WNMU Hopeful Jones Highlights Mentorship and Community Involvement

Candidate Sharon Jones emphasizes the importance of mentors and opportunities for community engagement in higher education success.

Published on Mar. 6, 2026

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Sharon Jones, a candidate for the presidency of Western New Mexico University, discussed the key role that mentors and community involvement played in her own educational and career journey during a public meet-and-greet on the WNMU campus. Jones, a professor of engineering and former vice chancellor at the University of Washington Bothell, shared how those factors helped her overcome challenges as a first-generation college student and find her passion in higher education.

Why it matters

Jones' experiences highlight the vital importance of mentorship and community engagement for student success, especially for first-generation and underrepresented students. As WNMU aims to serve its diverse student body and the surrounding region, Jones' emphasis on these elements could shape her vision for the university' s future.

The details

Jones, who was born in South America and grew up in Trinidad and Tobago, credited mentors and extracurricular opportunities at Columbia University for encouraging her to persist in her engineering studies despite initial struggles. After graduating, a mentor advised her to pursue graduate school, leading Jones to earn master's degrees and eventually a doctorate. Throughout her career in higher education, Jones has sought to provide similar transformative experiences for students through hands-on projects that connect classroom learning to real-world issues.

  • Jones met with the public on Tuesday, March 5, 2026 during her campus visit.
  • Jones is the third candidate to visit WNMU as part of the search for the university's 16th president.

The players

Sharon Jones

A professor of engineering and former vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Washington Bothell, Jones is a candidate for the presidency of Western New Mexico University.

Brissa Bolivar

A Western New Mexico University student who met with Jones during her campus visit.

Carlos Carranza

The president of the Associated Students of Western New Mexico University, who met with Jones during her campus visit.

John Wertheim

A regent at Western New Mexico University who participated in the public meet-and-greet with Jones.

Jim Callender

A former volleyball coach at Western New Mexico University who asked Jones about her involvement with athletics.

Guadalupe Cano

A former Silver City town councilor and Western New Mexico University alumna who asked Jones about the possibility of bringing baseball back to the university.

Patricia Cano

A former Western New Mexico University faculty member who discussed the fading of Spanish and Chicano studies at the university with Jones.

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What they’re saying

“College was never easy for me, but there were always people around who encouraged me to persist.”

— Sharon Jones (scdailypress.com)

“When you can connect what a student is learning in the classroom to a real-world issue, it's transformative.”

— Sharon Jones (scdailypress.com)

“It's one of the things that makes a campus robust and vibrant, and the fun part of working at a small university.”

— Sharon Jones (scdailypress.com)

What’s next

The WNMU Board of Regents will continue their search for the university's next president, with Jones being one of the candidates under consideration.

The takeaway

Jones' emphasis on the transformative power of mentorship and community engagement aligns with WNMU's mission to serve its diverse student body and regional community. Her experiences could inform an approach to higher education leadership that prioritizes student support and meaningful connections between the university and its surroundings.