When Jonathan (Jon) Wylie's wife saw Covenant's open job posting for an associate dean of students, she told him she had found the job he was meant to be in. During the summer of 2016, Wylie joined the student development ranks, filling the shoes of Jonathan Ingraham.
Most recently, Wylie taught English as a foreign language with the English Language Institute China at the Harbin Institute of Technology, while ministering to the students, faculty, and staff to share the hope of Christ on campus. At the time of our interview, he had only been at the job 99 days but already felt confident that it was a great fit.
He takes joy in meetings with students, faculty, and staff that fill the majority of his day rather than answering endless emails, as he has had to in previous positions.
“I do feel like I am a better associate dean than I am an English teacher,” he said.
It is clear to anyone who speaks to Wylie for even a short time that he has a passion for loving students in a way that affects them long-term. When describing the discipline process Wylie often goes through with students he said, “I believe repentance is a gift . . . My hope is that when [students] leave my office they don’t just leave broken, but that they leave pointed to the ultimate day of restoration.”
He seeks to love Christ wholeheartedly and plans to encourage the greater student body to do the same—in an open, broken way so that they may pick each other up and point one another to Christ.
“I just want people to be broken and let [the people of] Covenant walk along side them in it so we may find our Savior together,” said Wylie.
Jon has been married to Emily for eleven years and have three children, Lydda Grace (8), Wade (6), and Eden Mercy (3), and they are expecting their fourth child. Emily is a stay-at-home mom, and together they homeschool their children.
“I love being married. It’s the thing that has allowed me to grow the most,” Wylie said. Wylie has an apparent love for his wife and children. They love to read Shakespeare and Tolkien as a family. Their family plans to stay at Covenant College long-term: “Emily and I would like to make Lookout Mountain our home,” said Wylie.
Wylie and his family are soon to be members of Lookout Mountain Presbyterian Church.
“I love church,” he said, “I say that not to sound holy but to say that is where our friends are.” He went on to describe the huge welcome Lookout Mountain families have offered to him and Emily.
He made sure to brag on Brad Voyles as the best supervisor he had ever worked under, “He points me to Jesus and doesn’t micromanage.”
He also mentioned how much he loves Chartwells: “I think Covenant dining is the best food I’ve ever had on a college campus.”
Before moving to China, Wylie worked at Clemson University for four years as an Associate Director in Student Conduct, at Virginia Tech for three years as a Complex Director in housing, and at Clemson for two years as a Resident Director. He has his PhD in Educational Leadership from Clemson University, his MEd in Counselor Education from Clemson University, and his BS in Computer and Electrical Engineering from North Carolina State.