two years after graduating than they had borrowed. This stands in stark contrast to other graduate degree programs. For law degrees, for instance, just 6% of programs had graduates who out-earned the cost of their degree-related debt after two years.
About University of Phoenix
University of Phoenix is committed to advancing the educational goals of adult and nontraditional learners and to making it easy and affordable for those with or without business experience to complete an MBA program that can help prepare students to pursue new corporate job opportunities. University of Phoenix provides options that working adults need including numerous scholarship opportunities, flexible schedules, online learning and career-guided degree programs. The University’s Career Services for Life® commitment to active students and graduates helps them more effectively pursue career and personal aspirations while balancing their busy lives. For more information, visit www.phoenix.edu.
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