News from Ron Brown Scholar Program

Scholar Spotlight:  Luis Jones, RBS 2002

Luis Jones has always known the responsibilities and rewards of hard work. He grew up one of twelve children living on a small family farm in Alabama. Sleeping in was not a luxury Luis Jones could afford. There was always work to be done. In fact, he was out chopping wood when the call came that he had been selected as a 2002 Ron Brown Scholar. Fast forward 11 years later, Luis is a Stanford graduate working as a senior engineer at a large medical device company in Memphis, Tennessee.

In August 2012 Luis attended the Ron Brown Scholar Family Reunion in New York City. He believes that his decision to take the time to attend this meeting was a pivotal moment – both professionally and personally. Like many Ron Brown Scholars, Luis took advantage of the all-expense paid leadership conferences as an undergraduate. They occurred during the summer months, which didn’t conflict with classes. However, once he started graduate school (also at Stanford) and then his career as a biomechanical engineer, his interactions with the program became less frequent. His schedule was hectic; life as a young professional included many new yet exciting demands. But he remained a member of the RBS Alumni Association because as others have attested to, being a Ron Brown Scholar becomes part of your DNA. The personal desire to reconnect with past Scholars and meet new young African Americans accomplishing amazing things was just as important for his professional career. So he adjusted his work schedule in order to attend the conference.

At the New York event, Luis was inspired by the projects other Scholars were engaged in. A profound moment occurred during a discussion about “Success in the Workplace and Beyond,” led by Dr. Rand Gruen Ph.D., a management and organizational development consultant and President of Corporate Integration Strategies. Read more about Luis Jones.