Johnathon Boles

Associate Director, The Lilly Center for Vocation and Values, Catawba College
Director, Volunteer Catawba

Native of Mocksville, NC

Industry: Education

Johnathon Boles sees Rowan County as a special place of caring people who speak to “the heart, mind and soul” of a community. All three, he says. “We care about all three.”

From a lofty perch at the Go Burrito restaurant’s rooftop dining in downtown Salisbury, he can count five church steeples in the blink of an eye. That speaks to the soul, he says. He has found a church home in Life Church, where he sometimes helps lead worship.

Also, “a lot of people here care about physical fitness and it shows. This is a really active running community,” says Johnathon, who is into running himself, as well as triathlons. 

He is also impressed with the community’s “very robust sense of character,” as witnessed by the number of non-profits that serve here. “I tell people that you can drop a pin on a Rowan County map and find a non-profit. If there is a need that you’re passionate about, I guarantee you’ll find a non-profit that serves that need. I really love that about this community.” He knows non-profit work first-hand as Director of Volunteer Catawba, leading students, staff and faculty in volunteer opportunities with non-profits. “Rowan County has one of the most remarkable Habitat for Humanity programs in the area,” he says, with the organization building a Habitat house on average every four or five months. 

“Here, in this community, we care about our fellow community members,” he says. “We don’t just say those words, we mean them. Non-profits of Rowan County are passionate and committed to showing others authentic love by the work that they do.”

A Big Small City

Johnathon grew up in nearby Mocksville in a family of five children and moved to Salisbury nine years ago to attend Catawba College. He quickly came to appreciate what he calls “a big small city.”

“Most everyone I know in this community is extremely friendly and willing to help out,” he says. “I really appreciate how Salisbury has a small, hometown feel; yet, it still has all the essentials that I need.”

He calls his favorite outdoor space, the new Bell Tower Green Park, a phenomenal space. “It makes me see the future as bright for Rowan County,” he says. “It makes you want to settle down here.” It’s the first place he would send newcomers to Salisbury. “I’d tell them to walk around and hang out at Bell Tower Green Park.” 

The unique downtown park fits in with the Be an original™ slogan that identifies the county and its people. “I think ‘being an original’ means being authentic to our heritage and unabashedly conserving our ideals while at the same time looking for new fresh ways to express them,” says Johnathon. 

He would also encourage newcomers to check out Mykonos Grill, a Greek restaurant that has been his favorite since his college days. “I know everybody there by name,” he says. “In college, I ate there almost once a day. It’s a cool spot.”

The county has many “signature events,” he says. His favorites are the Cheerwine Festival because he’s a fan of Salisbury’s own Cheerwine soft drink and the Salisbury Symphony’s Pops at The Post concert because he is a lover of classical music. 

‘Part of the Family’

At Catawba, one of the many hats that he wears is leading a program for new staff and faculty called “A Part of the Family.” 

“It helps them learn more about the Catawba community, as well as the larger community,” he says, and admits that he has learned more about the Salisbury-Rowan community by directing this program. I didn’t know about the Stanback Nature Preserve in Spencer and Lake Corriher Wilderness Park in China Grove. “Rowan County has many of these green spaces,” he says. “They are gems.

“I think it’s pretty special how Rowan County has a rich history and integrates rural living with urban living so well,” he says. “Having several higher education institutions so close in proximity to one another is yet another special feature. Lastly, but surely not least, the geographic location on the I-85 corridor makes life in Rowan County extremely convenient for travel, giving persons a laid-back lifestyle without sacrificing the eventfulness of a bigger community.”