As a member of the graduating class of 2018, Kendric D. Jones is a pro at going back-to-college. He knows what to pack, what to expect, and basically what to do. However, this year will be different than usual when returning to Prairie View A&M University to finish up his last two semesters of his undergraduate collegiate career as he will have a lot more to juggle balancing books with politics.

Jones is not your typical college student. Sure, he balances academics with an active social life on campus participating in a number of organizations including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. among them. The agriculture economics major is well respected by the student body as that was proven with his recent election in April as the incoming Student Government Association President. Running on a campaign platform called “My Race, Your Vision, Our Hill,” Jones will focus on the rich history of university while inspiring students to make their goals a reality with action plans for a lasting investment in their future. In addition, he wants to address all issues and concerns with viable solutions. This is the “hill” part of his overall plan. But that is where the line of a typical college student is drawn with Jones. Since this school year Jones will be more than just a PV student but a PV Councilman as well. He will maintain the politics of PVAMU to ensure students’ voices are heard and also work to ensure the voices of Prairie View citizens are being heard (which include the student body of university) as the youngest city council member in the state of Texas, representing position #3 on the Prairie View City Council.

Growing up Jones was always told something that has stuck with him throughout his life. “You always want a seat at the table or you’ll be given the crumbs that someone throws on the floor.” As a PVAMU student, Jones, in essence, felt his peers didn’t have a seat at the table where the political power moves were being played. Local politicians just saw students as someone to vote for them but not as a citizen who had voice in the community. “We would only see politicians one time during the year and it was just for their vote. They weren’t concerned or cared about us,” he said. Being a bystander to that kind of treatment and then working on the inside of friend’s campaign seeking local office, Jones thought it was time out for that type of relationship and he was the man who could help change it.

“The perspective that I have now is that it’s a broken relationship between the community and the students. The community feels like the students are just here to party and leave once they get their degree. They don’t care about the city of Prairie View, “ said Jones. He wants to transform their perception of students in the minds of citizens. In order to do that, he knows he has to get the students involved in the city of Prairie View outside the university boundaries. “What I tell them (PVAMU students) is that you can’t expect them (Prairie View citizens) to change their mindset when you guys don’t reach out to them.” In this next year, Jones will have his hands full building a trusting relationship between the students of Prairie View and the citizens of Prairie View so that together the groups can progress and move the city forward.

This mindset that Jones has is all part of his overall goal to uplift the community, the black man, his race and mentor; an idea that he might not have had if he had not matriculate at the historically black university. Initially, Jones did not want to attend Prairie View A&M University. Instead of a panther, he wanted to be an aggie, a Texas A&M aggie that is. However, there was a big problem in that plan, not enough financial aid. So the decision was made for him to attend PV. A decision he calls as the best one made for him. Now he is an advocate for African Americans to attend HBCUs. “There is no experience like it,” said Jones. “If you make it here, you can make it out in the real world.”

And it is almost time for him to test his footing in that real world, as graduation is nine months away. Before he crosses the stage, turns his tassel, and the hill is in his rearview, he has some advice to the incoming freshmen class of 2021. Jones encourages freshmen to find something that they want to do. Easily one of the biggest challenges for freshmen that are on their own for the first time is doing things they want to do instead of things that their parents or others want them to do. Something Jones himself had a hard time adjusting to as a new college student. Going to college is about finding out who you really are as a person and the best way to do that is to get involved in different organizations and activities to see what you like and get exposed to new things. “In the long haul, those are things that will bring you joy and you’ll wind up working ten times harder doing something you love to get the money that you want. Rather than doing something for the money that you don’t love. Eventually, you’ll give up,” said Jones.

He is not short on advise to those returning the hill either. “Keep pushing and always reach back,” encourages Jones to his returning panthers. Living by the philosophy of a quote that states, “A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. A smart man learns from his own mistakes,” Jones believes if upper classmen would let freshmen know of their personal trials and tribulations while obtaining their education then the freshmen would have a faster start on the path to success. It is all part of reaching back and giving back.

The start of the new school year is not the only thing that has students like Jones excited about returning to campus. Anticipation is up due to the new leadership of Dr. Ruth J. Simmons as the interim university president. She officially began her term on July 1st after Dr. George C. Wright stepped down as the university president to return to the faculty. Although she is an HBCU graduate of Spelman College, criticism has surrounded her appointment because of her Ivy League school administration experience. She was the first Black president of an Ivy League university. Some think it is not a good mix for an HBCU like PVAMU. However, students, faculty and alum welcome Dr. Simmons. Jones laughs at the negative comments about Dr. Simmons as he has had several meetings with her and knows her nature of being very genuine and student driven. Calling her “pretty legit,” Jones believes Prairie View is getting Dr. Simmons at the perfect time. “Dr. Wright planted the seed and I think that President Ruth will make it blossom,” he commented.

Jones is a senior agriculture economics major from Houston, Texas. Upon graduation, he plans to continue on with a career in politics. His future goal is to be the first Black governor of Texas. With the track he is on I have no doubt he will achieve that dream and continue to be a productive person of the Prairie View A&M University.