Welcome, and thanks for visiting my e-portfolio! I’m Jordan Beasley (she/her/hers) and I’m from Chicago, IL. I’m beyond proud to be a part of the Buckeye family, and as someone who loves both city life and nature, I look forward to exploring Ohio and all of the opportunities OSU has to offer! Some of my interests include lifting, music, traveling, cooking, hanging out with friends, and volunteering. I look forward to developing some of these interests in the future as I work towards creating a healthy and balanced lifestyle for myself as a young professional!
My studies at THE Ohio State University include a Zoology major and a minor in American Sign Language (ASL). I’m a part of the Eminence Fellowship cohort of 2025 as well as the University Honors program! Most of my major coursework is under the Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology (EEOB) and will be supplemented by immersions abroad in the near future. The most significant influence on my academic interests is the career of Jane Goodall, a world-renowned primatologist and ethologist famous for her groundbreaking discoveries working with wild chimpanzees. Over the next couple of years, I strive to participate in experiences at various institutions that’ll help me grow in the areas of animal handling, critical and interdisciplinary thinking, data analysis, and professional skills.
Post-graduation, I hope to be involved in a career centered on animal conservation, cruelty investigation, or rehabilitation. The vision I have for my work looks like traveling from place to place and collaborating with diverse scholars and students working on the tangible issues affecting animals that also harm our planet and smaller communities. I want to create a world with more protected biodiversity and implement laws to restore habitats and the natural lifestyles of critically endangered species. My first work experience was in a work-study program at the accredited John G. Shedd Aquarium interpreting animal information for guests while learning how to formulate and conduct a behavioral research project. This was the “a-ha moment” that sparked my interest in ethology, animal conservation, and figuring out how we can worth with animals to benefit both the natural environment and overall happiness for all involved.
As a black student studying at a predominantly white institution, I found it especially important to shape my extracurriculars in a way that would involve me with OSU’s Black and minority communities while also including academic and non-academic interests. I’m a general body member of OSU’s NAACP chapter and Black Student Association and enjoy Zoology Club, Deaf-Hearing Club, sitting service dogs in training with 4Paws for Ability, and helping plan Ohio State’s 45th Annual African-American Heritage Festival for this upcoming spring. These organizations all contribute academically and socially to my development and with the skills, I learn from them in addition to my coursework I plan on working long-term to increase minority presence and inclusion in wildlife fields.
With formalities done, I hope you’ve enjoyed my introduction! Feel free to explore my profile in an effort to learn more and I hope we stay connected in the future. Feel free to contact me through email: beasley.157@osu.edu, & Go Bucks!!