E.J. Ourso College of Business Dean Eli Jones interacted with a group of about 25 University students Tuesday night as a part of the Diversity & Inclusion Initiative, which aims to recruit and retain minority students in the Business School.
Jones shared his personal background, the progress made within the school and stressed the significance of diversity as a business perspective in the two-hour, RSVP-only session.
Jones said he applies the values he learned from his father’s role in a dry-cleaning business in his hometown of Houston to his teaching philosophy.  
“My dad owned three businesses, and when young entrepreneurs came looking for help, they didn’t find him in the comfortable time.”
Jones traced his steps from a career as a radio disc jockey at a Houston radio station to his current position as dean. He graduated with a journalism degree from Texas A&M University before returning to school twice — once for a Master of Business Administration and then for a Ph.D. He taught as an professor at the University of Houston before his tenure at LSU.   
“I had just received a promotion in sales management at Frito-Lay,” Jones shared. “Then I went to go get a Ph.D. It sounded crazy, but I knew I had found my calling. I wanted to body.”
Students came equipped with questions for Jones concerning his initiatives for the college.  
“I wanted to get more familiar with Dean Jones and the Business School,” said Chrystal Cantrelle, business management sophomore. “I want to know what he expects out of