Jordan Gillis

“It’s amazing what you can get if you quietly, clearly, and authoritatively demand it.” -Meryl Streep

Jordan Gillis is from Williamsburg, Virginia and is a Sophomore in Mining Engineering with a GPA of 3.69. She says the best thing about being a Virginia Tech engineer is the multitude of academic and professional opportunities. When she was in middle school, she wanted to be a physical therapist and work in sports medicine. Now that she is at Virginia Tech, she wants to help increase sustainability and diversity in the mining industry and create a more positive image of the trade. "It’s essential that each generation of miners continues improving the industry, and I would love to help with the advancement." Jordan says if she could change one thing, it would be intolerance.

Now that she’s at Virginia Tech, Jordan is the Fundraising Chair for NSBE. She is also an ambassador for the Bevlee Watford Society, where she helps with recruiting events to increase diversity and overall interest in her department. She says talking with prospective students and parents has been incredibly rewarding. In her free time, Jordan likes to read, watch movies, and go thrifting.

Jordan shared that her favorite cartoon character is Winnie the Pooh because he is whimsical and youthful, yet very wise. Jordan also mentioned that her favorite genre of music is indie, but she listens to a little bit of everything, and her favorite film is Tangled.