By Desiree Williams
Jordin Alexander is a 2012 graduate of Hamilton Southeastern High School. Alexander, 25, is an economic development specialist for the City of Fishers.
Q: What was your favorite subject in high school and why?
A: I would say history, simply because I have always been interested in how people and events have shaped the world we live in today. Also, I had awesome history and government teachers at HSE.
Q: What do you miss most about high school?
A: I definitely miss Friday night football games. HSE always had such a great energy surrounding football and athletics in general, and the engagement among the student body made Friday nights a great time.
Q: Can you tell me about your collegiate experience?
A: For undergrad, I studied public health at Brown University, where among other things, I played basketball for four years. After graduating from Brown in 2016, I had a fifth year of eligibility with the NCAA, so I decided to play a year at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers while pursuing a master’s in public administration and environmental policy. After graduating in 2018 from FGCU, I moved back to the Fishers area later that year.
Q: Why did you choose that major?
A: I always knew I wanted to go into a field where I could see an impact on a community and help shape outcomes for people, whether that be quality of life, or health, or the physical environment in a community. My undergraduate and graduate degrees were both indicative of that interest.
Q: Tell me about your path post-graduation.
A: During grad school, I worked for a civil engineering firm. After that experience of working with private developers, but also interacting with the public sector, I knew I wanted to get into a field where I was exposed to a variety of disciplines while working between private and public sectors. So, that realization eventually led to my current position.
Q: What are you doing now?
A: I am working as an economic development specialist for the City of Fishers. I have been here for just over a year, and so far, working for the community that I grew up in and getting the chance to have a role in our development and growth, has been awesome and gratifying as well.
Q: Do you have any advice for younger students?
A: I would say be involved in as much as you can to get the most out of what the HSE school system has to offer. If you do not realize it already, when you graduate from HSE or Fishers, you will quickly realize how lucky you were and prepared you are for whatever your next step is. Also, as you move on to post-secondary opportunities and start your careers, remember the incredible area you live in now, and remember it is a great, and is constantly becoming an even better, place to return, to live and work.
