Invasion of Privacy: Opinion Editor Nia Jones
Photo courtesy of Opinion Editor, Nia Jones
Jones offers some wonderful advice during their interview that if followed can make the college experience and transition much easier.
Nia Jones is a senior English literature major at SUNY Geneseo and is the current Opinion Editor of The Lamron. Although she is a Geneseo student, that was not always the case. During their first semester of freshman year, Jones attended SUNY Brockport. This did not last very long, however, as she applied to Geneseo with the assistance of friends who attended this SUNY. This was the right decision, according to Jones, who expressed that, “They showed me around, and I was absolutely enamored by the campus and made the decision to come here. I have no regrets!”
Jones’ experience at Geneseo has lived up to their expectations. Meeting and working alongside her professors— Dr. Beth McCoy, Dr. Ken Cooper, and Dr. Oloacha Nwabara— has helped her immensely, specifically in reconnecting with her initial goal of librarianship. “Without their help, I don’t know where I would be today.” Jones also says that with the good comes the bad. She has had her fair share of struggles, mainly finding their place on campus. Jones originally came to Geneseo as an Adolescent Education major with English as their subject and a minor in Sociology. They soon realized that teaching was not the right path for them and completely dropped the School of Education. Jones now plans to attend SUNY Albany for her Masters of Library and Information Science degree.
Geneseo has offered opportunities to Jones that they “could have never dreamed of.” One of these was the opportunity to become a teacher’s assistant (TA). Jones says that she had learned a lot from the job, the students, and the friendships she made through being a TA.
They also researched African and Western cinema in Dakar, Senegal, while studying abroad. Among 30 other students, Jones stayed in Senegal for four weeks, and they note, “The memories I made on that trip will stick with me forever, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to study abroad.”
Even though Jones had struggled to find her place on campus, she says she found the best friendship for her in Maddy Brunn (the one and only— me!), during their sophomore year at Geneseo. “I lived with my best friend, Maddy, and we basically flipped Erie upside down with our shenanigans. It was the moment I realized that they would be my friend for a very, very long time.” Living together their sophomore year is Jones’ favorite memory from her four years of attending SUNY Geneseo.
Joining The Lamron has been an incredibly enriching experience for Jones. When asked about her experience as an executive board editor, she said there were very few complaints about her time at The Lamron. She says that working with other editors and staff writers who commit to improving our paper every week outweighs the stress and busyness that The Lamron brings. “I am so thankful I had the opportunity to hold this position. I’ve learned so much from the people around me who have been so kind and supportive of my silly WWE [World Wrestling Entertainment] obsession and other nonsense that I babble about every week.” Jones is appreciative of the company The Lamron keeps and the creativity that comes with it.
Jones gave a piece of advice for those who are continuing at Geneseo: “Step out of your comfort zone!” They say joining a club, talking to your professors, using the resources that are available to you, and getting involved on campus is what got her to where she is today. “It is scary at first, but once you start getting involved on campus, you won’t want to stop,” Jones adds, “It will take you so far in your academic journey, and you will meet wonderful people along the way who want nothing more than for you to succeed.”