Cheryl Evans Jones has been named acting president of Paine College in Augusta, Georgia. The college enrolls over 400 students, 85 percent of whom are Black.
Dr. Jones first joined the Paine College faculty in 1993 as an assistant professor of psychology. She later went on to become an associate professor and earned tenure. In 2014, she served as Paine’s acting provost and vice president for academic affairs.
For more than two decades, she has played a vital role in Paine’s accreditation efforts. She served as the accreditation liaison to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, as well as director of the Institutional Self-Study for Transitional Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. (Paine College is currently in a legal fight to retain its accreditation. See JBHE post.)
“We are confident that Dr. Jones will provide strong and effective leadership for Paine College,” said Trustee Chair Barbara E. Bouknight. “Dr. Jones’ ties to Paine faculty and to the community, coupled with her academic experience and ability to connect with students make her the ideal person to lead the College at this time. She has been an integral part of the campus family for 26 years and during that time her peers, students and faculty recognized her for dedication and educational talent and leadership. We look forward to working with Dr. Jones who will further the College’s mission, growth, and progress.”
Dr. Jones is a graduate of Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree and Ph.D. both in clinical-child/developmental psychology from Ohio State University.
