|
news:
Esteemed educator
retires after 33 years
By Gabriel Lefrancois
On-line Forty-Niner
On July 2, after
33 solid years of service to the College of Arts department,
Kristi Jones is saying goodbye to the faculty, students and
staff members at Cal State Long Beach.
Currently dean
of the College of the Arts, Jones' long-time service to CSULB
began in 1968 when she became a member of the art department
(art history) faculty. From there, Jones became the Director
of Special Majors in 1982.
"When I came
to Cal State Long Beach, most of it was open land," Jones
said. "What I've enjoyed is seeing the campus expand
and grow into what it is today."
As the campus grew,
so did Jones' illustrious career. In 1986, she was appointed
director of the Liberal Studies program, a position she held
until 1998. Moving up the ladder, Jones served as interim
associate dean of the College of the Arts for 2 years and
then moved on to become interim dean of the college.
"She has brought
a history of accomplishment to the university," said
Donald Para, associate dean for the College of the Arts. "She
is highly ethical and a very fair individual. She has the
insight to serve the university and a sense of openness with
excellent communication."
Jones discovered
her love for art at Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Missouri.
From there, she received a master's degree at Case-Western
Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio and went on to do some
post-graduate work at Arizona State University. Jones said
she has always been curious of the way people do things, especially
when it comes to art and the ways people put things down and
create.
"I always
find the most exciting things in what I'm doing," Jones
said. "There are lots of diverse experiences in a singular
area like art. I've never been bored."
The College of
the Arts is one of the largest and most respected state supported
schools in the country, according to the college's Web site.
The site also states that close to 3,000 students are spread
throughout the department, which offers fully accredited degree
programs in art, dance, film and electronic arts, music and
theatre arts.
"I think they
(the department) are moving in the right direction,"
Jones said. "I applaud them - they have so much energy."
The college states
that it "trains artists with visions to become what they
want to be - not what anyone else has been." For Jones,
the statement rings true.
"The arts
are engaging and they become a part of your life," Jones
said. "If it's not a passion, you should look somewhere
else."
For the future, Jones plans to travel with her husband and
spend some time at their home in Colorado. "The great
thing is that one can now make spontaneous decisions. That
will be the most rewarding."
|
