Jordan Spradlin is making the world go round by helping advance sustainable practices across the United States.
Originally from Montesano, Washington, Jordan completed her undergraduate degree in public health with a concentration in health promotion from the University of Arizona.
Jordan is now back in the Pacific Northwest as a Master of Public Health (MPH) student studying environmental and occupational health at Oregon State.
Jordan says returning to the PNW was a perfect fit. “[I was] back to an environment that I already enjoy.”
Jordan joined the MPH program directly from her undergrad degree and is advised by Molly Kile, Sc.D.
“[It] was an interesting [transition] going into a master’s program being the youngest person. [It] was definitely something to acknowledge and be aware of […]. Acknowledging that [other people in the cohort] might have more professional experience…,” Jordan says.
As part of the MPH program, students are required to complete a 200-hour internship.
Jordan completed her internship with the Green Sports Alliance, a nonprofit that advocates for sustainable practices in the sports industry. She says, the Green Sports Alliance “is a leader in the field of pushing sports and sustainability — whether that’s energy usage, water consumption, food waste or recyclable materials.”
Jordan had the opportunity to go to The Espys to advocate for sustainable practices in Los Angeles and be a part of the organization’s Green Sports Alliance Summit in Minneapolis.
Jordan is now taking what she has learned from her internship and is bringing it back to Corvallis.
She has been working with Beaver Athletics to improve sustainable practices at home games, primarily by sorting post-game waste and helping fans understand what can be recycled.
“Jordan helped create a playbook for Zero Waste Games at OSU,” Molly says. “She has led this initiative at OSU and has demonstrated its success.”
Jordan is also working with athletics to bring more sustainable approaches to events.
“We are trying to limit the amount of exposure to unnecessary single-use plastics that people are using at such large events and we’re also trying to raise awareness and their ability to impact their own environment by just the small choices that they make,” Jordan says.
Create healthy and safe environments to live, work and play with Oregon State’s MPH in environmental and occupational health. Learn more today.
This story was originally published by the Oregon State Graduate School.