Jourdan Lehman ’20

Environmental Science

Biography

I graduated in 2020, the year COVID-19 caused a world-wide shutdown. Although COVID definitely affected my post-graduation plans, I have a lot of gratitude for this event now because it provided me with the time to think about what I wanted to do in this next phase of life. For approximately 8 months after graduating, I worked part-time at a coffee shop and part-time as a personal chef trying to grow a business. After 8 months of working two jobs, trying to grow my cooking business and enduring lockdown, I decided to go back to school to get my Master's in Dietetics. My undergraduate degree at Taylor was Sustainable Development. This major helped me identify certain areas I am extremely passionate about (i.e. helping people live more sustainable lives through their lifestyle choices—primarily through food and exercise). I took 20 hours of prerequisites to get into the program, and then I officially started my Master's program in the Fall of 2021. I will graduate in December of 2023 and become a Registered Dietitian. Since starting my program, I have managed to expand my personal chef business into a full-time job, allowing me to quit my coffee shop job. My path since graduating from Taylor has definitely not been linear or expected, but these challenges have grown and stretched me in ways I never thought possible. For this I am thankful.

What were some of your most valuable experiences at Taylor?

Some of my most valuable experiences at Taylor were bonding with my teammates on the Taylor Women's Soccer Team (a.k.a my friends for life), my classmates and my professors. Honestly, I've realized life is as good as the relationships you foster, and Taylor University provides a multitude of opportunities to build solid, real, life-long friendships. I greatly valued my smaller, upper-level major courses where my classmates and I could worked on building new sustainability projects on campus or helped improve pre-existing projects.

How did your classes or interactions with professors at Taylor impact your growth?

My interactions with professors at Taylor have impacted my growth outside of college primarily by helping me realize authority figures (whether in a higher education program, the work-force, or elsewhere) are there for my benefit. My professors were always willing to meet with me to talk about classwork, personal development and any other questions I might have. This has greatly boosted my confidence in asking questions and positively affected my willingness to learn post-graduation.

How can Taylor graduates use their unique Taylor education and its liberal arts foundational core as an asset in your discipline?

The knowledge I received at Taylor University helped to equip me with the ability to think critically after graduating about where my passions and talents were. In doing so, I am now pursuing a Master's degree, which I never thought I would do, and feel blessed to have received a liberal arts education because it has given me a wider array of knowledge than other individuals in my current program.

What advice or encouragement could you provide for Taylor students in your vocational discipline?

I would say that it's important to remember that college is just a stepping stone! Don't put too much pressure on yourself to know exactly what you want to do when you graduate. Definitely put in the effort to excel in your major and take advantage of your professors while they're at your disposal because they're here to help you, but also remember that life isn't linear. Don't be discouraged if you feel confused on what you want to do with your major or what occupation you want to pursue post-graduation! Give yourself the grace and time to really think about your passions and don't limit them! The world truly is your oyster, you just have to be willing to put in the hard work to get to where you want to be!