Jordon McAlpine

HOMETOWN: Danbury, Connecticut MAJOR: Biology WCSU DEGREE: Bachelor of Arts in Biology ACTIVITIES: Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity member, worked at St. John Paul II nursing home until 2017, currently employed at Hancock Hall Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Danbury

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Jordon McAlpine originally enrolled at Naugatuck Valley Community College as a physical therapy major, but changed direction and came to WCSU. “I realized I wanted to get a doctorate in physical therapy instead of the degree offered at NVCC,” he says. “So I decided to come to WCSU because it was close to home and my adviser told me that the faculty here are caring and they try to bring the best out of their students.”

McAlpine ended up majoring in biology once at WCSU, he says, because “I have always had a passion for science, mainly because I’ve had amazing teachers throughout middle school and high school. My high school teacher, Mr. Seabury, first sparked my love for biology.”

It turns out that McAlpine’s adviser was right about WCSU’s faculty. “The entire Biological and Environmental Science Department helped me graduate,” he says. “The professors in the department have open door policies where they are eager to help you in any way. Whether that be school-related or if you just want to talk about life, they are happy to listen.”

Asked what he will remember most about his WCSU experience, McAlpine says, “My most memorable experience was attending Relay for life. Just seeing so many people come together and have love and support for one another touched my heart.”

After graduation, McAlpine plans to get a job and pay off his student loans, then attend graduate school for health administration.

His advice to new students entering WCSU is: “Never give up. Graduating from college may seem like an impossible feat to incoming freshman. You may get overwhelmed and have a few setbacks, but one thing that helped me was remembering a quote from my pastor. She told me that achieving your goals will never be a straight path, there will be detours, but a detour will still lead you to your destination.”