Looking Back

Jordan, Class of 2008.

“I came here as a transfer student in 2005. I didn’t know what I wanted to do but I ended up as a chemistry major.”

“The biggest thing that shaped where I am now is the fact that I never knew that I really wanted to teach. It wasn’t until I graduated with my PhD that I had a chance to stay around in Ann Arbor and teach organic chemistry this January. I got into the classroom and I loved it. It was incredible. It was the first time in my life – I was almost thirty years old, but it dawned on me. I think I finally figured it out. Through a number of events I found myself right back here at William & Mary teaching. This is literally a decade later that I took CHEM 103 with Bob Pike in the same lecture hall. I’m now teaching CHEM 103, the same class that started me down the path of being a chemistry major here. How many people get to go back to their alma mater, change places in the classroom and now be the teacher? It’s incredible. And I’ve had a blast thus far.”

“It doesn’t stop in the classroom. My current colleagues, they were Professor Harbron, Professor Rice, and Professor Abelt. Now they are Elizabeth, Gary, and Chris. It takes a little bit of getting used to. These were the people who shaped my experiences here at William & Mary. And now I’m back here, in the position where I can do the same thing. It’s bizarre but it’s also really fun.”