SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL SECTION
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
AMANDA DUISENBERG
Theater Performer , Director & Teacher Major : Music ( Vocal Performance )/ Theater Current City : Roseville , CA
“ Jessup was pretty transformative ,” says theater performer , director and teacher Amanda Duisenberg . “ Anywhere else , I would have just been doing voice and that might have made me miserable — I don ’ t just sing , I sing because I do musical theater . Because Jessup is a smaller school , I was able to double major , which meant I got to do both intensely integrated .”
Jessup also helped Duisenberg integrate faith into her work . She contends that if she hadn ’ t gone to Jessup she would still call herself a Christian but that religion wouldn ’ t have been at the forefront of her life . Instead , Jessup ’ s focus on faith “ skyrocketed ” Duisenberg ’ s theatrical interests into more of a ministry . “ I am a service of God ,” she says , “ and I ’ m doing that through these theatrical and musical gifts . These are the people He needs me to reach .”
After graduation , Duisenberg earned her master ’ s in vocal performance and taught as adjunct voice faculty at NYU but returned home during the pandemic . Though she hopes to return to New York in the future , she ’ s enjoying her time in California teaching theater at John Adams Academy in Lincoln , directing at Rocklin Community Theatre , leading theater intensives at area elementary schools — and teaching voice at her alma mater .
JORDYN HUFFMAN
Social Media Producer , K-LOVE & Air1 Major : Business Administration / Bible & Theology Current City : Lincoln , CA
Jordyn Huffman can say without a doubt that her career is thanks to Christy Jewell .
In her junior year , Huffman was invited by Jewell , Jessup ’ s director of career and life planning , to a business etiquette dinner . At the dinner , Huffman met Janet , a representative from Christian radio station K-Love , who asked for Huffman ’ s resume .
A year later at a career fair , Huffman says , “ The Lord told me to go to the K-Love booth .” Though she already had another job lined up , she went to the booth anyway and reencountered Janet , who remembered her from the dinner — and offered her a job on the spot . Huffman has now worked for K-Love for six years , moving from temporary graphic specialist to employment brand specialist to social media producer .
“ Jessup absolutely set me up for success in life and has opened many doors in my career ,” Huffman says . “ I couldn ’ t be more grateful .”
Huffman encourages current Jessup students to take advantage of everything the college offers by getting to know their professors , going abroad when they can ( Huffman studied at Oxford University ) and volunteering on campus — in fact , it was while volunteering for Jessup ’ s marketing department that she first fell in love with social media marketing .
And always say yes to dinner invitations .
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHT
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN NURSING
by Jessica Hice
In fall 2022 , Jessup will be launching a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program , a four-year , evidencebased degree track that aims to help students develop the skills to become principled pre-professionals in the healthcare field .
The BSN program will include access to a simulation lab and a curriculum replete with diversity and cultural perspective training to help students impact a wide range of people and environments . The program will also provide collaborative opportunities with local and regional healthcare providers , including hospice and correctional facilities .
“ We will create very intentional activities to allow students to understand Christian worldview in addition to societal and cultural worldviews , instead of being separated ,” says Dr . George Stubblefield , dean and professor of the School of Natural and Applied Sciences who helped develop the new program . Stubblefield says he hopes to create a culturally diverse group of students and staff as well .
Stubblefield has spent 40 years in the healthcare world as a clinical practitioner , with 12 of those years also spent in academia . He retired from medical practice five years ago and now diverts all of his attention to education with a concentration in degree program development in biology , kinesiology , engineering , mathematics and more . “ The most important thing is being in the classroom — that is where my passion is ,” he says .
Once the new nursing program is open for students to apply , Stubblefield says it will be the only faith-based nursing program in Central California , adding , “ We have an opportunity to build a program from the ground up .”
August 2021 | comstocksmag . com 101