Dr. John Evans Jones, vice president for Health Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, recently received an Outstanding Alumnus award from the College of Eastern Utah in Price. He also broke ground on the Price campus for a new residence hall named for his father, Aaron Jones, who was the college's president from 1944 to 1959. Both ceremonies were part of the CEU Founder's Day activities, February 27.
A native of Mt. Pleasant, Utah, Jones attended CEU during his father's tenure. He earned his associate's degree in 1950. He completed a bachelor's degree at the University of Utah in 1952 and graduated from the College of Medicine with his M.D. in 1955. He received postdoctoral training in Minnesota, Maryland and West Virginia.In 1961, he returned to the classroom as an instructor at the West Virginia University School of Medicine. He regularly advanced through the school's ranks, becoming a professor, a division chair, dean and the vice president for health sciences - a post he held for nine years. In September 1991, he accepted his present appointment at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Jones has been appointed to a number of major committees and is a highly regarded researcher. He has served on committees for the Association of Academic Health Centers and the Association of the American Medical College. He was elected governor of the West Virginia chapter of the American College of Physicians in 1975 and was honored by that group as a laureate for his commitment to excellence in medical care, education and community service.
Besides Jones, CEU also presented Outstanding Alumni awards to Vanice and Alan Barlett and a Lifetime Achievement award to Wesley P. Larsen, and inducted three new members into the Athletic Hall of Fame.