By Enrique Molinares
When Jordin Chandler ’19 learned he had been named Florida Tech’s 2025 Outstanding Alumni Award winner for the College of Psychology and Liberal Arts, his first thought was simple: “I hope Anthony Catanese would have been proud.”
“I didn’t want to disappoint Dr. Catanese,” he says of Florida Tech’s former president. “He took a chance on me, and this award showed he didn’t make the wrong decision.”
In 2016, Chandler gave a speech at Florida Tech’s Julius Montgomery Pioneer Award Celebration. In the audience was Catanese, then Florida Tech’s president, who offered him a presidential scholarship to the university on the spot.
Chandler enrolled in classes later that year, majoring in humanities-prelaw.
COPLA Interim Dean Lisa Steelman says Chandler represents what Florida Tech stands for.
“Jordin Chandler exemplifies the very best of Florida Tech: leadership grounded in service and a deep commitment to community impact,” she says. “We’re proud to celebrate his achievements and to support his ongoing journey of service before self.”
Chandler grew up in Melbourne, Florida, raised by his godmother and surrounded by people who looked out for him.
“I’ve had a lot of people pour into me and help steer me in the right direction,” he says. “Even with negative examples around me, there were people making sure I didn’t go the wrong way.”
That early foundation in community shaped everything that came next for Chandler.
Originally, he had wanted to major in political science, but Florida Tech didn’t offer it as a major.
“Humanities and prelaw were the closest thing,” he says. “It lined up with what I wanted to do: focus on the needs of the community.”
While at Florida Tech, he also studied abroad in France, Italy and Greece, completing community projects and learning from other cultures.
“It was a phenomenal experience,” he says. “It broadened my perspective on people and purpose.”
During his junior year, tragedy struck. Chandler’s godmother, the woman who had raised him, died due to medical malpractice. Professors supported him through the loss, giving him time to recover and catch up.
After graduating from Florida Tech in 2019, Chandler planned to attend law school. Instead, a mentor convinced him to try lobbying first.
“I thought lobbying was just backroom deals,” he says, laughing. “But I learned it’s really about advocacy—about solving problems.”
For more than five years, he represented clients ranging from developers and the Brightline passenger rail service to Health First. One of those clients, Waste Management, later offered him a full-time position as government affairs manager for Florida.
“My job is about relationships,” he says. “Working with government leaders, listening to communities and making sure our company’s goals line up with public needs.”
Public service runs in the family. Chandler’s grandmother, Yvonne Minus, was the first African American woman elected to the Melbourne City Council and later served two terms as vice mayor. She also led local programs that helped bridge the gap between youth and law enforcement.
“She was always a community servant,” Chandler says. “Watching her taught me what leadership really means.”
That same drive led him to the Brevard County Charter Review Commission in 2021. At age 24, Chandler became the youngest person ever appointed. His proposal to create a workforce and supportive housing trust fund went before voters the following year and passed with a narrow majority.
“That’s my baby,” he says. “It forced our county to finally prioritize affordable housing. It’s something that’ll outlast me.”
When asked what investing in the community means, Chandler doesn’t hesitate.
“It’s about legacy,” he says. “It’s not about titles or résumés. It’s about how people felt after meeting you. Being invested in the community means being unforgettable for the right reasons.”
At 28, he’s now a husband and father to a 2-year-old daughter, and he’s still looking forward.
“I’ve been blessed to achieve a lot early,” he says. “But I’m not done. I want to keep growing and giving back. Politics might be next.”
For Chandler, every chapter ties back to service. “In order to make a difference, the difference first has to start with you.”
This piece also appeared in the fall 2025 issue of COPLA Connections.
