If any person ever lived up to the Winston-Salem State motto”Enter to Learn and Depart to Serve” it’s Dr. Elva J. Jones.
Jones is chairperson of the WSSU computer science department. The Elva J. Jones Computer Science Building is named in her honor.
Jones grew up on a farm in Louisburg, N.C., In terms of education, Jones’ parents were not very strict, but she knew what was expected of her.
“It was implanted in all of us, we were going to college,” she said.
WSSU was Jones’ top college choice because her oldest sister attended the school. While at WSSU, Jones majored in business because there was no computer science department. Her love of math and science led her to work with computers.
Jones was a student worker in the campus computer center. Working there as a student led to her receiving a job offer upon her graduation in 1970. Jones accepted the job offer and worked at WSSU part-time as a computer programmer while attending UNC-Greensboro to earn her master’s degree in operations research.
She also attended North Carolina State University (NCSU) full-time to earn her doctorate in engineering and computer studies. She completed the task while caring for her only son, Eugene, who also attended WSSU.
When she was pursuing her master’s degree her husband, former band director, Emory Jones, also a WSSU graduate, was working in Winston-Salem at the time so she was the primary caretaker for their son.
All in all, Jones enjoyed her experiences at NCSU because she said they were “fun, exciting, and challenging.” At all of the universities Jones attended she formed close bonds and relationships with people that continue today. Her motivation to pursue her doctorate was to teach on the college level.
After receiving her doctorate, Jones was offered at job at NCSU, but declined the offer and returned to her alma mater, WSSU.
“I felt a very close affiliation to the school, [and] I wanted to give back,” Jones said. She returned as an instructor of computer science.
Jones also she also leads the ARTSI (Advancing Robotics Technology for Societal Impact) project with Dr. Rebecca Caldwell, associate professor of computer science. ARTSI is an education research project focused on robotics for healthcare, the arts, and entrepreneurship.
Jones is dedicated to her students and advises them to set goals and work toward them.
Willie Frazier, lecturer and undergraduate program assistant in the computer science department and who has known Jones for a number of years, speaks highly of the chairman.
“Dr. Jones is a regular person just like everyone else.”
“Dr. Elva Jones is a great person to work with in the computer science department,” said Dr. Rebecca Caldwell, assistant professor of computer science. “She is always willing to share her time, resources, and expertise. I have learned a lot from her as a faculty member in the computer science department.”
Outside of teaching, Jones loves sports, especially basketball and baseball. She often frequents Charlotte Bobcats games. Jones also has a knack for learning new things, crafts, and garden. She also likes to sew.
“There is no student that cannot learn,” Jones said. “WSSU has a tradition of giving students an opportunity to excel.”