Sonya Jones ‘96
Professor of Sport and Kinesiology
"Greenville is the place where I learned what it meant to develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. I remember distinctly walking up the sidewalk as a student next to Snyder Hall on a campus visit and hearing the voice of God speak to me and tell me that I would spend the next four years here.
Greenville is where I set my foundation for all that life would throw at me in future years. Greenville is where I learned to develop relationships with others who had Christ as the center of their lives as well. Greenville is where my life changed forever so I’m forever grateful for Greenville University."
While attending Greenville College, Jones majored in physical education and played on the women’s softball and soccer teams. During her college career, she was an All-American two consecutive years, All-American player of the year and is remembered as the first person to hit a ball out of the park at GC. After graduating from Greenville College Jones played two years of semi-professional softball.
Since graduating, Jones has served as an athletic director and a physical education teacher and coach at two different schools. Most recently, she served as an outreach representative with HSHS Medical Group and is owner and coach of a weight loss clinic in Litchfield, Illinois. When Jones appeared on The Biggest Loser in 2014, she credited her faith and the strong foundation she developed during her time at GU (then Greenville College) for helping her through the journey.
"Coming back to teach at GU was coming full circle for me. When I was a student, so many of the professors and faculty invested in me. I am now excited to have the opportunity to invest in students. I want to be a game changer in their lives so that they can be a game changer in someone else’s life someday.”
Jones embodies perseverance, positivity, and a strong work ethic. Those and other qualities make her a great asset for GU’s campus community. Her book, 44 Lessons from a Loser (Author Academy Elite, 2018) builds on her firm belief that God has a plan and purpose for us, and that we often don’t know our true strengths.
"Now I am blessed to come back and teach here and share with students what I gained from professors like Bob Briner and leaders like "Ish" Smith. I am called to love students and walk through them throughout this important journey of their lives."
