Pursuing Biophysical Science to Enter Ministry as a Dentist
Colin Jones is excited to attend Regent University’s College of Arts & Sciences (CAS) once he graduates as valedictorian of his class at Ridgeview Christian School in Stuarts Draft, Va. Emerging as a top-five finalist in Regent’s annual Scholars Weekend competition, Jones’ tuition is waived, helping him prepare to pay for dental school once he graduates from Regent. He’ll be entering the Biophysical Sciences program to pursue a career as a dentist and serve in international missions.
“I’ve always been a naturally curious person,” said Jones. “I love understanding how and why things work, and I’ve always loved seeing the complexity behind science, seeing how God’s designed everything. That just drew me in. I’m more logical thinking, and I love understanding how everything works.”
Jones will also be part of Regent University’s first class to go through a new honors program. His older brother, Charlie, attends Regent, and Jones says he chose the school because of the people he encountered there, and that his brother’s experience with Scholars Weekend convinced him to give it a shot.
“The biggest thing that drew me to Regent was the type of community,” said Jones. “I’ve always loved the close-knit community. I go to a small, private Christian school, and I’ve loved how close and tight everyone is, and I love seeing that at Regent there was that similar environment of people caring about each other. There are so many different opportunities for people to get involved and do things with leadership.”
Jones considers himself to be introverted and not a naturally-born leader. He says he’s learned how to work with people and motivate them, and has enjoyed many leadership opportunities in high school.
“Working at Chick-Fil-A has helped with my leadership skills,” said Jones. “You’re always talking to people and learning how different people respond to things, and how you can best serve people. Also, working as a soccer team captain on the varsity team really helps me understand how to best deal with people and use their strengths and weaknesses, and best use people as a cohesive whole to get things done.”
Taking his passion for dentistry and missions, Jones is joining a team of 16 on a mission trip to Zimbawae in late June. His time there will include working alongside doctors with his younger brother, teaching Bible studies and working with students in an orphanage. He’s thankful to all of the support his parents have given him, and to his mentors, his youth pastor and principal.
“They encouraged me to step out and research new things, but the thing that helps me the most is making my spiritual life real, going in-depth with the Bible, studying and praying, not out of obligation, but desire,” said Jones. “Getting closer with God, I was able to jump into things that I otherwise wouldn’t have been comfortable.”
Jones says he’s looking forward to getting involved at Regent and entering a new world. He is thankful for the Scholars Week scholarship opportunity. His advice to other high school graduates is to consider the parable of the three servants with different talents in Matthew 25, and be stewards of their potential, using what God has given them for an eternal purpose.