Written by AMA staff (01/2001); Transcribed by JS (03/2008), Reformatted by JS (02/2010)
Jordan Wysong was the recipient of a Charles Hampson Grant scholarship in the amount of $4,500. He is attending Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, and plans to study aeronautical or biomedical engineering.
Attending high school in Pana, Illinois, Jordan was the class valedictorian. He held a 5.23 gradepoint average on a scale of 5.0 and was an Illinois State Scholar, a member of the National Honor Society, a student council member, and was listed in Who’s Who Among High School Students. Jordan was a section leader in jazz band, marching band, and pep band, and played in the Prairie Winds Ensemble.
Jordan participated in the Bradley Bridge Pal contest and the C.C.I.S. Bridge Building contest. He placed first in regional and sectional competition in the Worldwide Youth in Science and Engineering (WYSE) Challenge and was a state finalist in 2002 and 2003.
An Illinois State Scholar and member of the United States Mathematics Association, Jordan also participated in school plays and runs the sound system for most high school, junior high, and community activities.
Jordan’s interest in aeromodeling began in 1997 when he and his father bought an AlmostReady-to-Fly (ARF) Easy Fly 40. Early on, he and his father agreed to split the cost of their airplanes equally. Jordan completed his solo flight and moved up to a Four-Star 60. Jordan competed in several fun-fly events with the Four-Star 60 then moved to larger scale aircraft. He purchased a 27% Midwest Giles G-202 and began practicing for International Miniature Aerobatics Club (IMAC) competition.
Club activities Jordan has been involved in include fun-flys, a club swap meet, and the planning and construction of a pavilion for the club’s flying site.
Jordan designed a memorial that will be built at his high school, commemorating the Pana Township High School that burned down several years ago. The project is waiting funding. Jordan’s interest in engineering developed early. He became interested in architecture in seventh grade when he helped his father design houses. “Once I entered high school, I enrolled in drafting classes and learned that I like the mechanical relationship to engineering rather than the architectural relationship,” he wrote.
At Rose-Hulman, Jordan wants to pursue internships with engineering firms to broaden his knowledge of engineering and manufacturing and create a network of contacts to benefit his career. He plans to pursue engineering studies and hopes to find employment in aerospace engineering. Jordan wrote, “Upon completion of college I plan to seek employment with NASA or an aerospace firm that may be developing contracts with NASA. I feel this is a realistic goal because the design project for the new space shuttle is planned to take place approximately the same time I graduate from college.”
From all of us at AMA, good luck Jordan.
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