INTRODUCING DR. JONES

On Feb. 1, 2021, Belmont University named Dr. L. Gregory Jones, longtime dean of Duke Divinity School, as its next president, effective June 1. Dr. Jones is married to the Rev. Dr. Susan Pendleton Jones, Belmont’s new First Lady, who has served as a campus minister, a local church pastor and as a senior administrator at Duke Divinity School.

WHAT ABOUT BELMONT ATTRACTED YOU TO SERVE AS OUR NEW PRESIDENT? My wife Susan and I have admired Belmont for many years, and have been impressed by its growth over the last several decades. When we visited campus three and a half years ago to speak in Chapel and meet with students and faculty, we were impressed by the beauty of the campus, the quality of the people we interacted with, and the sense of energy and momentum across the campus. When I was invited to consider coming to Belmont as President, we were drawn to a remarkable fit between what we see in Belmont and our own gifts and passions: a Christ-centered, student-focused, entrepreneurially-minded university that is engaged in Nashville, has strong athletics, and exhibits a remarkable past, strong present, and a very bright future. We look forward to building on the strong legacy of previous Presidents, especially the remarkable leadership of Bob and Judy Fisher.

WHAT ROLE DO YOU SEE ATHLETICS PLAYING IN THE GREATER MISSION OF BELMONT? Athletics plays a significant role in the life of a university like Belmont: it is an incubator for character formation and leadership development, it is a source of inspiration for athletes and coaches as well as fans, and it is a tremendous context for developing visibility for Belmont and the University’s brand. When I think of the character traits, teamwork orientation and entrepreneurial mindset that are needed for 21st century leadership across vocations and sectors, athletics is a tremendous resource for nurturing that leadership alongside work in the classroom and in other co-curricular pursuits. Belmont has an outstanding program in athletics that has grown in recent decades, and I look forward to supporting its continuing growth and development.

HOW DO YOU PLAN TO GROW THE MISSION AND BRAND OF BELMONT

ATHLETICS BOTH WITHIN THE NASHVILLE COMMUNITY AND NATIONWIDE? I am writing this the day after the Belmont women’s basketball team upset Gonzaga in the NCAA tournament, and I am struck by how many people with no direct ties to Belmont have contacted me to celebrate that victory. Belmont has a remarkable trajectory across its athletic programs, and men’s and women’s basketball lead in their visibility and success. If we look at the impressive trajectory that Gonzaga has had over the past two decades in men’s basketball, culminating in this year’s NCAA men’s tournament where it is the tournament favorite and has been ranked #1 all season, Belmont has similar potential for success and visibility in the future. I look forward to working with AD Scott Corley, the coaches, the student-athletes and the entire athletics program to strengthen this vital component of Belmont’s mission.

WHAT AREAS OF INVESTMENT DO YOU VIEW AS VITAL TO THE CONTINUED SUCCESS OF BELMONT ATHLETICS IN THE COMING YEARS? We need significant financial contributions to enable us to grow in every aspect of athletics: our scholarship support of student athletes, our ability to attract and retain excellent coaches and other staff, our ability to maintain and strengthen our facilities, and our ability to nurture strong sponsors and partnerships for all of our teams. The stronger our financial support in both expendable and endowment giving, and the deeper the investments of our sponsors and partners, the more successful and visible Belmont will be in athletics and overall.

FROM AN ATHLETICS STANDPOINT, HOW DO YOU FEEL BELMONT SEPARATES ITSELF FROM PEER INSTITUTIONS? I love watching Belmont athletes perform. We have a strong emphasis on teamwork and character that is integral to sustained performative excellence. Forming leaders with excellence on the court, field, or course, as well as in their curricular pursuits is a distinguishing feature of Belmont. I am impressed by the high quality performance of Belmont student-athletes in the classroom, on their teams and in their vocations as they develop into the leaders our region, nation and world need in the 21st century.

WHAT GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR BELMONT ATHLETICS IN YOUR TENURE AS PRESIDENT? I want to ensure that Belmont student-athletes and sports teams perform with excellence across the board. We can grow in quality and visibility across all of our sports, and do so with character, integrity and passion. I want Belmont’s reputation to be for high quality formation of men and women in the classroom, in performance (whether in athletics or the arts or various professions), and in life and their vocations more generally. Outstanding athletics is an integral part of Belmont’s mission, and I want us to be successful in all that we do and are.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS SOME OF THE LARGER ISSUES COLLEGE ATHLETICS WILL FACE IN THE NEXT FIVE-TEN YEARS? These are turbulent times in higher education and college athletics especially. I would highlight the changing role of media in covering sports as well as providing funding for them, questions about paying student-athletes (including especially for the use of their likenesses), and gender equity across athletic programs as among the most important issues facing college athletics. We will deal with all of these issues in ways that are shaped by Belmont’s larger mission and vision: with character and integrity and excellence in aspiration as well as execution.