With deep familial roots at Tuskegee University, it was no surprise that Kalon Jones transferred from Fisk University, both UNCF-member institutions. His parents are alumni and he wanted to spend time with his sisters on campus before everyone graduated. He grew up hearing about Tuskegee’s rich history and when he visited the campus, he felt a sense of community and pride.

“Tuskegee was the right environment for me to grow academically, culturally and professionally,” said Jones of Nashville, TN, a senior at Tuskegee University pursuing a degree in computer science and information technology.

Transferring in his junior year was not an easy financial journey for Jones. UNCF’s support helped ease the financial burden. “It was a very difficult time for me, as the school did not offer me a lot of money initially,” he said. “Throughout these years, UNCF has always been there to help me financially as well as mentally.”

Jones received numerous scholarships administered by UNCF, including the HBCU Sustainable Communities Initiative scholarship and the Ford Philanthropy Scholarship. “Without these scholarships, I would likely be balancing more part-time work on top of my coursework to cover my expenses,” said Jones. “This would limit the time I could spend on my research, my IT projects, my content creation and my campus leadership activities.”

UNCF’s support not only assisted him financially throughout his undergraduate studies but aided in his professional development. He served as a UNCF Ambassador, promoting scholarships and programs through campus events, strengthening his leaderships skills, gaining confidence in public speaking and guiding students through the scholarship process. He also attended the UNCF HBCU Innovation Tech Summit where HBCU computer science and engineering majors networked with tech companies, gaining hands on experience with technology platforms in Silicon Valley.

“UNCF programs have helped me grow in communication, teamwork, organization and community engagement,” Jones said.

Jones is a member of the Artificial Intelligence for Future Agricultural Resilience, Management, and Sustainability (AIFARMS), headquartered at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the Center for Research on Programmable Plant Systems (CROPPs), headquartered at Cornell University, using AI and robotics to increase farming efficiency and sustainability. Recently, his team won first place at the Precision & Digital Agriculture Hackathon hosted at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s John Deere Innovation Center.

His most memorable experience on campus was researching agriculture technology and working in the greenhouse. As Jones learned about farming efficiency, he discovered how it connects to using technology to solve real-world problems. “It has also exposed me to the idea that technology can be applied to almost any career field as well,” he said.

Jones is also passionate about computers, having built his first computer in 2019. After graduation, he plans to become an entrepreneur and open a business specializing in consulting for custom PC builds and repairs.

“UNCF has given me both the skill-building opportunities and mentorship needed to pursue entrepreneurship in IT,” he said.

UNCF is proud of our students and alumni who have received scholarships that help them continue their education and graduate. These scholarships are invaluable to students, and UNCF is accepting donations to support students like Kalon Jones in their academic endeavors.

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