When Assistant Professor Jarrod Cone tells the story of how he came to Clinton Community College, it sounds almost cinematic.
“My daughter was born at three in the morning,” Cone said. “And I had my interview at eight.”
With zero sleep and a newborn nicknamed “Baby Plattsburgh,” Cone walked into that interview determined to land a full-time teaching position. He did.
“They said, ‘Obviously you’re committed,’” said Cone, with a laugh.
That was 2011, and nearly fifteen years later, the Pavilion, New York, native is still bringing that same energy and dedication to his students.
Cone’s academic journey began at Genesee Community College in nearby Batavia before transferring to the University at Buffalo, where he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in psychology. His area of expertise? Behavioral neuroscience. But his path to teaching wasn’t straightforward.
Initially enrolled in a Ph.D. program, Cone discovered his true calling during a graduate teaching assignment.
“I fell in love with it,” he said. “What really mattered was how much the students appreciated learning when I explained things in their words.”
That moment changed everything. He left the Ph.D. track and committed to teaching full-time.
Before joining Clinton, Cone taught as an adjunct across Western New York at community colleges, universities and correctional facilities. Today, he teaches a wide range of courses at Clinton, including introduction to psychology, human development, social psychology, human sexuality, applied psychology and abnormal psychology.
His teaching style is dynamic and relatable; his very first teaching demonstration at Clinton was on cognitive dissonance, using parenthood as an example just hours after becoming a parent again.
One of the most inspiring roles of Cone’s career has been teaching at Altona Correctional Facility, a program he considers life changing.
Cone began teaching in prisons years ago, but the experience has evolved into something deeply rewarding.
“Students enrolled in the program are asking how to transfer, how to keep going, how to take classes online. They see themselves as students now.”
For Cone, this work is a “win-win-win” because it benefits incarcerated individuals, correctional staff, the college and the community.
When asked what makes Clinton special, Cone doesn’t hesitate: “The students. They’re diverse, open and eager to think critically. That’s what college is really about—becoming a better thinker.”
He also appreciates the college’s size and culture, which foster collaboration and connection.
“Here, when someone does something, you know it. You feel it.”
To Cone, Clinton’s motto of “We Work” is a simple promise: “We work to get students where they need to go.”