Jasmyn Jordan was unsure of her future career path until Mike Pence visited the University of Iowa campus when she was a first-year student in November 2021.

She came to the university as a double major in psychology and criminology from her hometown of Bloomington-Normal, Illinois.

“Originally, I had no interest in politics whatsoever,” Jordan said. “But then once I attended that event, I was like OK, this might be something I’m interested in.’”

She described receiving a random email from Young Americans for Freedom, or YAF, an organization fostering conservative principles on college campuses, promoting the event with Pence.

“I got there super early, and I was the first person in line, and I got to sit in the front row. And it was really awesome to be in a room of 500 to 600 people, and I thought it was just phenomenal that an event like this happened on campus,” Jordan said.

That is when she decided to join YAF, catapulting Jordan into the political science sphere. Nearly four years later, Jordan’s involvement in various campus organizations has made a lasting impact on the university.

Jordan has served as the chair of the UI YAF chapter, along with being a national chair for the organization. She said her work within the chapter has been her biggest influence on the university.

She referenced the Chloe Cole tabling event in October 2023, which promoted a speaking event hosted by YAF featuring the self-identified detransitioner Cole, as one of the biggest national impacts she made within the organization.

Detransitioners — individuals who have previously identified as transgender and began receiving medical treatment who then decide to change course — make up a small percentage of the transgender population.

A 2025 study from the National Institute of Health referenced data on individuals who have chosen to detransition is sparse, and deciding to discontinue medical treatment used to transition does not necessarily mean the individual regrets the transition itself. The study included anywhere from a 0.8-9.8 percent rate of discontinuation among the major treatment methods.

The event caused adverse reactions among UI students. Jordan said that the event led to increased awareness around people who chose to detransition, causing YAF to pick up the topic.

“That made them realize, ‘Oh, this is a topic that held a lot of value to students.’ And so YAF has now made detransitioner visibility a national initiative, which is really cool, that we got to be the first chapter to do that,” she said. “Because that’s something I’m really passionate about, I really like that other chapters have been really successful in replicating this activity on their campuses.”

Jordan also said the YAF event hosting Matt Walsh, an anti-trans conservative commentator, and featuring a screening of his documentary “What is a Woman?” is something she is really proud of in her time at the university. It was the first campus event she hosted on her own.

“It was the largest conservative event that’s ever been held on University of Iowa’s campus,” Jordan said. “We had over 800 attendees and then thousands of live streamers via the YAF YouTube channel, and it was really awesome, especially because he was one of my favorite commentators.”

First-year UI student and current YAF secretary Daelynn Wygle said Jordan is a great communicator, dedicated to her work, and the “heart and soul” of UI’s YAF chapter.

She said Jordan prioritized networking and increasing membership in the organization, which is reflected in the fact that most people involved have a personal connection to her.

“She’s helped keep the group very close with each other, because in some way, we’re all connected to her,” Wygle said.

Wygle said Jordan helped her gain confidence in her own political beliefs and communication skills.

“I’m a political science student, but it is still kind of scary to get out there and share your political beliefs,” she said. “That’s not something I’ve done regularly in the past, so she’s been really great helping me navigate those worlds and feel more comfortable with it.”

Outside of YAF, Jordan has made an impact through various other organizations and initiatives.

She is currently completing a fellowship program for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, or CAMERA, a right-leaning pro-Israel media organization.

Seth Mendel, the academic campus advisor for the CAMERA fellowship program, said Jordan has been enjoyable to work with, citing her willingness to learn and openness to feedback from others. Mendel also said she has strong communication skills that will benefit her after graduation.

“She’s not afraid to have tough conversations with people who might not treat her as nicely as she treats them,” Mendel said. “She’s pretty confident in herself and in her ability to communicate her ideas effectively.”

He said he doesn’t worry about Jordan and her ability to get work done before the deadline, even considering the rigor of being a student on top of the fellowship program and her other commitments.

At the end of this academic school year, Jordan will have completed her program and will be a successful fellow for CAMERA.

Jordan has extensive additional campus community involvement, including the following positions, programs, and initiatives:

• Reagan Institute and Foundation Civic Leader Fellowship
• The College Fix Student Reporter
• Pen Pal Program
• The New Guard Contributor
• Presidential Scholar
• Honors Writing Fellow
• Honors Outreach Ambassador
• Honors Primetime TA
• Honors Admin
• Honors Presidential Scholar
• Honors Phi Eta Sigma Society
• Political Science Honors Society
• Membership and Grassroots intern for Independent Women’s Forum

Jordan has interned for U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson, U.S. Rep. Mayra Flores, and a House Campaign in Illinois’s 91st District with Scott Preston.

Jordan said she is still in the process of interviewing for jobs post graduation, but she plans to do freelance journalism until she lands a job, ideally working for a conservative news outlet.