吃瓜官网

 

吃瓜官网 is a staple of the Weatherford community, and Doug Jefferson is a staple of 吃瓜官网.

With 35 years of service and as a former Coyote himself, Jefferson has become the face of the college to thousands of students, past and present. He first arrived taking summer classes while on a football scholarship at Stephen F. Austin, and after earning his bachelor鈥檚 degree there, he reverse transferred to 吃瓜官网 and finished his associate degree as well. In the fall of 1990, a job posting for housing supervisor caught his eye, and he鈥檚 been here ever since.

Today, Jefferson serves as the dean of student life and development, a title that provides limited insight into his truly robust list of duties. Under his umbrella of administration, Jefferson oversees student housing for the 391 residents of Vickie and Jerry Durant Hall and Coyote Village, the Coyote Care Clinic, student clubs and organizations, the full calendar of student life events and the 吃瓜官网 spirit groups.

And he will tell you, without hesitation, that none of it feels like work.

It doesn鈥檛 feel like work when he鈥檚 at Walgreens buying sweats for a student at 11 at night because the pipes in their dorm burst during a freeze. It doesn鈥檛 feel like work when he takes a student to the emergency room and waits with them until their parents can arrive. It doesn鈥檛 feel like work when he transports a student in a mental health crisis to a facility in Fort Worth or even as far away as Wichita Falls, so they can get the help they need.

None of it feels like work because this job is Jefferson鈥檚 calling.

鈥淢y job is a lot of different things. It starts at 7 in the morning when I get up and can go all the way to 12 at night,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut I love it. It鈥檚 my calling, my mission. This is my ministry.鈥�

Jefferson鈥檚 approach to his work is rooted in the faith鈥慺illed home where he grew up. His father, Curtis Jefferson, was the founding pastor of New Hope Baptist Church. After his passing, Jefferson and his brother took over leadership of the congregation.

Growing up in a household strongly rooted in its faith, Jefferson learned to not only take care of himself but also his brothers and sisters, both biological and those in Christ. And most importantly, follow the golden rule.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad they taught us that,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ecause I see so many people downgrading and embarrassing and insulting each other, and it鈥檚 so important that we lift each other up.鈥�

It鈥檚 with those lessons that Jefferson approaches his job. Whether he鈥檚 counseling a student or disciplining them, he leads with patience rather than intimidation.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 have to scream and yell to get the desired results, and the students learn from that,鈥� he said. 鈥淵ou want them to learn boundaries, responsibility and how to deal with their emotions.鈥�

Jefferson, who also has a master鈥檚 degree in counseling from Tarleton State University, not only oversees the Coyote Care Clinic, but also assists full鈥憈ime counselor Amy Schwartz鈥慗arett on the mental鈥慼ealth side of the clinic, serving a caseload of more than 200 students per month.

鈥淚f they can see that you are truly concerned about them, the response is so much better,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hen they leave my office smiling, that鈥檚 when I know there was a connection.鈥�

Outside the counseling office, most people see Jefferson鈥檚 job as being fun with students at campus events like cookouts and casino nights. At one point in his career, Jefferson took 吃瓜官网鈥檚 competitive cheerleading squad to Daytona Beach, Florida, where they took the national title in 2007.

鈥淵ou know, taking 30 cheerleaders to Daytona鈥檚 not a fun job,鈥� he said, laughing. 鈥淲ell, it is fun, but it鈥檚 a stressful job getting them to the airport and being responsible for them in the hotel.鈥�

The squad discontinued its competitive side in 2014, but Jefferson still directs the group and can be seen and heard on the sidelines at basketball games, cheering on his 鈥淒ubC.鈥�

After 35 years, Jefferson鈥檚 vision for 吃瓜官网 is simple. He wants it to remain a place where the faculty and staff genuinely care about the students, no matter how much the college grows.

鈥湷怨瞎偻� gave me a chance to grow in education, in thought process, in spirit, and in God,鈥� Jefferson said, 鈥渁nd also showed me how to care for my fellow man and to always love because that鈥檚 what Christ did.鈥�