Toykea Jones
Johnson & Johnson
Norfolk, VA USA
"If I’m not failing or making mistakes, then that means that I’m not pushing myself or growing. It’s all about growth...how am I going to be a leader without lessons learned?"
Career Roadmap
Toykea's work combines: Medicine, Business, and Problem Solving
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Here's the path I took:
High School
Booker T. Washington High School
Bachelor's Degree
Chemistry, General
Old Dominion University
Graduate Degree
Environmental/Environmental Engineering Technology/Technician
Old Dominion University
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Sales Managers:
Bachelor's Degree: Biochemistry
Bachelor's Degree: Biochemical Engineering
Bachelor's Degree: Anatomy
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
I was very active in high school because I was trying to figure out what I wanted to do—I captained the cheerleading team, ran track, played in the marching band, played softball, etc.
2.
I received several academic scholarships and decided to attend Old Dominion University (ODU) so that I could move out and live on campus, but not be too far away from home.
3.
Graduated with my bachelor's degree in Chemistry.
4.
I became a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., which is a nonprofit dedicated to providing support and developing community programs.
5.
Originally, I wanted to go to medical school and become a medical doctor, but after realizing how long the process is I decided that path wasn’t for me.
6.
After some research, I discovered that engineering was a profitable career, so I decided to continue my education at ODU to pursue my master’s degree in environmental engineering.
7.
I attended a conference and walked out with a job at Johnson & Johnson—I have been working here for over 12 years.
8.
I have recently partnered with ODU to establish my third endowment and I serve on the ODU Board of Visitors.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
Medical school is challenging and I may not be prepared.
How I responded:
I originally thought I was going to become a Medical Doctor, but as I did more research and realized what that entailed, I had to be honest with myself that this was not something I was passionate enough about to see through. I had to reevaluate what I wanted for my career.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I grew up in a poor neighborhood, but didn't really realize that until I got to college. To get out of this situation and help my family, I knew I had to go to school and get a good job.
When I first got my job with Johnson & Johnson, I had to move 3,000 miles away from home. It was really difficult to be that far away from my family, but I built up a support structure to get me through it.
As a first generation college student, I often asked for support from my parents, family, peers and professors to guide me through whatever I needed help with during those particular moments.