By Mandi Johnson

Journal Reporter

More than 3,000 miles from her home on Lopez Island, Madeline Jordan works toward her goal of being a pharmacist.

“When I was growing up, I always knew I wanted to do something within the medical field because that’s where I see passion,” Jordan said. “Growing up I spent a lot of time going to specialists for all types of health issues and the passion and interest just caught my attention.”

Jordan, 23, is in her first year of graduate-level studies at Western New England University in Springfield, Massachusetts. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology last spring from Elms College in Chicopee, Massachusetts.

“I had applied to Elms college with the intent to travel for college. Exploring my options with different schools, Elms had awarded me a great package, it was a beautiful school – a private school in fact – and the student-to-professor ratio was low so I could become more personal with them and my education,” Jordan said. “I was accepted into a few other schools in Washington state for pre-nursing programs but I decided that I wanted to study biology at Elms because it opened many doors I could begin a career in.”

While a student, Jordan began working as a pharmacy technician part-time, which ended up sparking her career interest. She applied for five graduate schools and was accepted to all five, she explained.

“Madeline is a fun-loving, charismatic young lady,” explained Della McCullough, a close friend of Jordan. “In high school she was a part of the [anti-drug] dream team. She was a student EMT, she played volleyball and was on the basketball team. She also ran track.”

Jordan moved in with McCullough and her husband Chad Ferrians when she was 18.

“I met Madeline when she came to Lopez Island to visit a friend when she was 15 or 16. I was the school bus driver who picked her up when she came to visit our school,” McCullough explained.

“She had come to Lopez School behind in a few classes so it was decided she would do an extra year. That’s when Chad and I decided we would step in and have Madeline stay with us,” McCullough said.

When asked if Jordan could give some advice to younger people, she said, “Do it for yourself because you are your only limitation. And also never be discouraged by others and give yourself credit for the accomplishments that get you where you want to be.”