Jordan Brunson receives national leadership award from ASDA
Greenville, N.C. (October 28, 2019)—Mr. Jordan Brunson, a fourth-year dental student at the ECU School of Dental Medicine, has received the Distinguished Leader Award from the American Dental Student Association (ASDA).
The annual national award recognizes an outstanding fourth-year dental student who has made significant contributions to his or her school’s ASDA chapter. Each of the 66 dental schools in the U.S. with an ASDA chapter is eligible to nominate one member for consideration.
Jordan Brunson ’20 has received the Distinguished Leader Award from the American Dental Student Association.
Brunson is a Greensboro, N.C., resident and a 2012 graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, where he majored in chemistry. Since joining ASDA as a first-year dental student in 2016, he has worked to expand and strengthen the organization. He has served as ASDA’s professional development coordinator, 2nd delegate to the national ASDA House of Delegates (2017-2018), and 1st delegate/president (2018-2019). He also served as District 4 ASDA licensure and ethics chair, co-president of the Christian Medical and Dental Association, and served on the school’s Student Interview & Admissions Committee.
Under Brunson’s leadership, ASDA has hosted several professional development events for students, published a highly professional newsletter, organized successful student mixers, created sporting events between ASDA chapters at state-wide meetings and revived the chapter’s participation in NC Lobby Day in Raleigh.
Brunson was nominated by his ECU ASDA peers, who wrote of him, “Jordan leads by example, having served countless hours in soup kitchens, the Ronald McDonald House and the local Boys and Girls Clubs. He is a unique leader with an infectious, compassionate personality who inspires everyone he encounters, and our ASDA chapter is larger, stronger and more impactful because of his service.”
“I am truly humbled to be receiving this award and to be considered by my peers to be a student leader in our field,” said Brunson. “I look forward to staying involved with organized dentistry and continuing to advocate for this great profession and the people we serve.”
“From his first year to his final year in dental school, Jordan has shown exceptional leadership and organizational skills,” said Dr. Maggie Wilson, vice dean of the ECU dental school. “We have every confidence that he will continue to innovate, advocate and advance the dental professional after graduation. It will be exciting to watch his contributions to his profession and to the people of North Carolina.
As fourth-year students Brunson and his classmates will complete 27 weeks in rotations at the school’s eight Community Service Learning Centers across North Carolina—a unique opportunity to deliver care and learn about population health challenges in different parts of the state. Brunson plans to go into private practice as a general dentist after he graduates in May.
Brunson will receive the Distinguished Leader Award at ASDA’s National Leadership Conference in Chicago on November 1-2, 2019.