Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering

ConE Academic Adviser Rhonda Wiley-Jones Retires

 

Contacts:
Dana Schmidt, communications specialist, (515) 294-8312, schmidtdiastate.edu
Rhonda Wiley-Jones, academic adviser, (515) 294-2183, rwileyiastate.edu

Ames, Iowa – After stints in her home state of Arkansas, as well as Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin, Rhonda Wiley-Jones, construction engineering academic adviser, came to Iowa State University. Now after 20 years of serving the Iowa State community in various roles with ISU Extension and the Department of Civil, Construction, and Environmental Engineering (CCEE), she’s retiring this month.

“I’ve enjoyed being able to teach and advise students not just on what classes to take next but how to succeed as young professionals,” Wiley-Jones says.

Since 2002, Wiley-Jones has served as academic adviser for the construction engineering (ConE) program. During that time, she, along with Associate Professor Kelly Strong, developed the program’s learning community. Wiley-Jones initiated and taught a transfer student section of the learning community; produced video, print, and online recruitment materials; and started the ConE ambassadors program. She also served the College of Engineering by chairing the first learning community peer mentor training, serving as assistant director of the Engineering Leadership Program, and developing the course.

Prior to joining the CCEE department, Wiley-Jones worked with ISU Extension for 14 years as a training and staff development specialist, organizational development specialist, and marketing specialist.

“My first love is curriculum development,” she says. “That’s what I love to do—developing the learning community and the course on public policy. Those were fun challenges.”

Wiley-Jones says she’s also enjoyed working with peer mentors of the learning community and watching students grow into leadership roles.

She and her husband, Lynn Jones, will make their new home in Kerrville, Texas. She also plans to work towards finishing a novel she's been writing for the last 10 years.

A retirement reception for Wiley-Jones will be held Monday, February 18, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Memorial Union’s Cardinal Room.

-30-

---