Dr. Jim Jordan & Morgan Cloud ’14

At the end of her freshman year, Morgan Cloud ’14 followed her childhood dream by changing her major from chemistry to anthropology. “I’d always wanted to be an archaeologist. So when the science thing wasn’t working out, I decided to follow my earliest ambition.”

Dr. Jim Jordan, who founded Longwood’s Archaeology Field School in 1980, is glad she did. He describes Cloud as both a natural in the classroom and the field whose simpatico demeanor and passion for anthropology places her among his most outstanding mentees. He adds, “I’ve taught her what I know, and now I’m learning from her. She brings me articles to read and suggests books I might find interesting.”

Cloud returns the compliment, saying that Jordan’s enthusiasm is contagious. “He so obviously loves his work that it’s impossible not to become engaged in his lectures,” she said. Prior to Jordan, Cloud never had a mentor rooting for her. “It’s something I’d never allowed to happen. But when a professor puts his faith in your success and is helping you through it, you work hard not to let him or yourself down. It’s made an enormous difference in my academic career.”

Longwood’s Anthropology Department is relatively small, said Jordan, so advisers and advisees have the opportunity to meet regularly. “Still, from time to time a student comes along who really stands out, and you get to know them especially well. In these cases, I do my best to encourage them to make their major their career. I’m convinced that if I live long enough, I’ll see a photo of a Dr. Morgan Cloud smiling from the cover of an anthropology journal.”