Correction: The headline was corrected to clarify the titles between Alyssa Jones and Donnell Jones.
Long Beach City College’s new Associated Body President for the Fall 2019 term, Alyssa Jones, said she wishes to start off her semester doing her best as president during her time in office.
ASB is a student run facility that creates an environment suited for LBCC students who come and go.
Because of the constant turn around, it is a wonder if students care whether or not their ASB cabinet members have personal relations towards each other.
Unknown to most, Student Trustee Donnell Jones and Alyssa Jones are married to each other. Jones does not speak of her marriage because she believes that personal life should be separated from professional matters.
“So, it is kind of funny. This will be our second term serving together. Last year, we were both in ASB. I was in a different position and he was also serving as Student Trustee. I think it’s nice because we both kind of laid out that foundation that we have our personal relationship, and we have our professional relationship” said Alyssa Jones.
Alyssa and Donnell Jones both met during high school in theater class. They dated for five years before getting married in 2012. Alyssa Jones is a sociology major and Donnell Jones is a philosophy major.
ASB cabinet members have shared positive comments about the couple.
“I do not mind honestly. I find it awesome because now we have two people who can work together in certain situations and on certain policies or action items. They both have their own point of views, they both have their own perspectives, but it is really interesting knowing that even though there are a couple, they still manage to collaborate with one another, ” said ASB Secretary Caesar Fiero.
LBCC Nursing Major Alicia Chhoy share her feelings on the couple.
“I feel like it is really cool because the president can provide extra opinions that maybe single people don’t really have. She is able to provide for them and is easy for her to relate. For her to understand where married individuals are coming from and struggle or responsibility that comes from being a married couple,” said Chhoy.
Both Alyssa and Donnell Jones take their roles in ASB seriously and focus on making school experiences better for students while engaging in political practice for themselves.
“When we step into office hours as student leaders, we step aside from personal standpoints. On a personal level, as a couple, yes there are some benefits from working together. On a professional level, not really. It is all about balancing our professional life and our personal life” said Donnell Jones.