Jordan Named FMU's Distinguished Professor for 2003-04
FLORENCE---Jesse J. (Mike) Jordan of Florence has been selected the J. Lorin Mason Distinguished Professor for the 2003-04 year at Francis Marion University.
Announced at a campus banquet April 22, this award has been given since the 1975-76 school year and is based upon a faculty member’s contributions to teaching, professional service and scholarly activities.
The award, named in honor of the former chairman of the FMU Board of Trustees, is the highest honor to be bestowed upon a faculty member. It will be presented at FMU’s spring commencement Saturday, May 8. The award carries a cash prize.
As a result of his selection, Jordan will be the Francis Marion University nominee for the Governor’s Professor of the Year Award competition next fall.
“Mike Jordan is recognized for his outstanding teaching and his administrative abilities,” said Fred Carter, FMU president. He also praised Jordan for his strong commitment to research and his service to the university and community.
“Students hold him in high regard as a caring and passionate instructor, while his colleagues have enormous respect for his scholarship and leadership,” said Carter.
A professor of psychology, Jordan joined the FMU faculty in 1972. He has progressed through the academic ranks and was named director of institutional research in 2002. He has also served as program effectiveness coordinator for the undergraduate programs, coordinator of undergraduate psychology and webmaster of his department.
A native of Atlanta, Jordan attended Georgia Institute of Technology and earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Georgia State University in 1969. He also earned master’s and doctoral degrees in psychology from Georgia State in 1972. He served as a captain in the U.S. Army, receiving the outstanding officer award in the Signal Corps in 1974.
Jordan is a member of the American Psychological Society, the American Association of University Professors, the Southeastern Psychological Association, the Society of Personality and Social Psychology, the Society of Southeastern Social Psychologists, the Society for the Advancement of Social Psychology, the Human Behavior and Evolution Society and Psi Chi, the National Honor Society in Psychology.
He was elected president of Phi Kappa Phi in 1993-94. He was awarded the first excellence in teaching and dedication to students award of the S.C. Psychological Association in 1989. In 1976, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the Florence Mental Health Association. He currently serves on the board of directors for the Florence Junior Achievement Program.
Jordan has conducted numerous seminars and workshops in his profession, made scholarly presentations and written articles for professional journals. He also has become adept at developing Internet websites and played a leading role in overhauling FMU’s new web presence.
He has received more than $600,000 in research grants while at FMU, and he has served as a reviewer for several psychology books. He also has been a consultant for a number of community organizations and served on many university committees. He was chair of the Faculty Senate from 1998 to 2000.