Jayna Jones ’17

“I think one of the most important lessons I learned at WFS was how to be comfortable in and appreciate silence. I recognize the opportunities that silence provides: a chance to reflect, a chance to think before responding, a chance to create space for others to share their perspective. I also learned the principles of mindfulness that I’ve been able to build on in my own practice moving forward.”

Jayna Jones ’17 graduated from Swarthmore College in 2021 with her degree in Neuroscience. During her time at Swarthmore, she was a member of the women’s basketball team and served as an intern with Interfaith, an on-campus job where she planned and moderated events focused on faith for the student body. Jayna also interned at the following places during her time as an undergraduate student: Florida Health Justice Project, Nemours Children’s Health, and the California Department of Behavioral Health.

Upon graduation from Swarthmore, Jayna began working for Mathematica as a Health Research Analyst. Wanting to have an impact in the healthcare space beyond direct service to patients, she believed that this opportunity could create an impact through the understanding of healthcare policies. In her analyst role, Jayna does the following: helps evaluate health policy programs, helps people who are injured or ill return to work, and reviews state applications for Section 1115 of Medicaid. As for what she enjoys most about her work, Jayna states, “I love qualitative research. Being able to connect with people and have the opportunity to represent their collective voice is a privilege I take seriously.”

During her time as a student at WFS served as the Service Committee Clerk, was a member of the WFS basketball team, and won the Charles Bush Award. Her advice to the Class of  2024? “Please sleep. It will all work out how it’s supposed to. I know I struggled with making the ‘right’ choice for college. I can tell you that likely all of your options are good choices and you will find success regardless of which one you take. Also don’t feel like you have to have it all pinned down right now. You’re allowed to change your mind as you learn more about who you are and what you feel connected to. You haven’t even scratched the surface of all there is to learn!”