Angel G. Jordan Papers

Angel G. Jordan was born on September 19, 1930, in Pamplona, Spain. He was naturalized as an American in 1966. He did his undergraduate studies at the University of Zaragoza (Spain), where he received a degree in Physics in 1952. Jordan received a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in 1959. Later that year, he also received his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from the school. Jordan became an assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Education department at Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1959. He was made an associate professor in 1962, and became a full professor in 1966. From 1976 through 1978, he served as the chairman of the Biomedical Engineering Program. He served as dean of the Carnegie Institute of Technology (at Carnegie Mellon University) from 1979 to 1983. Jordan became a university provost in 1983, where he served until 1991. He currently serves as the Keithley University Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Robotics at Carnegie Mellon. His research interests have primarily focused on semiconductor devices; integrated circuits; thin films; environmental and biomedical instrumentation; and intelligent sensors.

From 1977 to 1983, Jordan served on various boards and committees at St. Edmund's Academy (SEA), a private boys' school located in the Squirrel Hill district of Pittsburgh. His son, Xavier, attended SEA during this time. Jordan became a member of the Board of Trustees in 1978, and served on the board until 1983. He chaired the Academic Affairs Committee from 1979 to 1982, and served on the Education Committee from 1977 through 1980.

During Jordan's tenure as a trustee, the board dealt with the hiring of two new headmasters, Edward Shuster (1977) and Sterling Miller (1979-80). The board also conducted evaluations of the headmasters, faculty, and other board members during this time. Similarly, the board oversaw fund raising activities and projects in order to raise capital for SEA.

While chairing the Academic Affairs Committee, Jordan oversaw accreditation projects, the processing of standardized testing and enrollment reports, the drafting of a SEA educational philosophy, as well as matters regarding discipline and admissions. The Education Committee developed curriculum guidelines for all grades throughout SEA, and assisted the board in evaluating the headmaster and faculty. They were also responsible for the decision of whether or not to add a ninth grade at SEA.

Formerly known as Ascension Academy , SEA was founded by Bishop Wilburn C. Campbell. The school is loosely affiliated with the Episcopal Church, and has steadily grown since it began in 1947. SEA is named after St. Edmund, the ninth century boy-king of East Anglia . The school became co-ed in the fall of 1984, when it first allowed girls to enroll in the preschool program. Although many private schools have witnessed a decline in enrollment since the 1980s, SEA has regularly increased its enrollment during this time.