When Jordan Johnson first set foot on the WVC campus as a Running Start student, college was a dream he never thought he’d chase. Raised in Wenatchee within a community that discouraged higher education, Jordan viewed the opportunity to attend WVC as a chance to unlock new possibilities.

Though he initially completed only one year before pursuing other paths, his brief time at WVC seeded a love for learning that would eventually bring him back a decade later to finish his Associate of Arts and Science degree.

“I sometimes think that I grew more as a writer in my first English 101 class than in my entire life up to that point,” Jordan shares. Those early college experiences gave him the space to grow, think critically, and discover subjects that expanded his worldview.

Fast forward to today, and Jordan is still creating opportunities for himself and others. After earning his master’s degree, he returned to WVC to help launch the Central Washington Area Health Education Center, a program designed to encourage students to explore healthcare careers and support professionals in the field. Now, he manages the Southwest Washington AHEC Scholars program and volunteers as co-chair for Building Bridges, an initiative that helps psychology students connect their studies to community-focused work.

Jordan credits his WVC professors for challenging him and reigniting his love of writing during his return to school. Those early lessons in critical thinking and communication proved invaluable, from his first college essays to his master’s thesis.

His advice to current WVC students is to try everything. "Take the classes that interest you, join clubs, and meet people with different perspectives. Community college is the best place to explore what you care about and find what drives you forward.”