Jones, Billy Mac

Educator, historian, university president. Born in 1925 in Abilene, Texas. Awarded B.A. by Vanderbilt University (1950), M.A. by Peabody College (1952), and Ph. D. by Texas Technological College (1963). Participated in post-doctoral work at the University of Colorado (1967-1968). Began career as a high school teacher and coach in Nashville, Tennessee. Also taught and/or coached at Middle Tennessee State University (1954-1958); Texas A & M University (1958-1959); San Angelo Junior College (1959-1961); Texas Technological College (1961-1963); and Angelo State College (1963-1967). In 1969, became president of Southwest Texas State University, then left in 1973 to serve as president of Memphis State University. Author of "Health-Seekers in the Southwest." Elected a fellow of the Texas State Historical Association in 1967. First Texas Tecgnological College Ph. D. graduate to become president of a state-supported college or university.