Image by Ed Brennen
A friendly white “super mix” dog named Alfredo runs out to greet you when you pull into the driveway of Second Chance Ranch Rescue in rural New Boston, New Hampshire.
“He thinks he’s the mayor,” graphic design alumna Kristin Morrissey Jordan ’14 says as she scoops up the excited pooch.
Kristin owns and operates Second Chance with her husband, mechanical engineering alum Cam Jordan ’14. The couple met at UMass Lowell and started running the nonprofit canine rescue organization out of their home on a bucolic 10-acre property in 2016.
The Jordans work with all dogs but specialize in “bully breeds” like pit bulls, rottweilers and Doberman pinschers — dogs that are “lost, forgotten or misunderstood,” Kristin says. They were inspired to start Second Chance after volunteering at animal shelters and noticing a gap in the system for dogs with behavioral issues.
“A lot of them are sweet, gentle giants, but they are complex and can be stigmatized,” Kristin says. “I love helping dogs grow into a better version of themselves. That journey is so fulfilling.”
Supported by a staff of close to 70 volunteers, the Jordans have helped nearly 800 dogs over the past nine years, either through adoption or owner support.
Image by Megan Snyders Photography
That’s on top of their day jobs: Cam is an automation engineer at Hitchiner Manufacturing in Milford, New Hampshire. Kristin works remotely as a senior user experience designer for GE Vernova, developing human-machine interface software that is used globally for managing power grids, manufacturing and utilities.
Kristin is also an adjunct faculty member at UMass Lowell (UML); she’s taught an app design and prototyping course online for the past five years.
“I'm big on giving back and designing for good, and teaching is one of the places where I get to give back and help people that are entering the field,” she says. “Design is evolving and changing, and I’m able to show students the current tools that I'm using in the field.”
Originally from Chelmsford, Massachusetts, Kristin wanted to pursue art in college. After looking at several design schools, she was drawn to UMass Lowell’s “hands-on, real-world approach to learning.”
She entered as an undeclared student and started to explore fine art before having second thoughts.
“I’m very interested in data and numbers and feedback, and I was like, ‘Why am I doing this?’” she says.
It wasn’t until she discovered graphic design — and met Associate Teaching Professor Regina Milan — that things clicked.
“Hearing about how Regina has worked with different businesses and sectors and used design to help deliver a message or drive a result was so impactful,” Kristin says. “She also encouraged us to be curious and learn to talk to people, and that’s not what you would assume design to be. But it was about learning how to pitch an idea, get feedback and iterate — real-world learning.
“I don’t think I would have grabbed on to design if I didn’t meet Regina,” she says.
Image by Ed Brennen
To thank her mentor, Kristin serves as a “client” in Milan’s social media management course. Student teams build a social media calendar for Second Chance Ranch Rescue, and Kristin provides feedback.
“It’s great to get new ideas from students. It’s kind of like this cross-pollination,” she says.
The collaboration has led to internship opportunities at Second Chance for several UML graphic design students, supported by the Moloney Student Scholar Fund.
The first intern, Hannah Munroe ’19, helped design the Second Chance logo. Michelle Belcher, a rising senior, was an intern last year and helped with branding, design and assessing social media content. Sabrina Sweat, a rising high school senior from Reading, Massachusetts, who took Milan’s social media course last year through the dual enrollment program, is interning this year.
“I wanted to further my marketing skills and understanding of social media marketing in a more hands-on way,” says Sweat, who plans to pursue marketing in college.
The Jordans, who have two young children, are working on buying a new property in the area to serve as the nonprofit’s home “so we can help more dogs and people in the community,” Kristin says.
Cam, who is from Westford, Massachusetts, was instrumental in helping launch the ranch, turning a home theater in the basement into a kennel and building a barn on the property.
Kristin, who earned a master’s degree in user-centered design from Brandeis University, has applied those skills to create everything from the rescue’s volunteer handbooks to its adoption matchmaking process.
“It’s all about using feedback and iteration to create a better adoption experience,” she says.
Kristin says she’s grateful for the mentorship, connections and real-world experiences she found at UMass Lowell — support that helped set her on a unique and fulfilling path.
“I don’t think I knew how lucky I was to go to UMass Lowell when I did. It’s an amazing school,” she says. “I feel so connected to UMass Lowell, and it’s an honor to continue to be involved with the school.”