Donald Carson, vice president of student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services at The University of Memphis, has been presented with the John Jones Award for outstanding performance as a senior student affairs officer.
The regional award, which Carson received last month at a meeting of the National Association for Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA), honors one person who exhibits a genuine concern for students, who is devoted to creating a friendly campus community and maintains successful student advocacy.
“It was very flattering, and I feel very honored to have won the award,” said Carson, who has been with The University for 28 years and has plans to retire sometime between October and November.
Ironically the John Jones Award was named after the U of M’s dean of students Carson replaced in 1974.
“I called (Jones) and I said, ‘John, guess who just won the John Jones Award?’ and he had no idea that I had won, but he was very pleased,” Carson said. “We are very good friends, and we have stayed in touch with each other through the years.”
Carson was nominated for the award by Lane Rawlins, former U of M president; Richard Ranta, dean of the College of Communication and Fine Arts; Andrew Bailey and Stephanie Simpson, students; as well as by members of his staff.
Carson said he wasn’t aware he’d been nominated for the award until he received a call from an NASPA member telling him he had won.
Carson said his top priority during his years at The U of M has always been the students, adding that dealing with students is the part of his job he loves the most.
“The students at this university, the diversity of them, have helped me to grow as an individual, and I am grateful for that,” he said.
Asked if he could picture himself anywhere else other than The U of M after 28 years of service, Carson said he could.
“Life is about starting over, whether it be when you begin high school or college or that first big job after college, you just gotta know when to start over,” he said.
