Sydney Jones

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Education Background: Bachelor of Social Work, Temple University

How did you get interested in your field?
I have always been interested in housing, which probably extends from my personal experience with housing insecurity. Originally, I pursued a career in social work which seemed to be a good combination of my personal experience, passion for social justice, and gift of gab. However, it wasn’t long before I realized that social workers respond to the symptoms of past choices made by those in power, many of whom were planners. The understanding that every single thing in the built environment is the result of a deliberate choice certainly changed my perspective, and ultimately influenced my career trajectory.

What was your background prior to coming to Penn?
Academia was not somewhere I thought I would end up, but I am quite happy things worked out the way that they did! I bartended around the Seattle area (where I am from) for several years before deciding to take community college courses online while my partner and I were living in China. When we repatriated, we relocated to Philadelphia so that I could finish my undergraduate studies at Temple University. I was immediately obsessed with the city as soon as I got here.

Why did you choose Penn?
The HCED faculty is, to be frank, stacked. Their expertise encompasses a wide range of topics that overlap well with my own. Beyond academics, Kate and Patrick in the planning office are so incredibly welcoming it was evident from my first visit that they are heavily involved with the culture in the planning department. The fact that Penn is in my favorite city made it an easy decision.

What has been your favorite class so far?
 Dr. Jamaal Green teaches a spring seminar called Healthy People, Healthy Places that examines the different ways the built environment impacts its residents, and how those impacts are stratified across race, class, and gender lines. This was the course that I was most looking forward to taking prior to starting classes and is directly aligned with my interests.

What are you learning right now that will help you in the future? 
I am currently taking courses in JavaScript (MUSA 6110), Economic Development (CPLN 6200), Spatial Statistics (MUSA 5000), and Urban Research methods (CPLN 508), all of which are applicable to my current and future research interests.

What do you like best about Philadelphia?
There are so many things to love about Philadelphia, and I am sure you’ve heard most of them: the food, the sports, the history, cultural diversity and walkability. The thing I personally love most about Philly is that nobody cares what you are doing. I’m serious – no one is paying attention to you, what you’re wearing, where you’re headed or with who. You are truly free to be yourself in whatever way feels right.

What kinds of activities and/or organizations are you involved in?
This year I am a co-president of the Rebuilding Together Philadelphia (RTP) Wharton/Weitzman Block Build, the Internal Relations Director for the Black Designers Society, and a member of the Weitzman Real Estate Club.  Outside of academic organizations, I am a research assistant for Dr. Green on a grant-funded peer reviewed research project looking at Black entrepreneurship.   

What are your career ambitions?
After graduation I plan to pursue a PhD in planning, urban studies, or geography. My research interests are at the intersection of spatial justice, residential property dispossession, and the influence of housing on health and well-being. While academic output is important, there is so much power in knowledge, something that is becoming increasingly inaccessible due to pay walls and the excessive use of technical language. My hope is to complement my future academic work with an open-source platform that communicates complex technical housing information in language and formats that are digestible, visually appealing, and in alignment with the time constraints so many of us face.