Shelby Jones ’26 has an unusual answer to the question, “What made you choose Arcadia University?” 

The Public Health major, who is minoring in Business Administration, searched for “prettiest universities in Pennsylvania,” resulting in an iconic picture of Grey Towers Castle popping up at the top of the list. This picture, worth more than a thousand words, pushed her to explore the University’s offerings.

“I then reached out to the women’s soccer coach,” explained Jones, who hails from San Diego. “He came out to California, watched me play, and I committed a few weeks later.”  

Jones committed to moving across the country after a recommendation from her dad to check out the various D3 colleges and universities in Pennsylvania at which she could continue her soccer career. This also satisfied her requirement of being in a completely different setting from what she was used to.

“I knew I would probably only live on the East Coast during college, so I took the leap,” she explained.  

She also jumped into campus life by joining two clubs: THO Arcadia, a chapter of The Hidden Opponent supporting student-athlete wellness, and CRU, Campus Crusade for Christ. During the spring of 2025, Jones decided to expand her college experience even further by studying abroad in New Zealand. She began a new search, wanting to play soccer there too.

“I chose to study abroad at the University of Otago,” said Jones. “I originally was going to play for the school team, but then I was informed that there was another team in the area that has historically performed better.

“I got in touch with the head coach for the Dunedin City Royals women’s team, and then I attended their tryouts a week after arriving in New Zealand.”

Jones made the team and had away games requiring short flights within the South Island. It was a life-changing experience.

“No matter where you are in the world, you can always connect with people through sports. I made so many amazing friends and we all bonded over our sport.

“I believe that I came back from New Zealand a better person, but especially a better soccer player,” she explained. “This fall I got an all conference award, which may have been something that I wouldn’t have gotten if I didn’t spend time getting better in New Zealand playing at that high level.” 

After graduating, Jones plans to take a gap year to continue working as a certified personal trainer and an assistant strength and conditioning coach. She feels that her degree will help her with this endeavor because she has learned to be a more empathetic and inquisitive person.

“Personal training can be hard at times because you need to tailor the workout to the exact person you are working with, making sure modifications are ready if they cannot do certain things,” she said. “A public health background has allowed me to further understand how someone’s socioeconomic status can impact their daily lives—especially their ability to perform well in an exercise setting.”