Dr. Kelley Jones named Wallace State-Oneonta instructional site director
HANCEVILLE, ALA. – Dr. Kelley Jones has been named the first director of the Wallace State-Oneonta instructional site.
Jones has served as Wallace State’s Adult Education Director since April 2006 and been employed at the college since 2002, when she began an electronics technology instructor.
The Wallace State-Oneonta campus is scheduled to conduct its first classes when the summer semester begins on May 26, and Jones will oversee the day-to-day operations of the site and provide coordination for student services, instructional programs and support services.
“I’m very excited about this opportunity and look forward to making it a successful campus. I was thinking the other day how great it is for Wallace State to be celebrating its 50th anniversary, and now we can celebrate even more with our first venture into opening an extended campus,” said Jones, a native of Holly Pond. “We want to establish a strong presence in Oneonta, in Blount County and the surrounding communities.”
Plans for the new campus site in Oneonta were announced last summer, and Wallace State will open its doors in the largest city in Blount County less than a year later.
“We are currently planning our Open House and summer registration activities,” said Wallace State President Dr. Vicki Karolewics. “Staffing of the Center is underway, and we expect a good enrollment in summer and fall semesters.”
Wallace State is not new to Blount County. The college currently has 985 students enrolled from Blount County and has traditionally served the western half of the county in addition to maintaining an off-campus center in Hayden, a FastTrack dual enrollment program at J.B. Pennington High School and an Adult Education program within the county.
As Wallace State’s Adult Education Director, Jones oversees 23 instructors, five staff members and multiple volunteers, operating 19 class sites in four counties. She also manages all grants involved with the locations.
After serving for nearly four years as a Wallace State Electronics Technology Instructor, Jones was also the Interim Director and Co-Principal Investigator for the Consortium for the Alabama Regional Center for Automotive Manufacturing.
Jones began her professional career in 1992 as a teacher at Arab High School and taught there for 10 years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary trade and industrial education from Athens State, a master’s degree in industrial technology from Alabama A&M and completed her doctorate in philosophy in higher education from Walden University in 2015.
The Wallace State-Oneonta site is located off Highway 75 at 728 2nd Ave. E.
Summer offerings at the Oneonta campus include academic and non-credit courses. The academic schedule includes multiple offerings in English and math and classes in music, philosophy and speech. Course offerings will expand during the fall 2016 semester.
Jones has become familiar with many parts of Blount County during her tenure as Adult Education Director.
“I grew up just outside of Blount County, and I have a lot of friends and family in that area. It’s been a second home for me, and the one unique thing about Blount County is how hard-working and dedicated they are. I love working with them. Every time I’ve worked on a project with them in regards to Adult Education, they have gone above and beyond to get things done,” Jones said. “There is a lot of excitement in Oneonta about Wallace State coming to town. They are very enthusiastic about the potential for everyone involved.”
Wallace State’s priority summer registration begins Monday, April 11. Jones said the Oneonta site plans to conduct an onsite registration date prior to the summer semester beginning.
For more information about Wallace State and a schedule of classes, including classes offered at Oneonta, for summer semester, visit wallacestate.edu.
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Russell Moore
Staff Writer
Wallace State Community College
P.O. Box 2000, Hanceville, AL 35077
1-866-350-9722 256-352-8443 direct
Visit us online at www.wallacestate.edu
Kristen Holmes
Communications & Marketing Director, and
Administrator, The Evelyn Burrow Museum
Wallace State Community College
801 Main Street NW | Hanceville, AL 35077
E-mail: kristen.holmes@wallacestate.edu
Office: 256.352.8118 | Cell: 256.339.2519 | Toll Free: 866.350.9722