Hi Gators! My name is Jordan Kennedy and I am beginning my fourth year as a Health Science student this fall. I hope to begin optometry school after graduation, and eventually own my own practice. I am from Palm Harbor, Florida, which is right near Clearwater Beach and Tampa. I began my studies interested in the medical field, but wasn’t sure where this path would take me. I began shadowing different medical professionals, and volunteering on several floors at UF Health Shands Hospital. These experiences confirmed my desire to help and care for others, and eventually led me to pursue a career in optometry.
I chose optometry because I love the patient care aspect of the field and the ability to concentrate on one particular process of the body. I also am intrigued by the complex role that optometry plays with relation to other diseases and systems within the body. After my initial introduction to 
optometry while shadowing an eye doctor, I immediately wanted more. I began volunteering at the UF Health Eye Center and learned much more about the administrative side of running a doctor’s office. After this experience, I got a job as an Optometric Technician at a local optometry office, Dr. Ted Brink and Associates. I was able to directly interact with patients and perform testing such as visual acuity, ocular pressures, refractive error, and pupil reflex.
Outside of my health science coursework, I have been involved within many organizations on campus. One of my favorite memories of college so far comes from my involvement in my sorority Kappa Alpha Theta. I was able to represent the chapter as the Philanthropy Director. In this role, I planned and executed the annual spring semester event “Capture the Kite,” a capture the flag tournament benefiting Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA). CASA is a national organization that funds and provides mentors for abused, abandoned and neglected children. I have also been very active in the 
Panhellenic community while serving as a Pi Chi, or Panhellenic Counselor. I really enjoyed this specific opportunity during 2019 Panhellenic Recruitment as I led a group of over 80 women in finding their home on campus in the Panhellenic community. Another organization that I am excited to be a member of is the Pre-Optometry Pupils. This organization is dedicated to introducing students to the field of optometry and providing support throughout the undergraduate years, and application process.
In my free time in Gainesville, I love spending times with friends, running, and hanging out with the dogs I have fostered from the Alachua County Humane Society! Throughout the last three years at UF, I have learned a lot about myself, but have been able to learn even more about the ways in which I want to help the world. The BHS program and the University of Florida have shaped my college experience and I will forever be grateful. I cannot believe I am about to begin my last year in Gainesville, but I cannot wait to come back 
and visit as a graduate! Thanks for reading, and as always, GO GATORS!