9-8-23 Shirley Brooks Jones

Shirley is a native of Vinton County, Ohio and the eldest of nine children. For 34+ years she was an administrative staff member in The Ohio State University’s College of Agriculture & Natural Resources (now Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences). Her responsibilities included budgeting, long-range planning, and staffing. She was also involved with programs in India, Brazil, Somalia, Uganda, Poland, Colombia, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.  After retiring with Emeritus status, she enrolled at OSU as a non-traditional undergraduate student, receiving BA in English—40 years after graduating from high school!

Following retirement, her time has been devoted to volunteer activities, both short- and long-term, including serving as delegation leader for numerous international exchanges in dozens of countries on six continents.  She is the fourth woman inducted into the Ohio Agricultural Hall of Fame, and second woman in Farm Science Review Hall of Fame.  She is also member of Vinton County 4-H Hall of Fame.

Shirley has been honored for her work, both professional and volunteer at the local, national and international levels, including the Robert M. Duncan Alumni Citizenship Award as an alumna who has exemplified “Disciplina in Civitatem” (Education for Citizenship); the Everett Reese Medal for exceptional service in private philanthropy; The Columbus Foundation’s Acorn Award; the Eisenhower Distinguished Service Award; OSU’s Outstanding Staff Award and its Distinguished Service Award. And, for her work following the 9/11 terrorist activities, she received the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador.  The date on which this honor was received was December 7, 2007—an extremely emotional event—occurring on Pearl Harbor Day for another event that, as President Roosevelt said, “will live in infamy.”  And—Shirley’s efforts to establish a scholarship benefiting the young people of the communities that cared for her following the 9/11 terrorist attacks are included in the hit Broadway musical COME FROM AWAY.  She and the famous actor who portrays her have become good friends.