Get Involved

The Dr. Rev. Clifford E. Jones College Scholarship was established to honor the legacy and life journey of a man who has spent decades transforming hardship into hope for others. Born and raised in rural Mississippi, Rev. Jones was one of sixteen children growing up on a small farm with limited resources. After losing his father at the young age of 11, he learned the values of perseverance, faith, and hard work early in life. Despite the odds, he pursued higher education at Alcorn State University and later earned additional degrees from Gordon-Conwell Seminary and Tuskegee University. He built a successful career with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, where he retired as the State (Alabama) Resource Conservationist. His life’s path led him to Opelika, Alabama, where he became the Senior Pastor of Greater Peace Baptist Church in 1993 and later founded the Greater Peace Community Development Corporation (GPCDC) in 2000.

Rev. Jones has always believed in the power of education as a tool for empowerment. That belief, rooted in his own experience, inspired this scholarship’s creation. “I know what it means to come from nothing and still dream of something better,” he often shares. The scholarship is designed to support students who, like him, are determined to rise above life’s challenges and create a life they can be proud of. By investing in the educational futures of young people, the Greater Peace Community Development Corporation is planting seeds of opportunity and continuing Rev. Jones’ lifelong mission: giving back, lifting others, and building a community where everyone has a chance to succeed.

Students attending a trade school or a two—to four-year college can apply by clicking the link below.