Jordan Neal, ’21

Jordan Neal (’21) is a former English major who is now a Program Analyst at the National Cancer Institute after earning an M.S. in strategic communications at UMGC.

Growing up, I always loved reading and writing, so selecting my major in English literature was an easy choice for me! However, throughout my time in college I was never exactly sure what career or field I wanted to go into.

After graduating from UMBC, I started working as an intern in the Office of Communications and Public Liaison (OCPL) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) before becoming a full-time federal employee. In 2021 I went on to graduate from UMGC with a M.S. in strategic communications.
The extensive reading and writing involved in being an English literature major prepared me tremendously for my current role in strategic communications. What I love most about my job is reading about the cutting-edge science being conducted by remarkable researchers and getting the opportunity to use my writing skills to effectively and efficiently communicate it to the audiences who need it most.

In my position, I have the opportunity to develop materials such as talking points, content for webpages, and social media messaging to relay complicated and sometimes somber topics in a way that is digestible for our key audiences. It’s truly such an honor to be trusted to do this work!
Post college, I still love reading and writing (I have read 47 out of 50 books for my 2024 reading goal) and I always recognize Professors Kathryn McKinley and Lindsay DiCuirci for encouraging my love for the subject beyond college.