Jordan Troeger

Please describe your position and what you enjoy most about it.

I primarily am responsible for all children’s programming from birth-5th grade on Sunday mornings. More importantly, I partner with parents as they disciple their kids and point their kids to Jesus. My favorite part of my job is when I see kids have theological “lightbulb moments,” especially when it is due to something they learned or talked about with their parents.

What aspects of your HLGU experience helped you prepare for your career?

My degree definitely helped prepare me for my job, and also prepped me really well for seminary. I served at a local church as an AWANA leader and that was really formative in establishing a passion for children’s ministry. Additionally, a lot of the campus organizations I was involved in helped me learn how to connect with people and how to lead people.

Have you or are you currently continuing your education? If so, please list the institution(s) and degree(s) you earned or are working toward.

After graduating from HLGU, I earned a Masters of Divinity with an emphasis in Biblical Languages from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary where I am also currently working on a Ph.D in Biblical Studies with an Old Testament and Hebrew Emphasis.

How did HLGU shape you as a person?

I definitely did not expect college to shape me as much as it did. One huge way it shaped me was teaching me the importance of authenticity and vulnerability. I discovered that the more you let other people get to know the real you, the more people let their walls down and the easier it is to form relationships. It also refined my relationship with Christ in so many ways. Whether that was through classes/academics, relationships with other brothers and sisters in Christ, or serving, my relationship with Christ definitely grew and was strengthened.

What HLGU professors played a part in your success? How did your relationship with faculty help you succeed?

All of my Bible professors played such a key part in my success. With all of them I not only respected them academically, but also as a person. I feel like I can still contact them when I am stuck on something with my doctoral work or just need encouragement to press on. I also would give a shout-out to my English professors. Even though I wasn’t an English major, I always felt that my opinion was still valued and that they didn’t mind having a not English major in some of the upper level English classes.

Please list any scholarships, honors, or awards you received as an undergraduate or graduate.

I graduated out of the honors program, which I loved. Dr. Swisher is an awesome professor and was great at pushing me to go deeper and really challenge myself. I earned the Zondervan Greek award at seminary as well as the Biblical Hebrew award.

Do you have any tips to share with students interested in this field?

GET INVOLVED IN A LOCAL CHURCH. While this may involve working at one, I think there is great value in just allowing yourself to sit under God’s Word and the experiential wisdom of other pastors.

What on-campus activities were you involved in at HLGU?

I was in Phi Beta Delta all four years, president for two. I served as a student ambassador and was a member of the Christian Ministries Vocational Fellowship. I was also in Chamber Choir all four years.