Jordan Malzer

Why you chose your major

I declared my Sociology major after taking Soci 101. I thought it was so interesting to study how groups of people form and maintain. I love the real world connection and how I can take what I learn in class and apply it to everyday life. For Women and Gender studies, it was originally a minor but after a few classes, I moved it to a major. The course topics are very interesting and it is such a diverse field with so much to learn.

Favorite course

My favorite course so far has been WMNS 210: Activism and Feminist Communities with Jennifer Rome. I loved this class because in school we never really talked about what it means to be an activist or ways we can partake in activism. It was really cool to learn about the historical side of the conversation and then find ways to enact it into our lives. The class also had a super supportive environment that encouraged learning and open dialogue.

Research, education abroad, or internship experience

As a pre-law student, I wanted to gain experience in the field and learn more about my future career. To do this I interned at Legal Aid of Nebraska the summer before my junior year. Legal Aid is a non-profit that helps people get free legal assistance. While there I got to completed many tasks. I got to help with research to see if their series were useful to their clients. I also got to do random assessments like court hearings or putting together cases. I learned a lot from the experience and it helped me shape my career path.

Other involvement

One of my most impactful experiences on campus is my involvement with Sigma Psi Zeta Sorority Inc,. I joined Sigma my freshman year and it really helped me find my home on campus. One reason I joined was that I was passionate about the philanthropy which is combating violence against women. I have been able to take this passion and turn it into action serving as the Philanthropy chair last year. I have also been elected to serve as the External Vice President for the 2019-2020 academic year. Sigma has helped me grow my leadership skills by giving me the chance to lead projects while offering me support from my amazing sisters.

Why you chose Nebraska

As someone who was born and raised in Lincoln I was very familiar with the UNL campus. Some people who were born here want to get away but I was the opposite. I liked having the well-known surroundings to help offset the scary transition to college. I also like having my family close to give me that extra support. Being that it is an in-state school for me saves me a lot of money but still gives me a valuable big-10 education with so many amazing opportunities.