Georgia Southern Distinguished Military alumna credits University Army ROTC for success

May 7, 2018

This month, Georgia Southern University Distinguished Military alumna Teneisha Jordan (‘13) will earn a doctorate from the Morehouse School of Medicine and realize a longstanding dream of becoming a family physician for the U.S. Army.

Admittedly, the road to success wasn’t easy for Jordan, a single mom who graduated cum laude with a B.S. in biology and minors in chemistry and military science from Georgia Southern. She credits the University’s Army ROTC program leaders and her peers for giving her vision and much-needed support to accomplish her goals.

“ROTC helped develop me into a better student, leader and woman within my career fields,” said Jordan. “From my cadre pushing me to excel in my academics and physical fitness, to my core and elective biology professors, I was able to have a great balance of people who knew what I wanted to do and helped me get there. They believed in me even when the odds were against me to get into medical school.”

A Georgia Southern Eagles in Diversity honor student and an active member of the Phi Delta Epsilon International Medical Fraternity, Jordan was included on Georgia Southern’s President’s and Dean’s Lists multiple times and was awarded a Georgia Southern University Scholarship of Excellence Award in Biology.

Following, she earned a medical sciences certificate from the Morehouse School of Medicine and matriculated into her current program. With a doctorate degree in hand, she will begin a training circuit with the Army and then a Family Residency program at Eisenhower Army Medical Center in Fort Gordon, Georgia, in July. Further plans may also include a teaching fellowship.

“I am considering doing an academic medicine fellowship to gain skills in teaching, in hopes that I will be involved with program planning and teaching in the Army or going back to Morehouse School of Medicine,” she said. “Health disparities and social determinants of health are definite areas of medicine that I love to talk about, so I would hope to hone in on those areas while teaching.”

While the work ahead is considerable, Jordan isn’t afraid of the challenge.

“ROTC gave me the necessary tools of Army etiquette, leadership, values and Warrior Ethos to keep going no matter the odds and time management,” said Jordan. “The Army taught me how to be mentally tough to handle situations thrown at me.”

Georgia Southern University, a public Carnegie Doctoral/Research institution founded in 1906, offers 141 degree programs serving more than 27,000 students through nine colleges on three campuses in Statesboro, Savannah, Hinesville and online instruction. A leader in higher education in southeast Georgia, the University provides a diverse student population with expert faculty, world-class scholarship and hands-on learning opportunities. Georgia Southern creates lifelong learners who serve as responsible scholars, leaders and stewards in their communities. Visit GeorgiaSouthern.edu.