Dalton State College

Whitney Jones
	Archives
Whitney Jones is not as much a fan of the “CSI” television series as she is of shows like Court TV’s “Forensic Files” and “Dr. G, Medical Examiner.” Like the real-life practitioners on the forensic science reality shows, the 19-year-old Criminal Justice and Business Administration major has developed a keen interest in investigating “the scene of the crime.” “I have always been fascinated by crime scenes,” she says, noting that she likes the challenge of “going ‘on scene’ to try to figure out what happened.” “Investigating crime scenes is something I always wanted to experience,” she says. When she was a junior at Northwest High School, she got that chance when she apprenticed for the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office. “The Sheriff’s department taught me how to do different drug tests, how to evaluate crime scenes, and what to look for when you’re going ‘on scene.’” She also had the opportunity to job shadow Dr. Kathy Knight, a pathologist with Hamilton Medical Center, and received an “up close and personal look at the histology department, where they examine microscopic tissue samples that can be valuable information when solving a crime.”
Those experiences stuck with her, and formed the basis for her plans to finish her associate degree in Criminal Justice, followed by a four-year degree in Business. “When I came to Dalton State, I planned to get my general studies behind me and then transfer to another school to pursue forensic studies. But once I got here, I saw how tough and rigorous the program was, and I decided to stay.” Jones says that the academic rigor of her classes here came as somewhat of a surprise, but a welcome one. “If I feel like if ’m not being pushed then I’m not going to really excel,” she says. “I know that one reason I’ve excelled here is because the academics are so rigorous.” Another factor in her decision to stay was her association with Dr. Tony Simones, Assistant Professor of Political Science and Criminal Justice. “Dr. Simones is so awesome,” she says. “He has really pushed me to do well. He is one of the most incredible people I’ve ever met.” Describing Dr. Simones as “very brilliant,” Jones says that “he is not only a wonderful professor of Criminal Justice, but he is also a wonderful motivator. He cares about each one of his students.” Jones says she plans to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration to expand her career options. “In order to be really successful, I feel like I need a background in business.” She’s already had some experience in the business world as Jones works as a senior teller for BB&T for 25 hours each week. Because of her work school schedule, Jones says, she hasn’t had as much time to participate in student activities on campus as she’d like. “But this summer I’m going to be a SOAR (Student Orientation Ambassador and Recruitment) Leader. I’m really looking forward to it.”