Beaufort County Community College (Beaufort CCC) has named its Student Success Center in memory of the late Dorothy S. Jordan, who worked at the college for more than 40 years and served as its TRIO director. A dedication ceremony on Sept. 24 brought family, friends, colleagues, and community members together to celebrate her life and work.
A Career Devoted to Student Success
During her time at Beaufort CCC, Jordan contributed to the success of thousands of students, especially first-generation college students. She helped them follow through on their dreams, build confidence, find their voice, and see that they belonged at the college and beyond.
Jordan was the college’s 2019 Staff Member of the Year and a steadfast advocate for TRIO. She understood that cultural experiences, transfer visits, technological confidence, and financial literacy all play a role in student success.
Ceremony Brings the Community Together
Friends and family from Alpha Kappa Alpha and Cornerstone Church joined the Beaufort CCC community for the ceremony. The Dorothy S. Jordan Student Success Center is located in Room 120 of Building 1.
“She was soft-spoken, and yet she was very impactful in all that she set her mind to do,” said her husband, Michael Jordan. “We have an example to follow.”
TRIO Program and Scholarship Carry Her Name Forward
Beaufort CCC President Dr. David Loope announced that the college’s TRIO program will now be named the Dorothy Jordan TRIO Student Support Services program.
The college also created the Dorothy Cherry Jordan Memorial Scholarship in her memory. RaSheeda Waddell, the new director of TRIO/Student Support Services, announced the first recipient, Kourtney Hedgepeth, at the ceremony.
“She was a wealth of knowledge and a voice of reason,” said Kimberly Jackson, Beaufort CCC’s director of counseling and a co-worker of Jordan’s. “Having someone like that in your work life year after year is a gift.”
A Legacy That Reaches Across Generations
Jordan’s influence has reached across generations. Students she supported have left Beaufort CCC to raise their own children and instill in them the value of education. TRIO scholars she guided have returned to the college as employees, passing that compassion on to a new group of students.