Growing up, Nia Jones dreamed of attending college to become a veterinarian. Her world was turned upside down when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in her senior year of high school. She suffered significant nerve damage causing her right arm to be pinned to her chest.

“My arm curled up and was stuck to my chest for a year,” Jones said. “When I first learned I had MS, of course, it was very depressing knowing I had to live with this the rest of my life, but through the years, I’ve begun to feel a lot better. I’m finding my new normal.”

Her diagnosis may have altered her career path, but Jones never wavered in pursuing a college degree. This weekend, she will be among the throng of 1,181 graduates at Fall Commencement at UNC Pembroke.

The Graduate School ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Friday at Givens Performing Arts Center. The undergraduate ceremony begins at 9 a.m. at the English Jones Center in Saturday.  

Cecilia Holden, president and CEO of myFutureNC, will be the keynote speaker for the undergraduate portion. Dr. Stewart Thomas, a longtime professor at the Thomas School of Business, will give the keynote address at The Graduate School ceremony.

Both ceremonies will be livestreamed and available for viewing here.

Jones’s passion for veterinary medicine continues to burn strong, but since being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, her focus has turned to social work. 

“My friends, the professors, and the staff at the Accessibility Resource Center (ARC) on campus were all very supportive. I love UNCP. I love how everyone comes together as a community. I’ve met so many wonderful people in Pembroke. It’s very much like a family.”

After completing an internship with Richmond County Hospice, Jones was offered a bereavement services position and is considering applying to the MSW program at UNCP.