Paige Jones, formerly Ballard before getting married, is a BYU student from Springville, Utah. Growing up in Springville, Paige explained she had a lot of exposure to BYU through sports camps as a child and field trips, so when it came time to apply to universities, “[BYU] was very much on my radar."
While neither of her parents graduated from BYU, Paige’s grandfather, who’s a big BYU fan, encouraged her to come here after earning her associate's degree from UVU while still in high school. When she first came to BYU, it was with the intention of studying psychology, but when it didn’t fit, she considered other options, including dietetics and elementary education.
Paige served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Stockholm, Sweden Mission. When asked what surprised her most about Sweden, she said, "The biggest culture shock was the coldness, both the people and the environment." She explained that much of that perceived coldness stemmed from cultural norms rather than unfriendliness, adding that once you get to know Swedes, "they're great people."
After returning from her mission, Paige took a class through the Marriott School, where she learned about BYU’s JD/MAcc joint degree program. Realizing it aligned with her goals, she decided it would be the best path for her. She recently applied to the Accounting, Marketing, and Global Supply Chain Management programs, and while she waits to hear back, she’s excited to see what opportunities lie ahead.
Currently, Paige works as a TA for Continuing Education (CE) and has loved the flexibility it’s provided her. "I think what I'll remember most from this position is having a good balance of completing my own tasks and responsibilities to the best of my ability while also being willing to lend a helping hand where needed," she explained.
This flexibility has allowed for Paige to continue to work for CE even while out in Washington, D.C. for a summer internship. When asked about what her favorite thing about being out in D.C. is, Paige said, "The timing's really perfect with the whole America 250 celebration and everything that's going on. ... Whether it's a concert or a World Cup watch party or museums or parks to visit, there's just always something to see and do, which is really nice."
Outside of school and work, Paige enjoys listening to music and said that one of her favorite artists is Post Malone, who has been “my top artist on my Spotify Wrapped for the past like five years.” She’s also taken up film photography and enjoys going for runs, which she joked is a nod to a Utah stereotype.
Despite not having worked at CE for very long, Paige still gave a glowing endorsement of the organization: "I'd highly recommend working for the university through Continuing Education. I'm sure there are a whole bunch of different roles available, but just finding something that they enjoy and making those connections, I definitely would recommend the experience to anyone."