Scrubs off, gloves on: A nursing student grit in and out of the ring
Nursing and boxing aren’t two paths that usually cross, but for nursing senior Jordan Evanko, they have gone hand in hand over the past four years.
With steady discipline and fierce determination, Jordan has poured herself into both worlds—approaching every training session, every match and every clinical experience with the same focus and determination. For her, boxing is more than just a sport; it’s where she builds grit, hones her focus, and taps into the kind of strength that fuels her work as a future nurse.
A Cleveland, Ohio native, Jordan has always been driven by movement and challenge. In high school, she took on yet another role: athletic trainer. But it was at her school’s career center, where she earned her nursing assistant certification, that a deeper passion began to take shape.
Evanko (second from the right) and classmates at their White Coat Ceremony
“I’ve always enjoyed caring for people,” Jordan reflects. “There was something about being useful—knowing I could make a real difference in someone’s life—that stuck with me.”
When it came time to choose a college, the University of Cincinnati (UC) checked all the right boxes—top-tier nursing program, vibrant campus life and family close by. It seemed like the perfect place to launch her future in healthcare but also ended up being the place where she picked up gloves and stepped into the boxing ring for the first time.
...I love pushing myself and knowing the work I put in is all on me. No one can do the training for you.
Jordan Evanko
Evanko boxing at the National Collegiate Boxing Association tournament
It started at the freshman club fair. A flyer for the university’s boxing club caught her eye, and out of curiosity, she decided to check it out.
“At first, I wasn’t totally sold,” she admits. “But once I got a taste of the training—the intensity, the energy, the people—I couldn’t stay away.”
By sophomore year, when her coach asked if she’d consider competing, she figured, why not? After all, not many people can say they boxed in college.
From that moment on, she threw herself fully into both worlds. Between nursing classes, clinical rotations and 12-hour hospital shifts, she found time to train three to four times a week, reserving her so-called “rest days” for running or swimming. Her calendar was full from morning to night, but she thrived in the challenge.
Evanko showing off her third-place medal at the National Collegiate Boxing Association tournament
Through it all, one experience stood out above the rest: her co-op in the Flex ICU at UC Medical Center. The unit, designed for short-stay critical care, exposed her to everything from gunshot wounds to brain-dead patients undergoing organ donation. It was fast-paced, complex and exactly where she wanted to be. So much so that when graduation neared, she became the first student hired directly from the co-op into the unit.
Boxing remained a constant even amid the intensity of nursing school. It became a space where Jordan sharpened her discipline and learned how to handle pressure.
“I’m an adrenaline junkie,” she says. “I love pushing myself and knowing the work I put in is all on me. No one can do the training for you.”
A back injury sidelined her junior year, but she got back as a senior and fought her way into the National Collegiate Boxing Association tournament. After taking second at regionals behind last year’s national champion, she secured a spot at nationals and finished third in the country, making her a two-time All-American.
Evanko and students at a Sara Buri school, in Thailand
Though boxing and nursing seem like an unlikely pair, the crossover between the two has been powerful for Jordan. The resilience she has built in the ring helps her navigate the intensity of hospital work, and her understanding of anatomy and nutrition from nursing informs the way she trains and recovers.
Whether or not she will compete again after graduation is still up in the air, but one thing is certain—Jordan isn’t slowing down. With plans to become a travel nurse—a desire sparked by her study abroad experience in Thailand earlier this year—and a continued commitment to her fitness journey, she’ll keep showing up just like she always has: focused, fearless, and ready for whatever challenge comes next.
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