Jordan Arellanes MA ’15 | School of Education & Human Development Distinguished Alumni Award
Mar 4, 2025
Jordan Arellanes was born in Colorado and graduated from Golden High School before he received his master's of science in educational psychology. While obtaining his CU Denver degree, he worked under Dr. Ruben Viramontez Anguiano, who was first establishing the Department of Human Development and Family Relations. Dr. Viramontes Anguiano had a major influence on Jordan and inspired his passion for leadership within higher education. Upon graduating in 2015, he was selected for the inaugural CU Denver College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Student of the Year award, which recognizes excellence in academics, service, and leadership.
Jordan is currently an Assistant Professor of Developmental Psychology at Illinois State University and serves as the Chair-Elect of Family Policy for the National Council on Family Relations. His research interests are guided by community-based action research, where he works to support the educational attainment of Latino youth and the inclusion of fathers into community resources. Most recently, he developed an academic intervention to increase college students’ perceptions of inclusion and belonging within the university. He hopes this intervention can be replicated nationwide to help college students build a sense of community on campus.