New position marks homecoming for Tri-C dean

by Kathleen Steele Gaivin

Hudson native Dr. Matthew Carey Jordan returned home to serve as dean for humanities at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center at Cuyahoga Community College.

Jordan earned a doctorate in philosophy of religion and ethics at Ohio State University and comes to Tri-C via Auburn University in Montgomery, Ala., where he taught philosophy before serving as director of the university honors program and deputy dean of the College of Arts and Science.

“I’ve become passionate about humanities education,” the new dean said.

The vision behind the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Humanities Center at its inception in 2015 was to shape Northeast Ohio’s future by offering a curriculum focused on civic and community engagement. Students take classes about community engagement and the history of Cleveland, among others. The center has developed close partnerships with the Mandel Honors College at Cleveland State University and the Cleveland Humanities Collaborative at Case Western Reserve University.

According to Karen Miller, provost and executive vice president of access, learning and success, Jordan was selected in a national search. She said the search committee reviewed 60-70 resumes and brought in six candidates for initial interviews before narrowing the field to Jordan and one other candidate. The committee chose Jordan for his experience and “absolute passion,” she said.

Miller touted Jordan’s experience in liberal arts and specifically philosophy, along with his work as administrator of an honors program.

“It [passion for humanities education] is so much a part of who he is and what he does,” Miller said. “And he definitely wanted to come back to Northeast Ohio and was interested in what we do.”

 “The work itself is very appealing,” said Jordan, a 1995 Hudson High grad. “Being in Cleveland makes it a dream job.”

Jordan moved to Hudson with his parents and older brother, Tom, before he started first grade. Now once again, Jordan – this time with his wife Jennifer and their seven children, six sons and a daughter – will live in Hudson. The family moved into Jordan’s childhood home, where his mother still lives. His father is deceased.

“We’re super excited,” Jordan said. “We wanted to get closer to home.”

His wife’s family lives in the Columbus area.

Jordan is eager to spread his passion for the humanities in his new position at Tri-C. He said that in a culture that seems to foster shallow thinking, the humanities cause people to think more deeply about critical issues, while also encouraging civility in discussing those issues.

“Humanities classrooms seem to be the only places people can sit down and talk about issues,’’ he said. “Humanities education is important.”

Featured image photo caption: Matthew Jordan