#2: Jordan Hernandez
The 2nd most intriquing student on campus, Jordan Hernandez.
Senior Jordan Hernandez has a passion for finding the humor in life and bringing humor to the people around him. Five years ago, Hernandez got his start in improvisational comedy with the troupe Potentially Funny while in high school in Rochester. The group’s accolades include opening for Rob Schneider. He credits his English teacher and member of the troupe, Marc D’Amico, with sparking his interest in practicing comedy.
For the past two years, Hernandez has been doing stand-up shows at comedy clubs around Rochester, Buffalo and at universities throughout Western New York. He’s opened up on several occasions for professional comedian Jamie Lissow.
As a senator for NUSGA, Hernandez has been instrumental in bringing comedy shows to NU. For a senior countdown event in the fall, Hernandez helped bring in Lissow to do a stand-up show. Lissow commented to Hernandez that NU had the most diverse crowd he had ever seen. Hernandez also helped NU bring Rob Schneider in for a night of comedy. Hernandez served as master of ceremonies for the event.
He is a part of the newly formed club We Are Funny Students, which specializes in short and long-form sketch as well as improvisational comedy. The group’s first show will be on May 2 at NU’s Leary Theatre.
For Niagara’s-end-of-the-semester “A Job Well Dunleavy,” Hernandez made a video titled “Beyond the Classroom,” with Dr. Alexander Bertland, Dr. Joseph Little and Dr. Stephen Peterson, to show students that professors are real people and they can be funny, too.
In addition to comedy, Hernandez also plays basketball and football. He is on a multi-championship winning intramural team at NU, the Office Linebackers. He has also been a volunteer coach for youth basketball and football teams in Rochester for the past five years. As an English and special education major, Hernandez is currently student teaching public speaking and Greek mythology at Niagara-Wheatfield High School.
“I try to incorporate a lot of humor and comedy-related things in the classroom to keep students engaged,” he says.
Hernandez’s real interest is in the movement of understanding, which he explains is similar in both teaching and comedy.
“Interpreting the art, interpreting the textbook, interpreting the joke – it’s supposed to be interactive,” Hernandez says. “Whether it’s in the classroom trying to explain a topic, or it’s creating a premise for a joke and then a punch line, there’s a reaction from the audience.” Hernandez enjoys teaching and using comedy to boost students’ interest in learning. “I want to continue exploring that craft, which creates the movement,” he says.
Post your comment
Comments
No one has commented on this page yet.
RSS feed for comments on this page | RSS feed for all comments