2022 40 Under 40 Spotlight: Jasmine Bailey, 2020

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Then: Public affairs officer, Springfield Police Department
Now: Director of university communications and media relations, Drury University

Jasmine Bailey still works directly with the media, but a late 2021 job change put her in education.

The former spokesperson for the Springfield Police Department has taken on a similar role at Drury University. She says she wasn’t looking for a job change, but rather, it found her, as she was contacted to apply for the Drury job.

“I wasn’t unhappy at the Police Department. My time there was incredible and helped shape the trajectory of my career,” Bailey, 31, says. “I feel like things come into your life for a reason. I did not want to miss an opportunity that could be something good for me.”

So far, she says the pace is different at Drury, and she appreciates a position with traditional hours. Crime never sleeps, after all.

Best advice to young professionals? Be open to opportunities. Failure can be a blessing in disguise and could be a platform to something bigger and better for you.