Eleanor Jordan Teaches Change

Eleanor Jordan never stops learning. She began graduate studies in statistics after programming in the defense industry and for the Department of Transportation. A chance opportunity to teach a COBOL class, however, changed her life. An assistant professorship allowed her to keep her young family in Austin and discover a passion for teaching that has never flagged.

In 2002 Eleanor retired after 28 years at UT as an award-winning teacher and a leader of the UT MIS BBA program. She returned in Fall 2006 "to help out for one semester," and is still here teaching and loving the opportunity to focus on her classroom role. There's still so much to learn. She remembers a summer years ago when she committed to learn about bubble memory. Thankfully, she didn’t follow through, as bubbly memory was short-lived.

Another learning experience was having her son, Newt, as a student. Both Eleanor and Newt thought that grading would be a challenge, but the real challenge was changing her role from mother to teacher. Despite this, Eleanor is glad Newt was her student. He's now a DBA in San Francisco. She says she is a more relaxed teacher because of the experience. Her advice to those in MIS: "Technical people often have trouble with change. They hold on to old skills too long. Accept the cycles that come with life."