How Blinn College helped Gainesville ISD's Director of Technology build the foundation for his career

Jordan Howard discovered his perfect career path through Blinn's Information Technology Program

October 28, 2024

When Jordan Howard transferred to Blinn College, he didn’t just find a pathway back to Texas A&M University. He also discovered a hands-on Information Technology Program with professors who were invested in his success.

A graduate of Callisburg High School in North Texas, Howard initially enrolled at Texas A&M with a major in biomedical science. He quickly realized, however, that he didn’t have a passion for the field. Seeking an alternative path, Howard transferred to Blinn College, a move that ultimately defined his career trajectory.

“Blinn College was significantly less expensive than Texas A&M and offered a variety of classes that allowed me to explore my interests,” Howard explained. “This opportunity to try different things helped me understand what I truly wanted to study and do for a career.”

At the Blinn College-Bryan Campus, Howard discovered his passion for information technology (IT).

“I found Blinn’s introductory IT classes through a course catalog, and I decided to give it a shot,” Howard recalled. “I started to develop a passion and then I ended up finishing the whole curriculum because it was so enjoyable.”

Blinn’s Information Technology Program is offered on the Brenham, Bryan, and RELLIS campuses. Designed to prepare students for high-demand careers in computer network administration, the program covers the fundamentals of personal computers, networking, and security using CompTIA standards. Students also learn about the installation, configuration, and administration of Linux and Windows servers, Cisco switches and routers as well as Apache, PHP web, and MySQL database programming and servers.

Through the program, students can earn a 9-credit-hour Occupational Skills Award in Computer Information Technology and Level-2 certificates in Microsoft Specialist and Linux Specialist on their way to an Associate of Applied Science in Information Technology Administrator.

“The smaller class sizes and the quality of the professors made a huge difference,” Howard said. “Blinn was definitely one of the best decisions I made. It gave me a chance to focus and understand myself better without the overwhelming environment of a large university.”

Just as importantly, Blinn’s Information Technology Program provided hands-on opportunities, including a capstone course and an internship.

“Two classes stood out for me – Networking and the Linux/Unix class,” Howard said. “In the networking class, we built systems from scratch, which gave me a deep understanding of Cisco standards. The Linux class involved practical projects using Raspberry Pi, which taught me skills that I still use today.”

Upon completing his associate degree, Howard returned to Texas A&M, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management and was named a Distinguished Honor Graduate.

“The associate degree from Blinn covered such a broad array of topics in the tech world, providing the best foundation I could have had when transferring to Texas A&M,” Howard said. “Blinn College prepared me exceptionally well for my continued studies and career.”

Howard recently was named the Director of Technology at Gainesville ISD. In this role, he oversees all technological operations across the district’s five campuses.

“The IT program at Blinn not only taught me the technical skills, but also prepared me for real-world challenges,” Howard said. “I highly recommend Blinn to students interested in IT. Blinn saved my college career and set me on the path to where I am today.”

For more information about Blinn’s Information Technology Program, visit www.blinn.edu/information-technology.