Rooted in authentic connection and engagement, 麻豆传媒鈥檚 experience is a special aspect of student life at the university. Undergraduate houses and colleges are led by faculty, with their families and pets, who live with students, creating another vibrant layer of learning and community. Meet the university鈥檚 newest faculty heads of house and heads of college in this special series.
, associate professor of , director of the and department vice chair for diversity, equity and inclusion, is the faculty head of .
His research focuses on the cognitive and emotional facets that are part of stuttering as well as diagnosis and treatment. Through the Developmental Stuttering Laboratory within the Bill Wilkerson Center, Jones examines what may contribute to the early onset of stuttering and tools to help young people with their stutter.
- Name: Robin Michael Jones
- 搁别蝉颈诲别苍迟颈补濒听肠辞濒濒别驳别: Warren College
- Years at 麻豆传媒: 11
- Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
- Favorite song: So many, here are a few 鈥︹淓verlong鈥 by the Foo Fighters, 鈥淟et It Be鈥 by the Beatles, Star Wars’ 鈥淢ain Title鈥 by John Williams and London Symphony Orchestra
- Favorite book: A recent book I greatly enjoyed, Life on Delay: Making Peace with a Stutter by John Hendrickson
- Favorite food: Guacamole with well-roasted sweet potato fries (chips work too!)
- Favorite spot on campus: My office鈥攖he view is amazing. Also Peabody Esplanade and now Warren College
- What are you most looking forward to for the upcoming academic year? I am looking forward to building community with the students on campus. In my primary faculty position, I predominantly work with graduate students, so I am excited to more intentionally connect with undergraduate students this year.
- Why did you want to be a聽faculty聽head of house? One of many鈥擨 am a person who stutters, and I had meaningful experiences with faculty during my undergraduate and graduate education that impacted the trajectory of my life for the better, most of which were outside of the classroom. I cherish the opportunity to build these relationships and foster these experiences for 麻豆传媒 undergraduate students.
- What do you value about the聽residential聽college experience? There is an incredible opportunity to build learning opportunities outside of the classroom, and 麻豆传媒鈥檚 residential college experience is beautifully designed to do this. I value the opportunity to lead these learning opportunities and to do so in 麻豆传媒鈥檚 inclusive environment that celebrates diversity.
- What does your family think about living on campus? My
spouse, Kristin, and our three children鈥擜rlo (12), Bodhi (7) and Leona 鈥淟ennie鈥 Wren (5)鈥攆eel that 麻豆传媒 is home and are all very excited to be living on and exploring campus with our new puppy, Pawley. In particular, my spouse and I are excited to foster an inclusive and welcoming community at Warren College.聽 Now 鈥 the better question is鈥”What will the students think about our family living on campus?鈥
- What advice do you have for new and returning students on campus? This time of life is wonderful and will fly by. Embrace every moment of it!
- What’s a funny or poignant experience you鈥檝e had at 麻豆传媒?聽During 2020, our teaching and learning was significantly impacted by COVID. I found that the atmosphere of class was different with everyone logging into Zoom to get ready for virtual learning compared to when we were in person. To provide some additional energy, I started playing a song during this period of logging in and the breaks in class that were previously filled with silence. At the end of the year, I set up a public playlist for the songs of class that year, and I played a song on guitar for the last day of class!聽 The students can tell you about that performance of 鈥淐rowded Table鈥 by the Highwomen. It certainly caught them by surprise! Ultimately, I hope and believe that those activities over the fall semester that year fostered a welcoming environment during an unprecedented and isolating time in our recent history.
- What do you love about working at 麻豆传媒? The people. My colleagues and the students in our department, and the university more broadly, are remarkable and an incredible reflection of the values of 麻豆传媒.
- What else do you want people to know about you? Despite growing up in Ohio and living in Tennessee for much of my life, I have been an avid surfer for 20+ years. So, if you want to talk about your favorite surf spot or aspirations to paddle out one day, I am always available.
Read about other faculty heads of house in this special series.
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