Learning By Doing
“I want students to realize they’re capable of more than they think. Watching them surprise themselves — that’s the best part.”
— Keith Jones
Title: Mark and Kay De Cook Endowed Chair in Character & Leadership Development and Professor of Psychology
Involvement: Former Assistant Women’s Softball Coach
Hobbies: Slow-smoke Specialist, Aspiring Comedian
If you think psychology is just about reading textbooks (or maybe even reading minds), Keith Jones has other plans.
“At Central College, we don’t just learn about psychology — we do psychology,” Jones says.
And he means it.
A Central professor since 2006, Jones is a big fan of hands-on research, helping students dive into big questions and present their work on national stages.
“Our students don’t just study the field — they contribute to it,” he affirms. “In fact, we have graduates regularly conducting research, or continuing the research they started here, in graduate school.”
A developmental psychologist by training, Jones’ passion for understanding how people grow doesn’t end with psychology. He took his own opportunity for growth and joined Central’s softball coaching staff in 2013, volunteering with the team for 12 seasons. For Jones, it was another way to get to know students, serve the college and fuel his inner flame for competition.
Whether he’s guiding students in the classroom or on the field, his approach is the same.
“I want students to realize they’re capable of more than they think,” he says. “Watching them surprise themselves — that’s the best part.”
Beyond the classroom, Jones is a runner, BBQ afficionado and live music junkie. He’s also a firm believer that cake is an acceptable breakfast and Central Market’s five-cookie limit is more of a guideline than a rule, but you didn’t hear that from us.
At the heart of it all? His dedication to students.
“It’s fun for me at graduation to think, ‘Wow, parents, I know, you’re proud, but you have no idea just how amazing your kid is. I got to see it on the daily for four years, and they were kicking butt the whole way.’”
If you’re looking for a program that kicks butt, inspires and maybe even makes you laugh, psychology at Central is the place to be. Just don’t expect to get through Jones’ classes without a little friendly sarcasm or competition along the way.