WHEN JORDAN THIESSEN (’12) ARRIVED ON CAMPUS IN THE FALL OF 2008, the budget-conscious environmental studies major worried about how far his meal plan might go. So he spent his first three weeks eating blackberries from the bushes he found on campus for breakfast—until his parents, Carey (‘83) and Shirley Thiessen, assured him that his sacrifice, while thoughtful, was unnecessary.
On a walk around campus, Jordan and Shirley, who is TWU’s Director of Parent Engagement, came upon what was then known as the Douglas Courtyard—an overgrown space used mainly for tug-of-war competitions during Fort Week. “Jordan thought if it had a fire pit, and some trees and shrubs, it would be a beautiful space,” she remembers.
When Jordan lost his life in a workplace accident on October 18, 2012—just 12 days after he married his university sweetheart, Elise (Malone ’12)—the family wanted to do something to honour his memory. Asking God to leverage their grief for His glory, Shirley and Carey established the Jordan Thiessen Memorial Scholarship endowment.
“When you’re knee deep in grief, not much gives you joy. But this did.”
But they wanted to do more. “TWU had a profound impact on Jordan’s short life,” says Shirley. “Transforming the Douglas courtyard space would not only honour Jordan, but it would benefit future students as well.”
Shirley threw herself into raising funds for both the scholarship and the courtyard project. “It gave me great joy to ask people to participate,” she says. “When you’re knee deep in grief, not much makes you happy. But this did.”
When the Jordan Thiessen Memorial Courtyard was dedicated September 14, 2013—on what would have been Jordan’s 24th birthday—Shirley says her heart “just exploded.”
Now when she’s on campus, Shirley visits the courtyard—often finding students hanging out around the fire pit, enjoying the space. “Jordan’s dream has come to fruition,” she says. “And we 
played a part.”
carey, shirley, chantel, and elise
In addition to the fire pit, the courtyard features a water element, an arbor, and a garden area. “Every time a gift comes in, we’ll add a new element and make it even more special,” says Shirley. “Visiting this courtyard is more meaningful than going to Jordan’s gravesite. So much of his character values were cemented at Trinity Western. He thrived here.”
“Jordan lived to the fullest,” Shirley says, “and with gratitude.”
If you would like to contribute to the courtyard project, or to the Jordan Thiessen Memorial Scholarship, please email Shirley Thiessen at shirley.thiessen@twu.ca.
by Wendy Delamont Lees