Unsung Heroes of SU: Bookstore Edition

On a university that is thousands of students large, there are many moving pieces operating at once that seek to achieve the same goal; creating and maintaining the best educational environment possible for the students of Southern University. One such integral piece to this puzzle that is Southern University A&M College is the Multi-Unit Store Manager of the campus bookstore, Miss Deshawn Jones.
The university bookstore prepares book orders and course materials for the student body in the form of access codes, online e-books, and gear such as lab coats. Additionally, the bookstore sells an assortment of merchandise from a variety of vendors, including but not limited to Mitchell & Ness, Big Boy Headgear, and Champion. Since her initial start as the leader of the Follett Southern University location in 2015, Miss Jones, a New Orleans native, has been the leader of the SUBR Follett branch and is responsible for overseeing all of its facets.
Approaching ten years with the company as the Southern University bookstore manager, Jones reflected on what factors played into her taking this position back then and what has made her stay in the capital city so positive. “I came on campus and toured and interviewed, and for me, this was a no-brainer. This campus displays a culture like no other. Just driving around in the city speaks volumes of the love, not only from the students, faculty, and staff but also the community,” said Jones.
When asked what was her favorite aspect of what has become her weekly routine, Jones responded by saying building and maintaining the relationships with the student body, faculty, and staff. As the bookstore manager and the on-campus face of the company, one of Miss Jones’ chief roles is maintaining communication with the student body regarding their course materials and textbooks. The distribution of graduation regalia similarly falls in the wheelhouse of Jones’ jurisdiction, making her a key part of the student educational process on all fronts.
Having spent nearly a decade on this historic HBCU campus, there have been numerous events and special occasions that she would attend. In terms of her favorites, Jones had this to say: “I would have to say I have two favorite memories; my first was my very first visit to the campus, and my second was my first homecoming game. I think football season has to be my favorite time of the year [overall]. The fans, the tailgating, and the sales,” Jones added with a small laugh. True enough, when you can’t catch her at the bookstore, you probably will see her at one of the home basketball or football games where bookstore staff sells merchandise and partakes in the patent HBCU game day culture.
A veteran of HBCU and Southern culture, Jones’ tenure at Southern continues as she does her part to keep the machine that is Southern University going, a definitive Unsung Hero.