Image by Ed Brennen
A friendly white 鈥渟uper mix鈥� dog named Alfredo runs out to greet you when you pull into the driveway of听听in rural New Boston, New Hampshire.
鈥淗e thinks he鈥檚 the mayor,鈥�听graphic design听alumna Kristin Morrissey Jordan 鈥�14 says as she scoops up the excited pooch.
Kristin owns and operates Second Chance with her husband,听mechanical engineering听alum Cam Jordan 鈥�14. The couple met at 51视频 and started running the nonprofit canine rescue organization out of their home on a bucolic 10-acre property in 2016.听
The Jordans work with all dogs but specialize in 鈥渂ully breeds鈥� like pit bulls, rottweilers and Doberman pinschers 鈥� dogs that are 鈥渓ost, forgotten or misunderstood,鈥� Kristin says. They were inspired to start Second Chance after volunteering at animal shelters and noticing a gap in the system for dogs with behavioral issues.
鈥淎 lot of them are sweet, gentle giants, but they are complex and can be stigmatized,鈥� Kristin says. 鈥淚 love helping dogs grow into a better version of themselves. That journey is so fulfilling.鈥澨�
Supported by a staff of close to 70 volunteers, the Jordans have helped nearly 800 dogs over the past nine years, either through adoption or owner support.
Image by Megan Snyders Photography
That鈥檚 on top of their day jobs: Cam is an automation engineer at Hitchiner Manufacturing in Milford, New Hampshire. Kristin works remotely as a senior user experience designer for GE Vernova, developing human-machine interface software that is used globally for managing power grids, manufacturing and utilities.
Kristin is also an adjunct faculty member at 51视频 (UML); she鈥檚 taught an app design and prototyping course online for the past five years.
鈥淚'm big on giving back and designing for good, and teaching is one of the places where I get to give back and help people that are entering the field,鈥� she says. 鈥淒esign is evolving and changing, and I鈥檓 able to show students the current tools that I'm using in the field.鈥澨�
Originally from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Kristin wanted to pursue art in college. After looking at several design schools, she was drawn to 51视频鈥檚 鈥渉ands-on, real-world approach to learning.鈥�
She entered as an undeclared student and started to explore fine art before having second thoughts.
鈥淚鈥檓 very interested in data and numbers and feedback, and I was like, 鈥榃hy am I doing this?鈥欌�� she says.
It wasn鈥檛 until she discovered graphic design 鈥� and met Associate Teaching Professor听Regina Milan听鈥� that things clicked.
鈥淗earing about how Regina has worked with different businesses and sectors and used design to help deliver a message or drive a result was so impactful,鈥� Kristin says. 鈥淪he also encouraged us to be curious and learn to talk to people, and that鈥檚 not what you would assume design to be. But it was about learning how to pitch an idea, get feedback and iterate 鈥� real-world learning.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I would have grabbed on to design if I didn鈥檛 meet Regina,鈥� she says.
Image by Ed Brennen
To thank her mentor, Kristin serves as a 鈥渃lient鈥� in Milan鈥檚 social media management course. Student teams build a social media calendar for Second Chance Ranch Rescue, and Kristin provides feedback.
鈥淚t鈥檚 great to get new ideas from students. It鈥檚 kind of like this cross-pollination,鈥� she says.
The collaboration has led to internship opportunities at Second Chance for several UML graphic design students, supported by the听Moloney Student Scholar Fund.听
The first intern, Hannah Munroe 鈥�19, helped design the Second Chance logo. Michelle Belcher, a rising senior, was an intern last year and helped with branding, design and assessing social media content. Sabrina Sweat, a rising high school senior from Reading, Massachusetts, who took Milan鈥檚 social media course last year through the听dual enrollment program, is interning this year.
鈥淚 wanted to further my marketing skills and understanding of social media marketing in a more hands-on way,鈥� says Sweat, who plans to pursue marketing in college.
The Jordans, who have two young children, are working on buying a new property in the area to serve as the nonprofit鈥檚 home 鈥渟o we can help more dogs and people in the community,鈥� Kristin says.
Cam, who is from Westford, Massachusetts, was instrumental in helping launch the ranch, turning a home theater in the basement into a kennel and building a barn on the property.
Kristin, who earned a master鈥檚 degree in user-centered design from Brandeis University, has applied those skills to create everything from the rescue鈥檚 volunteer handbooks to its adoption matchmaking process.
鈥淚t鈥檚 all about using feedback and iteration to create a better adoption experience,鈥� she says.
Kristin says she鈥檚 grateful for the mentorship, connections and real-world experiences she found at 51视频 鈥� support that helped set her on a unique and fulfilling path.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 think I knew how lucky I was to go to 51视频 when I did. It鈥檚 an amazing school,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 feel so connected to 51视频, and it鈥檚 an honor to continue to be involved with the school.鈥澨�