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Wired to Learn: How Jordan Thompson Found His Spark

Jordan Thompson loves to learn, but he wasn’t always aware of that fact. “My strengths didn’t come out in high school,” he shared. “I had no idea that I loved learning, because I was forced to learn things I wasn’t remotely interested in.”

While his mother encouraged a traditional college path, Jordan knew that wasn’t for him. He joined the Marine Corps and spent four years in North Carolina as an infantry rifleman. During that time, he met his wife and they, along with her three children, eventually returned to his hometown of Greencastle, Pa.

In need of a job to support his family, Jordan knew he didn’t want to be a police officer or security guard, as is typical for someone with his military experience. “I always liked working with my hands and I wanted a field that would be safe from automation.”

That led him to the Barr Construction Institute (BCI), where he met Kathy Gress, education director. “She deserves so much credit,” Jordan said. “My life would not be what it is had I not met Kathy.”

With Kathy’s help, Jordan used funds from the G.I. Bill to get started in the electrical program at BCI. At the same time, he got a job at Ellsworth Electric and that partnership allowed him to begin an apprenticeship, working toward his goal to become an electrical journeyman.

“Jordan was the student always asking questions and wanting clarification,” remembers Kathy. “He has always been high energy and puts 100 percent into everything he does.”

It was during one of his daily commutes to a job site that Jordan had an “aha moment.” He was reading a book about transformers and motors that he had borrowed from the lobby of Ellsworth Electric. “I read that book every day as I rode in the work van,” he remembered. “It was mind-blowing when I learned that it’s not actually electricity that causes a motor to turn. It’s all magnetic fields that cause the rotation of the motor.”

That realization started an insatiable desire in Jordan to learn more. “From then on, I knew I wanted to know more, and more, and more… and that hasn’t stopped,” he said, enthusiastically.

Since then, he has taken advantage of every opportunity he’s been given, including being hired as an instructor for BCI, following his graduation in 2021. By this time, he was also working at Fort Detrick, where he started as an electrician and quickly advanced to engineering technician.

After teaching at BCI for two years, Jordan was approached about a new program between BCI and HCC that would allow BCI graduates to apply 30 credits toward an associate degree. While he had never considered himself the college type, he jumped at the chance to be the first person enrolled in the program. “I was the guinea pig!”

In 2024, Jordan graduated from HCC with an A.A.S. degree in technical studies, earning a 4.0 GPA. “Having earned a 1.9 GPA in high school, this is a source of great pride to me,” he boasted.

Following graduation, he returned to the classroom at BCI as an instructor once again, in addition to continuing to work at Fort Detrick. His love of learning is something he is passionate about sharing with his students. “I learned that your approach to learning can dictate whether or not you succeed. I want my students to develop a fascination with the field, just as I have.”

He believes that learning is 10 percent material knowledge, 40 percent knowing how to interpret the information, and 50 percent attitude. “The most important part of my job as a teacher is to foster their curiosity and interest, so my students can truly understand what they are learning.”

Jordan is currently preparing to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam, which will enable him to earn the Engineer in Training (EIT) certification. In order to prepare for that, he used ChatGPT to create a custom curriculum for him that incorporates the courses he has completed with free courses from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

“I love learning,” Jordan said. “As an adult, it’s my favorite thing.” His ultimate goal is to take the Professional Engineering (PE) exam and work as an electrical engineer with the federal government.

He plans to continue to teach the Electrical I course at BCI and is excited about the opportunities that will be provided to students through BCI’s connection with HCC. “I see two direct benefits to students,” he shared. “First, it will provide them with a more in-depth experience as a result of more resources, and second, it will provide a direct bridge from training to a degree, for those who want to explore that opportunity.”

Jordan’s grateful for every step of the path that has led him to where he is today. “I’ve always wanted to know how things work, but no one told 18-year-old Jordan what engineering was. If they had, he would have loved it, because it is how things work.”