April 4, 2018 at 5:30 p.m.
Where are they now -- Jordan McDaniel
By By Hayli Goode-
Though she may be far away now, you've probably heard her name before. If not for her parents, Tony McDaniel and Judy McDaniel, a math teacher at Hauser, possibly for her sporting accolades. During high school, Jordan played basketball, volleyball (academic all state, regional team, all area team honor) and ran track (2-year academic all state , all conference school record holder for high jump, 4-time regional qualifier and conference champion -- she was fast.)
The move wasn't exactly a far stretch for Jordan. She was actually born in Texas and had always planned to go back once she graduated high school.
She is now in her second year at Texas A&M, studying Philosophy and Business Management. And she doesn't plan to slow down after two more years in Corpus Christi.
What is your fondest memory in Hope?
Running around Hope Heritage Days, eating walking tacos, pork tenderloins and sipping on fresh lemonade
You decided to go to Texas for college - that's far! How did you make that decision?
I was born down here in the Valley (the southern tip of Texas) and it has always been a part of my plan to come back when I graduated high school.
How has the transition from high school to college been?
It has definitely been different, but a lot of fun! I joined a sorority (Delta Delta Delta) that made this new place feel just like my new home. There was a huge change in the workload, but having a support group that is constantly there to motivate you is key.
How has the transition from Hope to Texas been?
It has been crazy. In Texas, a "small school" is one with a graduating class of 100-150. Coming from a town like Hope, where you graduate with 50 other people, is unheard of. Hearing all of my friends' backgrounds and their high school experience is so enlightening because you never know how crazy different we all are.
How did you decide on your major?
I would love to continue my education past undergrad and attend law school. I am interested in specializing in business law, so I wanted to pursue a major in business to be familiar with the inner workings of businesses. I also chose my second major, philosophy, to help better prepare me for law school by expanding my thinking and making me see things from many different perspectives.
When you come home, what are a few of your favorite things to do or visit?
My favorite thing is to head back to "The Bee's," (Applebee's) like we did every Friday night back in high school. I also love just cruising through all of the back roads of Hope, getting lost and finding my way back. Living in Corpus is so different because of the city feel and lack of country roads.
What advice would you give to students at Hauser now?
Enjoy your time with your classmates. It will be a long time before you feel that sense of community. Hope is a special place with very special people - don't take it for granted. Work hard in your classes, but make time for fun. If you can't have fun while doing your work in high school, you are going to be too overwhelmed when you move on to college. Work on your time management, this is the easiest time to form good habits.
Also, I really think that broadening your horizons is the smartest decision one can make in their young adult years. This might not mean moving a thousand miles away from home to go to college on an island. But get out of Indiana, visit places, make memories, learn about the world outside of what we already know. There are so many other types of people and personalities to meet. This is an extremely small world, and you never know the connections you could make that will last a lifetime.
Though it's early in your college career, do you have any plans or goals after graduation?
There are internships with my sorority at the national level that I may look into before applying to law school. However, the main plan is to attend law school, graduate and stay somewhere in Texas, hopefully along the Gulf, so I can stay by the beach.
Fun Fact
Since leaving Hope, I have started changing the spelling of my name to Jordyn, I feel like it suits me better than Jordan. It's always interesting to be able to tell when I met someone based on how they spell my name. There's no practical reason for this change in spelling, I just like the way it looks.[[In-content Ad]]
