Nelson Mandela once wrote, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
If that’s true — and we think it is — Jordan Bibby is on her way to a full arsenal for achieving her dreams. Now a graduate of McCallum Fine Arts Academy, Jordan has been accepted into the Wellesley College Class of 2024. And she doesn’t plan to stop there.
“Upon receiving my bachelor’s degree from Wellesley, I plan to attend law school,” she said. “More than anything, my goal for the future is to create change.”
Prioritizing Education
The importance of education was instilled in Jordan from a young age, in part thanks to her father. He was the first in his family to obtain a degree — and then he earned a master’s… and then a doctorate. Tenacity and dedication to learning run in the family, it seems.
“I used to sit in a lecture hall, barely big enough to fill my seat, and watch my dad teach his students about psychology and philosophy,” wrote Jordan in her scholarship application essay.
Unfortunately, Dr. Clarence Bibby, Jr., passed away when Jordan was just nine years old. Through the pain of missing him, she found some solace in reading his old books.
“Reading his annotations, my fingers grazing the softened pages once turned by his, made me feel closer to a man I never truly got to know,” she said.
That’s when she discovered her true passion: fighting for the interests of underserved communities.
Finding Her Passion
“Growing up Black in America, I have always been keenly aware of the systemic and societal challenges I will face for the rest of my life that many of my peers will never have to consider,” said Jordan.
In an effort to address that inequity, Jordan plans to focus on issues of race and gender as a political science major, then become an attorney and — eventually — a politician.
“I want to use my expertise in law as a platform to serve my community as an elected official.”
While that may sound ambitious, Jordan is already well acquainted with leadership and service. During her time at McCallum, Jordan served as editor-in-chief of the school’s literary magazine and an English tutor at the writing center. She also founded the Students of Color Alliance (SOCA), dedicated to building community rooted in education and inclusion.
“We created a new community at our school that didn’t exist before — one where people of color were allowed to speak their minds wholly and feel heard.”
This experience has helped make visible to Jordan what it takes many people decades to realize.
“As the leader of SOCA, I have learned that when a school community is forged through friendship, leadership, and perspective, a shift in the community power dynamics will occur.”
Hope for the Future
Jordan, whose goal is to be a catalyst for change in underserved communities, already has leaps and bounds more experience than many incoming first-year college students.
As she continues to learn, she’ll take her father’s spirit with her.
“Everything I’ve achieved, every change I’ve made in my community, none of them could have happened without him.”
About the Young Women’s Alliance Foundation
The Young Women’s Alliance Foundation was established in 1997 to expand programmatic opportunities for YWA members and contribute to women and girls in the community through educational scholarships and an annual grant to YWA’s nonprofit partner organization, the Girls Empowerment Network. Support for the YWA Foundation comes from member fundraising efforts, proceeds from Austin Under Forty, the YWA Endowment Fund, and generous donations from individuals and corporations in Austin.
