Thornton aspires to become a conservation law officer for the state of Indiana and hopes to specialize in search and rescue. He wants to make a career of serving the public by locating and aiding individuals who are in distress or lost, whether that is on land or in the water.

"I am very passionate about helping the environment and helping people," Thornton said. "I want to feel like I’m making a difference."

"I’ve always been a big backpacker," Thornton said. "I love hiking and I love hiking difficult trails for long distances. If someone were to get lost in a large wooded area, I feel like I have the drive to keep going. Once I start something, I really like to be able to finish it and do it well."

Thornton's rigorous work ethic, stellar academic performance, and tenacious spirit have been recognized by Vincennes University, which has presented Thornton the 2021 VU Homeland Security and Public Safety Presidential Leadership Award.

The honor is the highest recognition for student achievement in the bachelor’s degree program.

VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson provided a congratulatory message that included praise for Thornton's outstanding performance.

According to VU Homeland Security and Public Safety Department Chair and retired FBI special agent Louis Caprino said, "President John F. Kennedy once said that leadership and learning are indispensable to each other. During his Conservation Law Enforcement and Homeland Security and Public Safety studies, Jordan Thornton consistently displayed leadership characteristics that earned him the highest recognition of the Homeland Security and Public Safety Presidential Leadership Award. His empathy, team-building, integrity, confidence, influence, and respect were widely recognized by Jordan's peers and instructors. I look forward to his successful career pursuits and development as a future leader within the homeland security enterprise."

During the spring semester of 2021, Thornton of Bremen, Indiana, was also presented with a Homeland Security and Public Safety Top Gun Award. Recipients of Top Gun Awards achieve the highest grade in their HSPS courses. Thornton earned the top grade in the Introduction to Terrorism course.

Thornton holds two degrees from VU. He earned an associate degree in Conservation Law Enforcement in 2020, then graduated Summa Cum Laude as a member of the Class of 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security and Public Safety.

Learn more about Vincennes University's Homeland Security and Public Safety bachelor's degree program at https://www.vinu.edu/major/homeland-security-public-safety. For information on VU's Conservation Law Enforcement program, explore https://www.vinu.edu/major/law-enforcement-conservation-a-s-transfer.

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