Jordan Whicker
Hometown: Urbana, IL
University: University of Illinois
Major: East Asian Languages and Cultures
BIOGRAPHY
I'm a townie, born and raised in Urbana, IL. With each day that passes, I become more and more aware that very soon, I will likely find myself living somewhere other than this town for the first time in my life. Well, the second time, I guess. Last year I lived in Kobe, Japan, which was different from Urbana, Illinois in almost every regard. Living a stone's throw from the Pacific Ocean and a front porch's gaze from a mountain range was an eye-opening experience. I returned to America determined to soak in all of the things that I had previously taken for granted. I'll graduate college in 2010 and begin the next chapter of my life, going who knows where, but not before I become properly acquainted with my own country and spend some time making the world a better place.
PERSONAL STATEMENT
The ride is more than a sightseeing trip for me. My dad's father and my mom's mother are both battling cancer right now. I've seen firsthand how cancer affects individuals, families and communities. I understand that the fight against cancer is at the same time an intensely personal battle and the responsibility of each new generation. Just like all of the problems facing humanity, we each have a choice when it comes to cancer. We can live our lives pretending - and maybe hoping - that cancer will leave us alone, or we can do what we can while we're able. I'm riding for my grandparents who have cancer, their spouses who stand by their sides, my parents who are their children, and for a future that is made better by the hard work of generations past.