Rachel Jordan ’21
“I want to do something more substantial, like work for a cause that changes people’s lives and makes the world a better place. But I also want to travel and do something creative.”
-Rachel Jordan, Humans of Hanover in 2018
“Not a whole lot has changed [since 2018],” Rachel Jordan ’21 says. “But I think I’ve learned more about the person I want to be.” An art + design major with a minor in business, Jordan has also kept busying working for the Levett Career Center, working in the CC, leading the campus chapter of Delight Ministries, and “making sure I don’t run out of coffee in between!”
Jordan came to Hanover College with an open mind: “There were a lot of things that made Hanover the perfect fit. I was undecided but had a general interest in liberal arts, so when I applied, I was also considering bigger schools. But I knew that at Hanover I would have people who actually knew me guiding me through the process of figuring out what to study. I wanted to experience a new environment and community, and the people here are so great. I could tell this would be a place that would both challenge and support me. Not to mention the campus is gorgeous!”
Her growth over the past four years can be attributed to her hard work and the support of “mentors, friends, and sense of tight-knit community. It really feels like a sort of family after the last four years of getting to know staff, faculty, and other students.” Jordan also gives praise to Uschi Appelt, the Director of Study Abroad: “Uschi is one of the most inspiring humans ever. She’s kind and brilliant, and she works tirelessly to make studying abroad accessible to students. She’s a very empowering person and I’m so thankful to know her!”
While Jordan’s plans to study abroad in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 2020 were cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic, she had two months of experiences she would not have had otherwise. She says, “That was the biggest leap in my Hanover journey and by far the best.”
An artist and visual designer from Brookston, Ind., Jordan has found her niche in graphic design and brand identity for small businesses and non-profits. However, her senior thesis project deviated from her normal digital art.
“I decided to do a piece of public art on campus, and to make it interactive, so people could write on it. The goal was to call attention to the environment and engage people in thinking about what’s important. I was so unsure of how it would go, but for the three days I was painting the mural, so many people came by and asked me about it or encouraged me. I’ve never felt more supported and connected to this community, especially since Covid has limited a lot of the ways we can interact. The response from campus has been amazing. Now that wall is so full of color and personality, and it’s a testimony to all the people here who have engaged with it. That’s an experience I’ll take with me as I continue to learn how to use art and design for positive impact.”
Since graduation, Jordan has been working as a multimedia specialist at YMCA Camp Tecumseh. Once the summer is over, she will explore her options for graduate school or working abroad, wherever she can continue to learn and create.
