Congratulations to Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones, recipient of the Women for Florida State University’s 2018 Gift of Wisdom Award. Since receiving her Doctor of Philosophy in research and evaluation methods from Florida State University in 2006, Dr. Bertrand Jones has remained an active member of the University and within the community. She currently serves as associate professor of higher education in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, researching sociocultural influences on socialization during graduate education and the professional experiences of underrepresented populations, particularly in African-American women, in academia. Among her colleagues and students, Dr. Bertrand Jones is highly admired for her leadership. “I was struck by Dr. Bertrand Jones’ intellectual energy and how it was so strikingly matched with her warmth and charismatic presence,” shared Lara C. Perez-Felkner, Ph.D. in her nomination letter. “Having now been her colleague for the past three years, as well as her friend, these characteristics remain but it is clear how much others also see and value [her] quiet but powerful leadership traits.” Known among her students simply as TBJ, Dr. Bertrand Jones is recognized for being keenly observant of the needs of her students and those she mentors, even ensuring their financial capability to provide for themselves in times of tight budgetary constraints. In recognition of her transformational role in students’ academic growth, she received a Transformation Through Teaching award from FSU in 2013. Dr. Bertrand Jones’ admirable leadership extends far beyond the classroom. She serves as a senior research associate for the Center for Postsecondary Success and is the founder and former president of Sister of the Academy Institute, an international organization that aims to promote collaborative scholarship and networking among African-American women. Through her engagement with Florida State University and other organizations, Dr. Bertrand Jones exquisitely embodies the ideals of leadership and community embedded within the foundation of the Women for FSU. “As a fellow woman and a woman of color, her guidance and presence are immensely valuable to me personally and to her [students],” Perez-Felkner stated in her nomination letter. “[They] see her as a role model for how to be an exemplary individual, true to oneself, as well as a leader, scholar and educational practitioner.” Dr. Tamara Bertrand Jones