Spider Spotlight
A Q&A with Camisha Jones
Education and Outreach Coordinator
University Chaplaincy
BY PHILLIP GRAVELY
Writer/Editor, University Communications
Where are you from originally?
I was born in Lynchburg, Va.
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Camisha Jones enjoys organizing Collegetown, one of her many duties in the Office of the Chaplaincy. |
How long have you been in Richmond?
Since I came to school here. I'm a 1994 graduate.
In your current position, what do you do?
My main focus is really on the Bonner Scholars Program-education and enrichment, the monthly meetings, extracurricular activities, the orientation retreat, etc. I'm the person who tries to get the Bonners to think about why their service is needed in the first place. I handle a number of other things such as the off-campus, work-study program. I also organize Collegetown and the "One Book, One Campus" dialogue series.
Describe Collegetown.
Collegetown is a four-day, anti-bias retreat based on a model by the National Conference for Community and Justice. It includes interactive activities that relate to race, class, gender and sexual orientation. The participants are students, but we have a "staff" for the event that includes University staff and faculty. This year we had 15 staff and 40 available spots for students.
Am I correct that you originated Collegetown, along with [former Associate Chaplain] Robb Moore and [former Chaplain] David Burhans?
The idea came from us, but putting it together has been a group effort.
If you could sum up the significance of Collegetown in a sentence or two, what would it be?
Collegetown is a catalyst. The participants and staff are usually inspired to become change agents.
And you originated the "One Book,
One Campus" series as well?
Yes. I was watching Beverly Tatum on TV one day talking about her book, Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? and I thought, "We need to be talking about this as a campus." We need to think about racial issues and how they affect people's lives. I just started jotting stuff down about how we can incorporate this on campus.
As members of the University community, what can each of us do to embrace diversity?
I think we need to become vulnerable enough that we can have honest conversations-that we can be uncomfortable and be okay with that. For our campus to be more inclusive, we have to create a safe space where people can just be themselves and be valued. One of the most powerful things about Collegetown is that people go there, take off the mask they've been walking around with and just really talk about the things that hurt-talk about the things they can't talk about anywhere else.
What's your favorite part of your job?
Definitely all of the dialogue.
What's the most challenging part of your job?
Not being able to do everything.
When you're not at work, what do you like to do?
I'm often at church. I help out with our youth ministry, and I write and direct the annual Christmas and Easter plays in my responsibilities as head of the Christian arts ministry. I also like to watch TV.
Any favorite shows?
Law and Order. And I got a collection of [The Cosby Show spin-off] A Different World videos for Christmas. I had put in a little plug for that at Thanksgiving.
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