University of Montevallo student Waid Jones of Remlap, Alabama, has been selected as one of Birmingham Business Journal’s 2018 Veterans of Influence.
This honor seeks to recognize military veterans who have distinguished themselves in the world of Birmingham business. A special advisory committee was utilized to select honorees, with criteria including their contributions to their company, a track record of innovation and leadership and their role in the Birmingham community.
Jones moved to the Birmingham area only one month following his medical separation from the Marines in 2017. However, like so many with a military past, it did not take long for him to call his new place home.
Jones soon enrolled at the University of Montevallo and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in political science. Following his graduation from UM, Jones plans to attend law school. He aspires to one day provide better defense for veterans involved in disability disputes with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense.
“Waid Jones is one of the finest students that I have ever had in my constitutional law course. His military background and the fact that he is a practicing journalist allowed him to approach the study of constitutional law from a unique perspective, and his contributions to class discussions were invaluable,” said Dr. Carl Doerfler, associate professor of political science at UM.
Beyond his rigorous academic endeavors, Jones is involved on campus and within his community. He currently serves as the managing editor of UM’s campus newspaper The Alabamian, a role to which he devotes a vast amount of his free time in order to provide news to the more than 2,600 students of the University of Montevallo.
Jones and other veterans of influence were honored in a ceremony held Oct. 18.