Elizabeth City, N.C. — Bayla Felton Jones had schools laying offers at his feet, but the Charlotte, NC native chose ECSU because he was drawn to its top-tier aviation program, knowing that ECSU would give him the wings to soar. As a private pilot, social media sensation, and a proud member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Jones has a résumé already charting the course for a fruitful and accomplished life. Since coming to ECSU, he has proudly carried on his family's Alpha Phi Alpha legacy, while creating a legacy all his own.
Jones' connection to Alpha Phi Alpha runs deep. His great-great-grandfather, Eugene Kinckle Jones, was one of the fraternity's founders—the Seven Jewels. Five generations of Alphas have paved the way for Jones, but rather than feeling burdened by the weight of his legacy, he has embraced it. "If there was pressure, it was more on my end," Jones shared. "None of my three brothers pledged. I was like, 'OK, I'm the last son, and I know my dad has wanted this,' but I think he was just waiting for me to say it before he brought it on to me."
When thinking about his legacy, Jones added, "Somebody has to carry it on."
Surrounded by Alpha men and seeing Alpha paraphernalia in his home his whole life, Jones saw the fraternity not as an obligation but an opportunity to walk in the footsteps of leaders who inspired him. In spring 2024, he decided to pledge.
"I grew up in Charlotte, which is a big, prominent area for Alphas. I've always said, 'I like how they carry themselves and their way of life. This is how I want to represent as a man,'" said Jones.
While his family history and fraternity ties are a key part of his identity, Jones' first love is aviation. When he stepped foot on the ECSU campus, he had one goal—obtaining his pilot's license. Hyper-focused on getting his license, Jones didn't plan to join any campus organization. "I was so focused on aviation; I wasn't even worried about extracurriculars. I thought once I get my license, then I can chill," Jones said.
From a young age, Jones was captivated by the art of flying.
"When I was little, I wanted to be a bus driver because I loved watching how they left the school in formation," he laughed. His parents, both HBCU graduates, recognized his passion for precision and vehicles and took him to the airport instead.
There, he fell in love with planes. Soon after, they enrolled him in Young Eagles, a flight training program in Charlotte. The rest, as they say, is history.
Now in his junior year at ECSU, he is a licensed private pilot and will graduate in the spring of 2026 with a degree in aviation science and a concentration in flight.
Jones' journey at ECSU hasn't just been about academic achievement, brotherhood and flight hours. His charisma and creativity earned him viral fame when he posted a video transforming his dorm room. The TikTok clip gained millions of views, boosting his social media presence, gaining the attention of the Wall Street Journal, and making him a campus sensation. His social media presence is a perfect mix of comedy, creativity and elite aesthetics.
In all that he's accomplished in a short time, Jones has found his home at ECSU. As an honor student and Chancellor's Scholar, he had many options for where he could have gone to school, but his round of thoughts in his decision-making process kept circling back to ECSU.
"I got accepted into some Ivy Leagues too, but at the end of the day, I could do four years [at those schools] but I still wouldn't have a pilot's license," Jones said.
Jones has one more decision to make in this season of his life. As he continues to navigate college life, with his pilot's license in tow, his next big decision is choosing between corporate and commercial aviation.
"Here, we market and push airlines, but I've met a lot of people in Charlotte who are the corporate pilots for Lowe's, or they fly the CEO for Wells Fargo. And there are benefits to both," Jones said.
While Jones continues to think about which path in aviation he would like to take, he is not undecided about the life he wants for himself.
"I always say, if you don't want to be broke, you have to work hard. I'm going to work hard," Jones stated with confidence and a smile.
Despite all the attention Jones often receives, he remains grounded. However, those around him can't help but see him rise and fly high, not just in the skies, but in life. Jones continues to make moves in his academics that promise to keep him on the right path.
Never having a fear of flying, Jones said, "When you're in control, there is nothing to be scared of." Keeping fear at bay, Jones continues to be a force to be reckoned with—in life and in the skies.
To learn more about ECSU and the aviation opportunities available, go to www.ecsu.edu.