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 Â鶹´«Ã½. 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 Â鶹´«Ã½. 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 Â鶹´«Ã½.
