Scrubs off, gloves on: A nursing student grit in and out of the ring

“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.

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.