Athletics Matters - Chris Jones PhD ’97
7/6/2026 4:00:00 AM | Terrapin Club
Hear about Jones' path to Terrapin fandom as the first part of the Terrapin Club's "Athletics Matters" series.
I'm not your traditional alum. I came to College Park to get my doctorate degree after serving in the U.S. Air Force for about five years, so I was older than most of the other graduate and undergraduate students. I never lived on campus, nor ate in the dining halls, nor took any classes other than math and engineering. I didn't come of age with Terps traditions.
But I didn't miss a home football game while attending UMD, and often didn't miss a tailgate. I was at Cole Field House for men's and women's basketball games and also watched our lacrosse teams. And through Maryland Athletics I became a part of the fabric of this university and campus.
So what's an aerospace engineer who went to Georgia Tech for undergrad and served as a U.S. Air Force officer for more than two decades doing being a diehard Terps fan?
Athletics matters.
The brand and reputation of a university in our country is significantly impacted by its athletics department. The people whom the community knows as the representatives of Maryland are typically coaches and student-athletes – they are on our TVs, all over our social media channels, in our communities.
I could argue athletic performance is as important as the number of start-up companies that come from the university or the number of research dollars received or the student-teacher ratio. But the bottom line is all these things and many more are important. To be a superior, top 10 institution, we must be competent in all areas. It's not a question of whether energy should be put into student success or innovation or the arts or entrepreneurship or engineering or athletics. The University of Maryland has the leadership, vision and capacity to be excellent in all areas.
That excellence requires a support system that all of us are a part of.
University pride isn't tied to your stage in life or the length of time you spent on campus. What was unique or special about the place, and did it positively impact your career or life? That's what is important.
Getting a graduate degree at the University of Maryland propelled my career significantly and I would not have had the career success I had without that degree.
If Maryland has helped your journey in any way, you should support the university.
I'm a proud supporter of engineering scholarships through the A. James Clark School of Engineering. But I'm also a sports fan and a University of Maryland College Park Foundation trustee. Athletics is important no matter where your affinity lies. It raises the profile of the university, drives admissions, bolsters its reputation and produces future leaders. I give financially to Maryland Athletics as well as show up on gameday and advocate for its value with friends, family and organizations I'm associated with. Support isn't limited to philanthropy. You can attend games. You can talk about it on social media. You can watch it on TV. Everything helps and there is a way for everybody to help.
Let's be excellent together.
About Chris Jones PhD '97
Chris Jones earned a doctorate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland. He is currently the Chief of Operations at The Leadership Compass and is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and previously served as President of Technology Services at Northrop Grumman Corporation. He currently serves on the University of Maryland College Park Foundation Board of Trustees as well as the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland, College Park's A. James Clark School of Engineering, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Board, among others. He previously served on the board of directors of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) and was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2021. Dr. Jones is also active in supporting and providing guidance to National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) students.
But I didn't miss a home football game while attending UMD, and often didn't miss a tailgate. I was at Cole Field House for men's and women's basketball games and also watched our lacrosse teams. And through Maryland Athletics I became a part of the fabric of this university and campus.
So what's an aerospace engineer who went to Georgia Tech for undergrad and served as a U.S. Air Force officer for more than two decades doing being a diehard Terps fan?
Athletics matters.
The brand and reputation of a university in our country is significantly impacted by its athletics department. The people whom the community knows as the representatives of Maryland are typically coaches and student-athletes – they are on our TVs, all over our social media channels, in our communities.
I could argue athletic performance is as important as the number of start-up companies that come from the university or the number of research dollars received or the student-teacher ratio. But the bottom line is all these things and many more are important. To be a superior, top 10 institution, we must be competent in all areas. It's not a question of whether energy should be put into student success or innovation or the arts or entrepreneurship or engineering or athletics. The University of Maryland has the leadership, vision and capacity to be excellent in all areas.
That excellence requires a support system that all of us are a part of.
University pride isn't tied to your stage in life or the length of time you spent on campus. What was unique or special about the place, and did it positively impact your career or life? That's what is important.
Getting a graduate degree at the University of Maryland propelled my career significantly and I would not have had the career success I had without that degree.
If Maryland has helped your journey in any way, you should support the university.
I'm a proud supporter of engineering scholarships through the A. James Clark School of Engineering. But I'm also a sports fan and a University of Maryland College Park Foundation trustee. Athletics is important no matter where your affinity lies. It raises the profile of the university, drives admissions, bolsters its reputation and produces future leaders. I give financially to Maryland Athletics as well as show up on gameday and advocate for its value with friends, family and organizations I'm associated with. Support isn't limited to philanthropy. You can attend games. You can talk about it on social media. You can watch it on TV. Everything helps and there is a way for everybody to help.
Let's be excellent together.
About Chris Jones PhD '97
Chris Jones earned a doctorate degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Maryland. He is currently the Chief of Operations at The Leadership Compass and is a retired U.S. Air Force officer and previously served as President of Technology Services at Northrop Grumman Corporation. He currently serves on the University of Maryland College Park Foundation Board of Trustees as well as the Board of Visitors for the University of Maryland, College Park's A. James Clark School of Engineering, and the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Board, among others. He previously served on the board of directors of the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) and was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2021. Dr. Jones is also active in supporting and providing guidance to National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) students.
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