The Independence Community College (ICC) Board of Trustees confirmed Cordell Jordan as interim president during their meeting Monday, Jan. 25. Jordan came to ICC in January 2019 to assist with the creation of the 2020-2025 strategic plan before being hired as the executive vice president in July 2019. Jordan is an ICC alum with deep familial ties in southeast Kansas.
“I am honored to be able to serve the students and employees of ICC as well as the Independence community,” says Jordan. “This college is truly home to me. My parents met while students at the college, and both me and my sister are alumni. I can honestly say I would not be here if it wasn't for Independence Community College.”
Jordan grew up watching Pirate basketball. His mother, from Elk City was the former child center director at ICC, and his father, from Cherryvale, was a long-time pastor, retiring from the Erie, Kansas Federated Church in 2016. During his own time at ICC as a student, Jordan enjoyed music and theater, performing in every play and musical as well as with the ICC Show Choir.
In addition to his associate degree in liberal studies from ICC, Jordan also holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Kansas, a bachelor’s degree in marketing from the University of Central Oklahoma and a master’s in business administration from Oklahoma Christian University.
Jordan has significant experience in college accreditation, instruction, marketing, communications, and strategic planning for community colleges. This experience is consistent with the goals set for Independence Community College.
“We continue to do amazing things at ICC,” says Jordan. “We are growing our fine arts programs thanks to amazing faculty, we are expanding our entrepreneurial options through FabLab ICC and our CTE and workforce development programs, and we are raising funds like never before with our Centennial Campaign. I look forward to celebrating 100 years of the college in 2025 and know we will do great things in the next 100 years.”
Since the beginning of the academic year under Jordan’s leadership, ICC has received more than $500,000 in new grant funding for various programs and services, and personal donations have also increased.
Particularly in the year of 2020, Jordan exhibited his dedication to ICC and the Independence community as he stepped up to lead as the world faced a global pandemic. Jordan created the ICC Emergency Response team, and the college was able to safely return to in-person classes for both the fall and spring semesters under his leadership.
Prior to his return to ICC in 2019, Jordan served as the marketing and communications manager at Southeast Arkansas College, and the executive director of marketing and public relations at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC), the state’s fourth largest college serving more than 20,000 students annually. Jordan was responsible for all areas of strategic planning, including facilitating the creation of both college’s five-year strategic plans, strategic marketing plans, recruitment planning, crisis communications and operations planning. During his first year at Southeast Arkansas College, the college experienced 17 percent growth in enrollment. During his time in leadership at OCCC, the college experienced double-digit growth in enrollment and year over year increases in market share. Throughout his 12-year tenure at OCCC, he also served as the college public information officer and as an adjunct professor of business.
Jordan and his wife Natalie have been married for 22 years. They have two daughters, one who attends the University of Central Oklahoma and one in her sophomore year of high school. As a family, they like to travel, go hiking or take beach vacations.