Troy mayor named among Troy University Alumni of the Year, reflects on time at Troy
Mayor Jason Reeves, apart from being born and spending the first six months of his life in Oklahoma, lived in Troy for his whole life. He’s the seventh generation in his family to live in Pike County and the third generation to attend Troy University, after his grandmother and both his parents.
During his time as a student in Troy, he involved himself in many student organizations across campus, including the Student Government Association, in which he was elected president for the 1994-1995 school year.
One year later, in 1996, while still enrolled as a student, he was elected to Troy City Council, beginning what has now been 30 years of service to the community – service that would eventually earn him the award.
“It makes me feel really proud,” Reeves said. “This is just such an honor for me and my family, and I'm just very grateful.”
He said his time at the university helped build the foundation of his character and knowledge of the city and community that would eventually call him mayor.
“A lot of what I do, I learned and did for the first time at the university,” Reeves said. “Being involved on campus, being involved in student organizations like my fraternity, being involved in student government, in the student publications board, being involved with athletics, being part of the part of the board of trustees as a non-voting member – there were tons of things that I learned that led into my election to the city council.
“So many things happened at the university that exposed me to things that most small-town mayors would never get an opportunity to see or hear.”
For Reeves, Troy isn’t like most small towns. That’s what has kept him in the community for his whole life.
“[It’s] the people,” Reeves said. “[This community is] just a really neat tapestry of people who come in for just a time and then leave, people that come and stay, people that come and visit.
“When you think about all the people that have come through here and left a mark or found a tie or whatever to Troy – it seems to be just a special place.”
Now, in his time as mayor, Reeves said his goal is to continue to lead the city of Troy in crafting the people that make it special, whether they’re here forever or not.
“There's a quote from a book about Troy that I like a lot,” Reeves said. “[The author] talks about Troy being between the Black Belt and the Wiregrass, and that they were 2 of the most world-famous agricultural areas.
“They were known for growing incredible crops. Well, Troy's sort of been known for growing incredible people.”
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