Virginia Tech's Vice Provost For Outreach And International Affairs Retires
After 32 years of service to Virginia Tech, C. Clark Jones, Vice Provost for Outreach and International Affairs and former director of Virginia Cooperative Extension, retired on June 1.
University President Charles Steger paid tribute to Jones at a reception organized by outreach and international affairs staff to honor their departing leader. "Jones distinguished himself by his vision and his integrity and has made a lasting contribution to Virginia Cooperative Extension and Outreach and International Affairs," Steger said. "He has won the respect and admiration of those who have worked with him over the years."
According to Provost Mark McNamee, "Jones brought coherence, focus, and leadership to the mission area of the university that includes outreach, extension, and international affairs."
Jones joined the Virginia Tech faculty in 1971 as a program associate and instructor at the Donaldson Brown Center for Continuing Education, today the Donaldson Brown Hotel and Conference Center. In 1974, he was promoted to associate director and instructor and in 1975 to associate director and assistant professor of continuing education.
In 1977, Virginia Cooperative Extension recruited Jones to serve in Richmond as program leader for community resource development, northeast district. He was named extension district chair in 1980 and district director in 1983 for the east central district (Appomattox). He became a full professor with the extension division in 1987. In 1991, he guided the formation of the Institute for Leadership Development and its educational program.
Later the same year, Jones was named assistant to the director of extension and was promoted to full professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS). In July 1995, he became interim director of extension for one year before becoming director and CALS associate dean for extension. Jones served in that dual post until 1999, when he was selected as vice provost for outreach and international affairs (OIA).
Under his leadership, OIA underwent extensive restructuring to align program areas with related missions and to facilitate collaborative endeavors, which involved moving several units that serve the off-campus public to OIA. Major projects, including the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research in Southside and Virginia Tech's new hotel/alumni/conference center complex, moved closer to reality through his efforts. Groundbreaking for the new on-campus complex was held in April.
He also combined the offices of International Research and Development and International Programs to form the Office of International Research, Education, and Development and reorganized the Center for European Studies and Architecture in Riva San Vitale, Switzerland, so there would be an on-campus liaison to assist faculty with program development.
During his years at Virginia Tech, Jones received numerous awards and honors. The Virginia Cooperative Extension administration at Virginia Tech cited him for meritorious leadership, and the Virginia Extension Service Association and its three affiliate professional associations gave him an advocacy award in 1999. These two honors culminated a series of awards for his achievements in Cooperative Extension.
His leadership in continuing education also attracted honors. He was named Opinion Leader in Virginia on Higher Education in 1983 and Adult Educator of the Year in 1981. He received the Certificate of Meritorious Service to Adult Education in both 1981and 1982 and the Certificate for Valued Contributions in 1986. In 1989, the Office of Inspector General of the United States Department of Agriculture asked him to participate in a civil rights audit of the Alabama Cooperative Extension Service, Auburn University.
Jones holds a B. S. in textile technology, a master of textile technology, and a doctorate in adult and community college education, all from North Carolina State University
When asked about his retirement plans, Jones noted, "I plan to spend time reading, writing, traveling, spoiling our first grandchild, playing golf, addressing my long list of personal goals, and supporting Virginia Tech."
