Director of Charlotte Office, Clark Nexsen
Education:
Bachelor of Architecture, UNC Charlotte (1993)
Hometown: Winston-Salem, NC
Jason Jones came to UNC Charlotte to study photography, but soon discovered his love for architecture and changed majors, receiving a Bachelor of Architecture in 1993. “I didn’t know fully what I was getting into,” he said. But he found satisfaction in the rigor of the curriculum. “I really liked the challenge. It was a competitive environment; you had to perform. The pride of having quality work – there’s a reward in that that has great value.”
Even though the curriculum was “grueling,” he says, “there was a lot of play mixed into the rigor.” He fondly remembers the boat races in Heckenbleikner Lake. “I won a trophy that I still have. It’s half a horse’s ass. We were the fastest across the lake, but then we sank!”
In the past several years, Jones has spent a fair amount of time at his alma mater. With Jones as project director, Clark Nexsen, an architecture and engineering firm headquartered in Virginia Beach, designed two of the new residence halls – Belk and Miltimore, both in North Village – and redesigned Holshouser Hall in South Village.
Jones says he still stays in touch with his fellow UNC Charlotte architecture students. “There’s a camaraderie built. When you come out the other side, there’s mutual respect for people who have gone through the process.”