College of Education and Human Development

Kinesiology Professor Named to Board of NSCA

Margaret Jones has held many jobs—coach, director of strength and conditioning, associate professor of kinesiology in the College of Education and Human Development at George Mason University. But though her job titles have changed over the years, she’s always felt at home as a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).

In July, after more than 20 years as an NSCA member, Jones was elected to the professional organization’s board of directors.

“I just wanted to give back,” Jones says. “The organization has given me so much.”

NSCA boasts around 45,000 members and targets strength and fitness professionals of all stripes—from coaches to teachers to nutritionists to researchers. Members gain access to certifications, brand-new research in the field, and an enormous network of like-minded professionals.

On her way to becoming a board member, Jones served in five of the organization’s 10 committees and held the position of state director of the Massachusetts chapter. In 2008, NSCA gave her its Educator of the Year award, and in 2012 she was advanced to Fellow status.

Jones joined the organization at about the same time she became the first-ever female director of strength and conditioning for intercollegiate athletics at a Division III school, at Springfield College in Massachusetts. There, she was in charge of 500 athletes covering 24 sports, with responsibilities including program design and implementation.

Since 2010, Jones has been working at Mason as an associate professor of kinesiology. In addition to teaching a host of nutrition and strength and conditioning courses, she works as a researcher, focusing on human performance and athlete health. (Specific research topics include looking at biomarkers of sport concussion injuries, studies on nutrition, how strength and power are affected by exercise protocols, and more.) In 2014, Jones received a George Mason University OSCAR Mentoring Excellence Award.

According to Jones, at a certain point she “was ready to take off the practitioner hat and do research and teach.” That led to her move to Mason. When she made the move, she began to look at NSCA differently, to see how it could be helpful to those focusing on education and research.

She also saw how the next generation of strength and fitness professionals could benefit the NSCA.

“Now that I’m working at Mason with the students, and turning out kinesiology majors who are going to go out in the field … our students are the future of the organization,” Jones says.