Champion City's Leaders of the New School

To launch HubSpringfield's new young professional series, "Champion City's Leaders of the New School," it is a delight to introduce our readers to Aleeya Jones.

This driven 24-year-old Springfield native attended our own Shawnee High School and upon graduation, the spirit compelled her to travel in order to build her life experience and resumé.

Jones grew up with an appreciation for music, for which she gives credit to her church community, and her grandmother. This cultivated appreciation would blossom into a passion which has steered her professional career and also transformed her worldview.

College would further empower her to carve out a life for herself in arts, culture, and entertainment. 

“I attended Bowling Green State University for a bachelor's degree in Entertainment Industries which focuses on artist and tourism management, and audio and visual technology. I then went to Atlanta, Georgia to work in the Blue Room Studio as an intern and Assistant Engineer. I took some time after the fact to work in California as a musician.This brought me to Syracuse, New York for my Masters in Audio Technology with a focus in Mixing and Mastering, and Mechanical Engineering.” 

Her time working in music production studios led to her rising to the top in a majorly male-dominated industry, landing her coveted roles as Head Engineer, and then Studio Manager, respectively.

She returned to Springfield to be with family and to chase opportunity as she recounts:

“Before I was in High School, I studied Opera Performance from about 6th grade until sophomore year of college, but then I switched to Sound Engineering. When I was in High School, I would visit The Dome at the Global Impact STEM Academy. During that time, they had recording gear; microphones, interfaces, and soundproofed studios. They would teach us how to use the different equipment which was at our fingertips. That was when I was starting to chase my musician dreams, and I would go there after school.

"Before being a sound engineer— I am first, and foremost— a musician. Educator Brian Trayler would show me how to use the editing software so I could establish a portfolio. He had introduced me to community member and local business owner Rod Hatfield, who ultimately asked me to sing at The Hatch Studios for First Fridays. That was my first time ever being commissioned to sing, which definitely pushed me to chase my musicianship. People would recognize me from this gig and ask me to do weddings and events, and that’s what helped me pay to get a bachelor’s degree.”

Upon completing her education, Jones sought to return to performing and utilizing the skills she honed during her time away at university.

“When I finished with school I knew how to come home and look for that next step, so I reached out to Rod again and was welcomed back with open arms.”

Jones’ current involvement includes a position at The State Theater as a Sound Engineer and Community Engagement Coordinator, and Sound Engineer for Seven Wing Creative Studios, which is located in downtown Springfield. According to her, both places “Highlight a lot of local artists and have involvement with events that might pop up around town such as Jazz Fest.”

She can also be found substitute teaching at schools within the Clark County School District.

Jones makes it a point to mention how excited she is to be a volunteer for The Nehemiah Foundation of Springfield. They work to offer community support to demographics and organizations which might otherwise struggle. The nonprofits' activities include such things like collecting winter clothes to support Haitian immigrants in the area who might need assistance adjusting, or "prayer-walks," to bless parts of the city.

Aleeya Jones can be found on Facebook and Instagram; and much of her music is on Youtube. Her current plan for the future is to explore the various avenues which her degrees can take her, as well as to focus more on her musicianship and get back to writing her own pieces.

 “I am building my portfolio and getting to a point where I can start working with other artists, both local and venturing out.”