Terry Jordan-Henley and Ken Dungan recently established a new endowment through Roane State Foundation to honor the life and legacy of Roane State Faculty Emeritus Jennifer Jordan-Henley, who passed away in August 2024.

“Roane State Foundation is deeply grateful to Terry and Ken for their generosity and for this opportunity to honor Mrs. Jordan-Henley’s memory,” said Scott Niermann, executive director of Roane State Foundation.

Jennifer joined Roane State in 1993 as director of the Oak Ridge Campus Writing Center. During her time in this role, she gained recognition for expanding the center’s mission and creating an exceptional environment for students.

After several years leading the center as director, she also became an assistant professor, dedicating 23 years of her career to Roane State students.

“My wife was always seeking new and challenging projects,” Terry Jordan-Henley said. “She appreciated excellence, encouraged it in others, and expected it from herself.”

Mrs. Jordan-Henley wrote, “When I first came to Roane State, my primary objective was clear: I wanted to build a state-of-the art community college writing center with a solid locally and nationally known reputation. I wanted the center to be a place where students were comfortable and where they could find help, seek advice, and make friends.”

To that end, Jordan-Henley wrote that she fought for a better recognition of the center within the college and overcame challenges like a lack of tutors, minimal space, and a lack of equipment. Over the course of two decades, she more than achieved her goal.

Now, the Jennifer Jordan-Henley Learning Center Endowment, established in the amount of $25,000, will enable Roane State to recognize outstanding student tutors with the Jennifer Jordan-Henley Learning Center Excellence Award as well as make continued improvements at all learning center locations.

“We want our students to receive the very best academic assistance available and to have a comfortable, inviting atmosphere to meet with tutors and to work independently or with their peers on homework and class projects,” explained Mike Hill, director of learning centers and learning support at Roane State. “This endowment certainly puts those goals in reach.”

“Jennifer would be proud that Roane State has continued to support her commitment to learning and excellence through this endowment,” Mr. Jordan-Henley added, “but she would be prouder of the achievements and successes of the students who receive its awards.”

To learn more about establishing an endowment with Roane State Foundation to support Roane State students and programs, visit roanestate.edu/foundation.