Will teach, study in Germany

Andalusia native Will Jones has figured out his post college graduation plans, as he has been named a Fulbright Scholar.

Run by the U.S. Department of State, the goal of the Fulbright Scholar Program is to increase mutual understanding and establish peaceful and friendly relationships between the people of the United States and residents of 140 other countries. The program currently awards approximately 1,900 grants annually.

Jones is a senior majoring in German at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.

“With my major being German, I went to Germany my sophomore year and was told about the program,” Jones said. “I knew that I wanted to spend time in Germany after I graduated college so I could solidify the language, so this just all fell into place.”

Jones will be teaching English at a school in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which is in northwestern Germany.

“I have to have 20 hours of teaching in the school,” Jones said. “So the rest of my time, the program pushes for us to help out in the community, so I am hoping to take some classes in the history of Germany and hopefully set up a dance and theater group in the community.”

Jones’ long-term goals after college are to live in Germany for a little while and then move to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting.

“I really would love to act and direct screenplays,” Jones said. “I have been in several on-camera shorts at SMU and absolutely love it.”

Jones said that he would prefer acting on-screen versus on-stage.

“I want to go into more serious work as an actor, not so much comedy,” Jones said. “When you act in comedy, science fiction or horror, you kind of get type cast for the rest of your career, so I am trying to stay away from that.”

Jones said that if acting does not work out then he will try and get into politics.

“I really want to get involved in the community and politics,” Jones said. “I would have to work my way up, but I think it is worth it to make a difference.”

He has done extensive research in Germany, where he traveled to all of the old concentration camps to see how homosexuals were treated in Germany during World War II and post World War II.

“I think it is important to travel abroad,” Jones said. “One thing that really interests me is seeing the similarity in racism and xenophobia in the United States and Germany. I believe as we move forward we are going to be a global community, where we look at each other as citizens of the same planet instead of citizens of different nations. That is why I want to work in politics so I can start pushing and create these peaceful relationships with countries.”

Along with being named a Fulbright Scholar, Jones was awarded the M Award, the highest recognition a student can receive from Southern Methodist University.

The “M” Award honorees have to inspire others, give their time and talents unselfishly in order to make the university and the world a better place.

“This was a very special moment to me,” Jones said. “I honestly didn’t expect to receive it because there are so many other students who work just as hard, so it felt amazing to be recognized that way.”

Jones is involved at SMU in various clubs and organizations including the Student Government Association, where he has served as secretary, as a senator and as a parliamentarian. He is also on the executive board of SMU’s Relay for Life which has raised more than half a million dollars in the four years he has been at SMU. He also is a part of the Sigma Lambda Beta multicultural fraternity.