McCollins Jones has overcome many obstacles in a journey that has taken him from a brutal civil war in Sierra Leone, West Africa, to the classrooms of Dalhousie. When the civil war broke out in 1991, McCollins was enrolled in community college and unable to finish his studies. A national sports star (he won a track and field gold medal for his country), McCollins used his talents to help child soldiers, working to get them out of the war and involved in sports programs. A family connection brought him to Nova Scotia and Dalhousie. Sierra Leone shares strong historic ties to the province. Black Loyalists who left Nova Scotia in 1792 settled in Sierra Leone. McCollins was always interested in re-establishing this link with his ancestors and says that living in Nova Scotia has allowed him to "fulfil a dream." His future plans include enrolling in the Bachelor of Management (Recreation) program at Dalhousie.
