Brandywine Student Spotlight: Khalid Jordan

Major: Business with a Marketing Focus

Year: Second

Involvement: President of the Residence Hall Association; creative advocate of Brandywine Leagues and Tournaments; member of the Anime Club; member of the PokéWalk Club; early-stage entrepreneur at Brandywine LaunchBox

Brandywine: Why did you choose Penn State Brandywine?

Jordan: When I was looking for a major to pick, I decided to do business with a focus in marketing. I saw Penn State Brandywine had a pretty big connection with business and marketing. That ultimately led me to make the decision to go here.

Brandywine: How did you choose your major?

Jordan: Originally, I wanted to do video game design, and I took a class in high school for it. The class was fun, but I didn't really like how hard it was sometimes. I took a marketing class at the same time, and it was always the class I was excited to go to. I figured marketing was probably the best subject to study while at Brandywine.

Brandywine: What challenges have you faced at Brandywine, if any?

Jordan: Recently, I would say I haven’t dealt with any real challenges. I would say the first semester it was a little hard to get well connected because sometimes I was a little nervous. The past two semesters, though, I was able to get involved in so many organizations, and I'm enjoying college even more than I did my first year.

Brandywine: How has Penn State Brandywine supported you, and who here has supported you the most?

Jordan: I think the biggest support I have at Brandywine is the LaunchBox program. Before getting involved in the LaunchBox program, I had a business idea, but I couldn't really figure out how to really get the idea off its feet. Then, I got involved in the program with Roger Lee (director of innovation and entrepreneurship), and he helped me learn a lot.

Brandywine: What inspired you to create your own business?

Jordan: I'm a big fan of anime and video games; they’re a passion of mine. I see a lot of people wearing anime t-shirts, but some people don't want to wear them because they don't want to wear something super big and bright. So, I should make T-shirts that are more subtle and don't always scream anime.

Brandywine: What made you interested in anime, and what made you want to center your business around it?

Jordan: Growing up, anime has always been almost a safe place. Whenever it was a bad day at school or life [was] not going the best, I always could turn on some series and watch it. I think anime has already grown to become an even bigger community, but I feel like it could grow even more, so in a way I'm trying to help make it bigger.

Brandywine: How did you hear about Brandywine LaunchBox, and what made you decide to get involved?

Jordan: I remember hearing about LaunchBox three times in the same day. The first time was my professor, the second time was on a paper on the bulletin board and the third time it was in an email. I already had my business idea, and now I'm hearing [about LaunchBox] three times, I might as well give it a shot. It was like a sign that I should get involved with it.

Brandywine: How has LaunchBox helped you as an entrepreneur?

Jordan: LaunchBox definitely helped me learn how to grow and turn my idea into something real. Before, I wasn't too sure if my business would work out, but the LaunchBox taught me to just have a little bit more faith in it, test it out and see what happens. I’d say it's going pretty well.

Brandywine: With all the extracurricular activities you’re involved with on campus, how have they impacted your time?

Jordan: Being so involved gave me something to do. During my first year here, I spent a lot of my time in my dorm not really doing anything. I was mostly playing video games. I mean, I still make sure I have time to play games, but I like the idea of having something to do. I’m learning from all my experiences and having fun. I also recently applied to be an orientation leader for the summer, so I’m getting even more involved as time goes on.

Brandywine: What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned during your time at Brandywine?

Jordan: I guess one of the most valuable lessons is probably relying on people for help sometimes, and not being afraid to ask for help. Growing up, sometimes I was more on my own, besides my parents of course. They always helped me out. Outside of my family, though, I couldn’t find help. Coming to Brandywine, I'm seeing a community of people that actually care and want to help me do better.