Jeremiah Jones is the personification of Warrior Spirit.
A walk-on basketball player, Jones chose to attend Stanislaus State because it was near his Vacaville home, and he appreciated its academic reputation. He wasn’t afraid to prove himself in either domain and earned an athletics scholarship, demonstrating his tenacity and resiliency far beyond the gym.
As a psychology major with dreams of becoming a nurse, he maintained a 3.8 grade-point average and volunteered at events at Jessica’s House and presentations at schools in Ceres and Turlock.
A 6-foot-3 guard, Jones led the 2024-25 basketball team with 18.5 points per game, which earned first-team All-California Collegiate Athletic Association honors.
Jones succeeded as a true student-athlete despite the pain of losing his father to cancer in the past year.
“I went through quite a few losses during my time at Stan State, and knowing I had people on my side to support me kept me grounded,” Jones said.
He relied, he said, on the guidance of his coaches — Head Men’s Basketball Coach Paul Trevor, Assistant Coach Jordan Santa Maria and Assistant Coach Darwin Fullon, who supported him in his toughest days.
There were others who helped him through those times and made a lasting impression, too.
“The most powerful thing I’ve learned at Stan State is keep the people in your corner close,” Jones said. “I’ve made friends and relationships with people at Stan State that I can safely say will continue well beyond the boundaries of the University.”
As Jones takes his next step, he hopes to pursue a career as a professional basketball player, possibly overseas. Beyond that, he also would like to become a nurse.
Obtaining his degree served a greater purpose than setting him up to attend nursing school, though.
“I hope to use my degree to inspire my younger family members, showing that you can get as far as you want when you’re willing to put in the hard work for it,” he said.
#StanGrad File
Name
Jeremiah Jones
Hometown
Vacaville, CA
Degree/Credential
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
What memories stand out most from your time at Stanislaus State?
“The memories that stand out to me the most from my time at Stan State include the homecoming basketball games that had a great turn out and showed our school spirit. Another good memory I have is sharing classes with my friends and figuring out what to do.”
Which faculty or staff member had the greatest impact on you, and why?
“The staff that had the greatest impact on me were definitely my coaches. Coach Paul Trevor, Assistant Coach Jordan Santa Maria and Assistant Coach Darwin Fullon all invested a lot of time and effort in me and were there when I was going through some dark times.”
What advice would you give to current and future students?
“The advice I would give to current and future students is enjoy yourself. College is some of the best times in your life, so get out of your comfort zone, meet new people and do new things.”
Note: This article is part of the StanGrad series highlighting Stanislaus State students who are part of the Class of 2025. Read more StanGrad profiles.
