Alumni Spotlight

May's Alumni Spotlight is on Caleb Jones! Read below to learn what he's been up to since graduating in 2019…

Since graduating from TMA, what have you been up to/ what are you doing now?
Since graduating TMA, I was a basketball manager at UCF for 4 years. I graduated with a degree in real estate and started pursuing my dream of coaching college basketball. I am currently the Video Coordinator for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock men’s basketball. I plan on continuing to coach college basketball and am excited to see where it takes me.

What have you found to be the most rewarding part of your career?
The most rewarding part of my career so far was when we won our conference this year at Little Rock. It was awesome to see that all of my hard work and long hours spent watching film to prepare for games paid off. I was super fortunate to have my dad in the stands to witness it as well.

What is the most important thing you have learned over the course of your career so far?
I have learned that my days go by a lot faster when I am focused on the process instead of the result. I’ve learned to fall in love with learning new things and studying basketball instead of just being obsessive over the end result (winning games).

In what ways have you seen God move in your life recently?
The fact that I have my job at Little Rock is a testament to God in itself. In August, I had no job lined up. Every door was slammed shut. I was questioning how God was going to use me, yet I remained faithful and trusted that He would provide the right opportunity for me. I’m so blessed this door opened, and I’m able to pursue my dream career. My God is always working, and I give Him all the glory!

In what ways do you believe TMA helped prepare you for your adult life?
I had some unbelievable coaches during my time at TMA. They really helped me become the person I am today and taught me a lot, not just about basketball but how to lead in general. I owe so much appreciation to all the great coaches I had.

What’s a fun or special memory from your time as a student at TMA? 
There are so many stories I could tell. To lump everything together, any time that I was with “The Eternal Bros”  (the best friend group of all time, not a joke), we would make so many memories. From playing football or basketball together to having sleepovers, they made my time at TMA so fun. We are still best friends and talk all the time.

Reflecting on what you have learned in your adult life so far, what's one piece of advice you would give a current TMA student?
I would advise any current TMA student to find out what they are really passionate about and pursue it with all of their energy. Going to work is a lot easier when you are doing something you love. Don’t give up just because you hit a wall, keep pushing.

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