Parents, Utah Jazz Influence First-year Rad Sci Student
Jordyn Beddow has had an up-close view of the healthcare industry during her 18 years, whether she wanted to or not.
“My dad has Type 1 diabetes and a heart defect and has gone through multiple open-heart surgeries,” Beddow said. “Seeing how that affected him and the rest of our family had a big influence on me.”
That life experience is what prompted Beddow to pursue a degree in radiologic sciences from Weber State.
Originally from San Diego, California, Beddow moved to Utah prior to her sophomore year in high school. Now, she is one of the few people in her family to attend college.
“It was a goal of mine not only to go to college, but to graduate with a bachelor’s degree,” she said.
Her family shares her goal and has encouraged her to pursue it.
Beddow was drawn to Weber State’s School of Radiologic Sciences because of its nationally recognized reputation, but she also considered other universities. That changed when she visited campus.
“After touring the Weber campus, I knew that it was a place that I could see myself for the next four years,” Beddow said. “I loved the environment and how there is a mix of downtown and nature. I also know that I am going to get the best education in the subject I want to study.”
Beddow already knows what she’d like to do after earning her degree.
“I want to travel and work in different hospitals,” she said. “I would also love to one day open my own clinic focusing on the different language barriers in the health field. For example, a clinic where people who are Deaf can get ultrasounds without having to worry about a translator.”
Beddow is one of 30 inaugural recipients, and one of four at Weber State. Utah’s NBA team established the scholarship program to help first-generation, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) students earn their bachelor’s degrees. The scholarships cover the full cost of attendance, including tuition, books, fees, room and board.
It was an educational opportunity that the graduate of the Tuacahn School for the Arts almost missed.
“My counselor and my family encouraged me to apply, which I&/wsumagazine/fall-2021/weber-watch/39;m very thankful for because I only learned about the scholarship the day before it was due,” Beddow said. “If it wasn’t for them, I would have probably not done it because of lack of time.”
In her application video, Beddow spoke about her mom’s role in her life.
“My mother had me at 16. I talked about how this influenced my life and how, in turn, college and education are very important to me,” she said.
Weeks passed before Beddow received an email indicating the Jazz wanted to interview her further. Any stress associated with sitting through an interview quickly turned to confusion when she saw the person calling was sitting in a gym.
It was Jazz forward Royce O’Neale calling to let her know she had received the scholarship.
“I was just in shock, almost in a state of disbelief,” Beddow said. “After the call was over and it finally sunk in, I felt a sense of relief, like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. When I told my family they were over the moon excited and really proud of me.”
In the process, the team gained a new fan.
“I didn’t know much about basketball prior to the scholarship, but, after, I watched them all the way to the playoff games against the Clippers,” she said. “I will always be their number one fan!”
Read about all four 91¶ÌÊÓƵ Utah Jazz Scholarship recipients.