Sophomore Jordan Meadows went to State Farm Center for the first time back in January, during an Illinois men’s basketball game. Unlike the thousands of fans decked out in orange and blue, Meadows was dressed in a suit jacket and more nervous about tripping on his shoelaces than how the Illini fared against Ohio State.
During the game’s first media timeout, Meadows, who majors in integrative biology, came to center court to be awarded the Commandant’s Trophy, an honor given annually to the top graduate of the U.S. Marine Corps Officer Candidate School. As the cheers and applause cascaded down, it was like a dream.
“Toward the end of it, everybody started clapping, cheering and standing up—it was crazy,” Meadows said with a laugh. “I was always in the position of where I look down and I see someone getting an award, but I’ve never been that person. It was a surreal experience.”
Being able to step onto Lou Henson Court in front of a packed stadium was the culmination of Meadows’ hard work that began at the start of his adulthood. At some point in his life it also appeared unlikely, as he was rejected twice by the Officer Candidate School. But Meadows was determined.
His road to the Marines began in high school, when he considered all branches of the military. Meadows finally enlisted in the Marine Corps and set out for basic training in California the summer after graduating high school. Prior to the 13-week boot camp, Meadows admitted he was afraid but came out of the experience with an immense sense of pride.
“You feel accomplished because you didn’t quit and were able to finish something that you started,” Meadows said. “You also feel like you’ve done something not only for yourself, but for others.”
After being promoted to corporal, Meadows decided to apply to be a Marine Corps officer. After being denied twice, he was eventually accepted to the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School and attended the six-week course in Quantico, Va., in the summer of 2015. Potential officers are judged on their leadership, physical fitness, and Marine Corps academics. Meadows received top marks in all three categories—and was ranked first among his class of 220 officer candidates.
Meadows was surprised to even be part of the program, let alone receive the Commandant’s Trophy in the end.
“Being the number one graduate was a huge deal because I’ve done other things in my life but was never number one out of everyone,” Meadows said. “So to actually be that was a huge deal and I had a hard time accepting it—I thought I was dreaming.”
Meadows still has monthly training with the Marine Corps while pursuing his degree at Illinois. He said the discipline he gained from being a Marine has helped him juggle schoolwork, Marine Corps obligations, and extracurricular activities, including volunteer work with Illini veterans on campus.
Once he earns his degree, Meadows plans to join flight school in Pensacola, Fla., to be an F-18 pilot. Until then, he’s happy to share the unique experiences he’s had as a Marine—and it seems he’s barely scratched the surface.
“It’s a cool feeling being able to talk to people and have all these stories and life experiences to share with them,” Meadows said. “It’s definitely a proud feeling.”
