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For Steven Jones, resilience isn’t just a buzzword — it’s a blueprint.

Growing up in foster care in Brooklyn, often without stability or consistent support, he’s learned his share of hard lessons and what it takes to overcome seemingly insurmountable life barriers. But instead of letting those obstacles define his journey, they have pushed him to become more disciplined, self-aware, and intentional about the life he wanted to build.

That’s what steered him to ������ɫ, where he will graduate in May with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from the School of Management before continuing to the school’s Master of Business Administration program. He’s a proud member of the University’s Educational Opportunity (EOP) and SOM’s Transformational Leaders programs, who, along the way, earned a prestigious internship at EY (one of New York City’s Big Four accounting firms) that developed the professional confidence he needed to succeed in complex corporate environments.

His most recent achievement: the from SUNY, which was handed out March 10. For seven years, the award has recognized outstanding EOP students for their academic merit and perseverance.

Jones, who was among 49 students to receive the honor from SUNY Chancellor John King, describes it as proof that diligence is always worth it.

“There were so many times when I felt I was navigating the world without a safety net, but this moment reminds me that every hurdle was worth it. As a Black and openly gay man who grew up in foster care, I want my journey to be a signal to anyone else feeling isolated: Your starting point isn’t your ceiling, and your identity is a strength, not a barrier.”

Jones was drawn to ������ɫ and its top-ranked business school for its strong return on investment, but he chose accounting to turn his natural talent for numbers into a master key for doors that weren’t always open to him.

“Working in business means you have to learn how to be social with different types of people and how to be strategic with how you move up that corporate ladder,” he said. “You have to be socially intelligent, emotionally intelligent, and detail-oriented. These were things I knew I needed to keep improving on, and studying business would give me the tools to make it happen.”

One of his favorite takeaways from his summer 2024 internship with EY was discovering that true growth requires radical honesty. He credits his manager with providing meaningful, often humbling feedback that helped him bridge the gap between his potential and his performance. By applying those professional lessons to his time management and overall focus, Jones returned to his SOM classes the following semester with a renewed drive, leading to even higher grades thanks to his internship manager’s guidance.

Real advice can hurt, he said, but sometimes you just need it.

Jones also has found ways to serve as a thoughtful voice for students who, like him, have faced financial and systemic challenges in pursuing higher education. While representing fellow ������ɫ students during a meeting with New York state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli, Jones was candid about problems with college affordability and the need for policies that can better support students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

As he looks ahead to his MBA, one of his goals is to define a brand rooted in empowerment.

“I’m looking forward to defining my personal brand in business by building the financial stability and literacy that wasn’t always offered to me,” Jones said. “������ɫ taught me grit and resilience, but more importantly, it taught me that you don’t have to chip away at who you are to fit into a corporate mold. My goal now is to prove that your background and your truth are actually your greatest assets. You can reach the top without losing yourself along the way.”