All About Me...
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Hello, hello, hello...
I am Dr. ZeVida A. Jones. My students call me DocZ. I am a life-long resident of Memphis, TN.
My writing career emerged after I completed my dissertation in December 2014 and decided to transform my research on First-Generation African American College Students into my first self-published book - So You Call Yourself A Counselor? High School Counselors' Impact on First-Generation African American College Students' Post-Secondary Aspirations.
I earned my doctorate in counseling education from the University of Memphis, as well as an education specialist degree in school counseling. I am an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin, a Licensed Professional School Counselor (LPSC), Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), National Certified Counselor (NCC), and a Life Coach with over 15 years of experience as a counselor educator and consultant. I previously lived in Xiamen, China, for three and a half years and was the Secondary Counselor at Xiamen International School.
My son and daughter often joke with me about being the "smartest person" they know. I can't help that I love learning!
5 Fun Facts About Me
1. I played in the orchestra from the fifth grade to my senior year in high school.
My instrument of choice was the violin.
2. In 1989, I made an album...well not really. The TN Allstate Orchestra made an album,
but my name is listed on the back cover as 2nd violinist-first chair.
3. If you look closely at both sides of my pinky fingers, you will notice that I was born
with a fifth finger on each hand. Luckily, my mom had them tied off when I was born to
prevent them from growing.
4. I played point guard on my junior high school basketball team. I wasn't the best
player, but I won "most improved" and received the largest trophy on the team.
5. I worked for the Federal Correctional Institute in Memphis, TN as an Accountant.
However, since we were considered officers first, I had to "shake-down" inmates for
contraband and assist with the perimeter watch of the facility with a loaded shotgun.