WKU Sisterhood Spotlight: Michelle Jones ('97, '98)

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Hometown: Baltimore, Md.

Current City: Bowling Green, Ky.

When did you attend WKU? 1994-1998

What activities were you involved in as a student? Along with your Sisterhood membership, have you been involved in other WKU activities as an alumna? I began WKU as a non-traditional student. This was my second degree. I was married and had a son. I wasn’t involved across campus. I was a member of Pi Mu Epsilon, a math honor society. I am a member of the Executive Board of the WKU Alumni Association. I also served as the first Chair of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council of the Alumni Association.

Do you have a favorite memory from the Hill? My all-time favorite memory is teaching my first college course as a graduate assistant. Under the tutelage of Ms. Linda Pulsinelli, my love of teaching blossomed!

Is there a Sisterhood moment that stands out to you or made an impact? As a new member, I have not had a whole lot of interaction just yet, but I love the positivity that I’ve experienced thus far. I am excited to connect and communicate with all of my sisters as we pool our resources for the betterment of students, faculty and staff of our beloved institution. I look forward to forming new friendships!

If you work, what do you do? I have the privilege of being a faculty member on campus. After graduating, I applied and was granted a position at what was Bowling Green Community College, which was one of the six colleges of WKU at that time. Twenty-four years later, I am a Pedagogical Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics where I am honored to assist underprepared students discover their mathematical talents.

Tell us about your family: I found my life partner in my second husband, Patrick Jones, my husband of seven years. I have a 29-year-old son, Quentin Hollis II. He’s a senior project manager in Austin, Texas. I have a 25-year-old daughter, Diamond Hollis. She works for the District Attorney of San Marin in California. She’s currently preparing for law school. I have a 33-year-old bonus daughter (I don’t like step daughter), Asia Jones. She’s a fashion designer for Black Enterprise magazine and lives in Southfield, Michigan. Patrick and I have two fur babies. We have an eight-year-old Yorkie named Chaos who lives up to his name daily. We also have five-year-old Shih Tzu named Onyx.

Do you have any passion projects other than WKU Sisterhood? My newest passion centers on personal training and fitness. I started body building at age 53 and have fallen in love with the process of transforming my body. I earned my Pro Card at age 54 and competed in my first competition as a professional at age 55 on May 6, 2023. I am now a personal trainer and nutritionist for Team SBM (Strength of Body & Mind) where I get to help other women discover the best versions of themselves.

Fun fact about yourself: I once ran against Jackie Joyner Kersey. We both ran the anchor leg of the 4 x 400 meter relay at the U.S. Olympic Festival. This was a track meet where the U.S. was divided into north, south, east, and west and we competed against one another. It was such an AWESOME experience.