Student Spotlight: Rory Jones

Year: Freshman
Major: English with Education track

Rory always dreamed about finding a position working with graphic novels or video games because he has been a life-long fan of both genres. As he matured, he began to enjoy the plot lines and stories of the games and comics more than merely the visual graphics, and he knew he wanted to formulate a career from his emerging appreciation of graphic novels. Since attending GGC, he has been introduced to a surfeit of new ideas and experiences which have broadened his outlook on careers, and he is grateful for the chance to earn a quality education because he thought he had lost his opportunity for a successful career with a job he enjoys.

When Rory first applied to GGC, he was originally denied admission because of past performance at Georgia Perimeter College. “I was afraid that because of my math scores from several years ago, I would be unable to further my education. I know what I am capable of, and I just needed someone to take a chance on me so I could prove myself. I worried that my past mistakes would ruin my chance for a quality education. I did not want this to be the end of the road for me.  With learning comes thinking and without an education I would not have the skills necessary for a gainful career.” He was able to sway the review board with a well written appeal letter and has since excelled in his studies at GGC and had gained the respect of his professors and fellow students.

While taking Dr. Damián’s Transatlantic Literature class, Rory was able to gain a better understanding of his family’s rich heritage in the Caribbean. “I was born on Long Island New York. My dad is from Jamaica and my mom is from England but grew up in Jamaica. Most of my family is from the Caribbean and I have a new appreciation and understanding for my family’s traditions.”

His desire to pursue a degree in English came when he spoke with fellow English majors about their experiences and also with English professor, Dr. Jennifer Wunder, about a class being developed which integrates game design with creative writing. “I was very good at explaining cartoons and comic books to people and this made me wonder if I should explore a degree in English, such as Creative writing to be able to work on plot development for gaming.  I was beginning to see how much writing involves comics and cartoons and even videogames.”

GGC faculty strive to make the students feel welcomed and the accessibility of the professors was an unexpected surprise for Rory and he enjoys being able to “see the professors on campus and being able to ask for help whenever it is needed. The professors (at GGC) are there for you; they will make time for you unlike professors at other schools. They are real people who sincerely care about my education.”