Tarius Jones, MFA, MA

Tarius Jones, MFA, MA
Lecturer III, English

Contact Information

Lecturer III, English
Office: Hilliard Hall
Phone: (936) 261-3736
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Executive Statement

Tarius holds a Bachelor's degree(English major, Political Science minor, December 2008) and Master's degree (English, May 2012) from Texas Southern University and is a graduate of the MFA in Creative Writing (Nonfiction)from the University of New Orleans (May 2026). He is the winner of the 2026 Samuel Mockbee Award for Nonfiction for his story, “The Ripples,” as well as the 2026 Carol Gelderman Nonfiction Thesis Award for best memoir / thesis from the University of New Orleans.

Teaching/Research Area of Interest

  • Environmental Slavery Plea Bargaining

Education

  • Executive Master's in Public Administration (eMPA), Texas Southern University, expected 2027.
  • MFA in Creative Writing (Nonfiction), GPA 4.0, University Of New Orleans, May 2026; Thesis Title: The Other Side of the Tracks (Primary Advisor: Juyanne James; Second Reader: Randy Bates; Third Reader: Dr. Doreen Piano); Thesis Defense April 2, 2026; passed with distinction; Comps completed October 2025: passed with distinction. ~ Certificate in Paralegal Studies, 4.0 GPA; Ashworth College, 2020.
  • M.A. English, GPA 3.83, Texas Southern University, May 2012; Thesis: Black-White Binaries of European Christianity and Colonialism in African and Diasporic Literature, Dr. Shirley Moore (English), chair, and Dr. Franklin Jones (Political Science), outside committee member.
  • B.A., English Major/Political Science Minor, Cum Laude, 3.67 GPA; Texas Southern University, December 2008.

Selection of Courses Taught

  • Composition I
  • Composition II
  • Introduction to Film
  • Adolescent Literature
  • Introduction to Humanities

Selected Research / Creative Activities

  • Jones, T. M. (2025). “The Sound of a Good Man,” Ellipsis: A Journal of Art, Ideas, and Literature: Vol. 50, Article 36. DOI: 10.46428/ejail.50.36 Available at: https://scholarworks.uno.edu/ellipsis/vol50/iss1/36.
  • Roberts, T. M., “Black-White Binaries of European Christianity and Colonialism in African and Diasporic Literature” (2012). Theses (Pre-2016). 243. https://digitalscholarship.tsu.edu/pre-2016_theses/243.

Service Activities

  • MFA Sub Committee, Fall 2025
  • Composition Assessment Committee, 2024
  • The Writing Center Events Committee, 2024
  • Departmental Chair Hiring Committee, 2023
  • Writing Center Faculty Hiring Committee, 2023

Grants & Awards

  • One
  • Two
  • Three

Credentials, Certificates, and Badges

  • One
  • Two
  • Three