Sunshine Insurance Competition Winners Return To Spotlight

Two past winners of the Sunshine Insurance Elmira College Essay Competition are back in the spotlight after being profiled by the New York-based college.

Janay Pyfrom-Symonette and Jade Jones, who graduated from Elmira College in 2008 and 2011 respectively, were both highlighted in the college’s online magazine.

Pyfrom-Symonette won the 2nd annual scholarship contest and walked away with a $60,000 scholarship.

After graduating, she worked at Coty, LLC – the largest beauty and cosmetics company in the U.S. Today, she works as a chief marketing officer of a financial services firm in The Bahamas and is a licensed stockbroker. She also hosts a daytime talk show called, “The Stew.”

Meantime, Jones who has a bachelor’s degree in international studies and a master of science in emergency and disaster preparedness management, busies herself as the foreign service officer in the Embassy of The Bahamas to the United States.

While a student at Elmira College, she served as president of Enactus, an executive member of Voices United of Elmira for Diversity and was a member of the International Students Organization.

Jones was also inducted into Iota Iota Iota, the National Women’s Studies Honor Society and Pi Gamma Mu as well as the International Honor Society in Social Sciences.

In 2013, she returned home and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this role, she served as the country’s representative during the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Even though she lives in Washington, D.C., she continues to assist with the Elmira College Enactus Scholarship Competition. The annual competition gives Bahamian high school students the opportunity to present their business ideas before a panel of judges. The top winner walks away with a $60,000 scholarship to Elmira College.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed introducing students to Elmira College and helping to increase the network of Elmira College students and alumni in The Bahamas,” said Jones, who won the competition in 2006.

She has served as a judge for the past two years.

The competition returns in November.