Tay Jones '25

Name: Tay Jones 
Major: Literatures in English major, Africana studies minor 
Hometown: Springfield, Va. 
Future Plans: I hope to go to grad school for education and become a teacher.   

Tell us about your academic journey at Bryn Mawr.   

I came in wanting to be an English major with a creative writing concentration. That no longer exists because there is a creative writing major now. I started taking some classes in the Africana studies department, and that's when I realized that I had more passion for that than I did for creative writing. 

I have loved getting to learn about English in so many varying ways. It's a lot more theoretical than I expected, and I am somebody who actually really loves theory. So that was very cool for me. And in the same way I got to learn a lot about black theory and specifically, black, queer, feminist scholars in Africana studies. 

What were some other highlights of your time at Bryn Mawr? 

The people. From the amazing professors to the fantastic friends I've made. There's so many people who are here to support us. 

Also, being part of the Sisterhood* E-board. I struggled to find my footing with friendship here, and I think a lot of people have that experience in college, so that's not abnormal. But for me, as a black student, I was able to take refuge in the Enid Cook Center (ECC) and find home in Sisterhood*. I think it's just incredibly important that we remember to support our AMOs [Alliance of Multicultural Organizations], regardless of what's going on outside of the campus. To any students who are minorities and feel a little out of place, there is a group for you. And even if it's a little hard to break into at first, if you just keep trying, you'll find your space. I remember I tried Sisterhood* my first year, and I couldn't quite figure out how I wanted to participate in it, so I kind of pulled back. But in my junior year I jumped back into it, and that was when I found some of my closest friends, and I have never felt more comfortable on this campus. I think it's just crucial that people remember that there are groups designed for you to have a space. 

How do you think Bryn Mawr prepared you for your future plans? 

I've had such great professors. They've been examples for me of what I want to do as an educator. One of the things I really liked about classes with Professor López Oro, the director of Africana studies, was how interactive they were. Prof. Alston in the English department always had us do small group conversations so that nobody felt pressured to speak. I also really enjoyed taking a class with Professor Schneider in the English department. She gave us so much freedom to explore whatever we wanted within the framework of her class. Professor Dee Matthews, again gave me a lot of creative freedom. Professor Vargas gave us a lot of time to formulate and work through what we needed to work through so that we could submit papers that we were proud of. There are so many other lovely professors I could talk about. 

What advice do you have for incoming members of the Class of 2029? 

My first piece of advice is try everything. And then, when you've decided what you like, make sure to focus on that. And remember that it's okay to quit something or stop doing something to focus on something else. In my earlier years at Bryn Mawr, I danced a lot, taking dance classes through the dance department. In my latter two years, I decided to focus more on Africana studies. It's totally fine to come in with one idea of what you want to do and then switch it up.  

Also, I would recommend getting your requirements out of the way as soon as possible. I was able to get through most of my requirements in my first year, and that gave me so much space to take so many different classes. I got to take classes in the history department. I got to take a psychology class, and that's how I learned that psychology was really not for me. I got to take so many Africana studies classes. I got to take classes in the education department, and that's how I realized I was into education. There's just so much that this school offers, and then there’s also the Tri-Co, where you can take classes at Swarthmore and at Haverford. There are just so many things you can do, so get your requirements out of the way so that you can have fun, because that's what learning is. Learning is supposed to be fun. 

What are you most excited about? 

I am excited to see where life will take me. I have my plan. I want to be a teacher. But I also think that there are so many ways that an English major can go. I'm lucky that I have a very wide landing pad because of my English degree. I can do anything. And so, as much as I do want to be a teacher, I do also understand that there are so many other things I can do. And I'm just excited to figure out what comes next for me. 

Learn more about studying Literatures in English at Bryn Mawr

Learn more about Africana studies at Bryn Mawr